Five years of project-based learning training experiences in higher education institutions in Brazil

Abstract

Implementing Project Based Learning (PBL) is a challenging enterprise both for students and for teachers. PBL demands a changing process in which teaching is about being able to work with other teachers in an environment open to uncertainty, with creativity, improved communication and engagement. Considering the need to support teachers to implement PBL, a group of researchers delivered 19 workshops since 2010 in 16 Higher Education Institutions in Brazil. These workshops were delivered using a PBL approach and most of them had 20 hours of training. This study aims identifying the impact of these workshops and discuss the contribution of staff development strategies to improve engineering teaching practice. The methodological approach carried out for this study was based on an online questionnaire exploring the participants’ perceptions about their experience in the workshop and the impact on their teaching practice using active learning strategies (difficulties, motivations, etc.). The questionnaire was sent to 367 participants’ active email addresses. The findings, from the 67 answers received, point out that 95% of respondents said that the workshops have had an impact on their teaching practice, and in general, they are applying what they have learned in the workshops. The participants’ motivation came from the interest in learning new teaching strategies, sharing experiences, improving student learning, innovating and even just out of curiosity. Concerning to teachers’ training, more than 75% of the respondents’ claimed they have felt the need of pedagogical training at the beginning of their career, and more than 70% stated that they keep on participating in events to improve their professional practice as engineering teachers. It is important to point out all respondents consider important or very important the existence of a professional teachers’ development program in their institutions, and the pedagogical training was highlighted as the most needed, followed by the formation of practice communities and research groups. Based on the participants perceptions it was possible to present a short list of general recommendations for the development of engineering teachers training opportunities.