Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a widely applied methodology to foster professional competencies, especially when integrated with STEAM education. This study assesses the impact of a STEAM PBL activity on higher education students and academics, regarding competence acquisition (i.e., personal, prof...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Educational Research Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666374025000159 |
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| author | Paula García-Llamas Angela Taboada Patricia Sanz-Chumillas Luísa Lopes Pereira Roberto Baelo Álvarez |
| author_facet | Paula García-Llamas Angela Taboada Patricia Sanz-Chumillas Luísa Lopes Pereira Roberto Baelo Álvarez |
| author_sort | Paula García-Llamas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a widely applied methodology to foster professional competencies, especially when integrated with STEAM education. This study assesses the impact of a STEAM PBL activity on higher education students and academics, regarding competence acquisition (i.e., personal, professional, academic, and social competences). Additionally, it explores how participants' profiles and learning backgrounds shape their perceptions of PBL benefits by analyzing their motivations, expectations, and attitudes toward the methodology. Participants included higher education students and academics from six universities across five European countries. Data was collected through questionnaires across four domains: expectations and motivation, self-perception, competence acquisition, and satisfaction. Responses were analyzed using GLM to evaluate the influence of gender and academic role, and program modality (national or international) on participants' perceptions. Results show that both students and academics perceived similar benefits from PBL, regardless of their background or study modality. They reported high satisfaction and significant competency acquisition across all areas, with no significant differences based on gender, academic role, or prior experience, which highlights PBL as an inclusive methodology for diverse participants’ profiles. The primary motivation for participation was to gain practical skills and engage in international collaboration, with minimal influence from external rewards. The findings stress the effectiveness of the PBL approach in STEAM education for fostering key competencies in higher education, promoting personal and professional growth, collaboration, and practical application of STEAM disciplines. The inclusiveness and effectiveness of PBL for diverse profiles supports its broader implementation in STEAM education to better prepare students for global challenges. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8248b6f96938479bbb2517f3e7371b83 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-3740 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Educational Research Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-8248b6f96938479bbb2517f3e7371b832025-02-10T04:34:57ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Educational Research Open2666-37402025-06-018100449Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European contextPaula García-Llamas0Angela Taboada1Patricia Sanz-Chumillas2Luísa Lopes Pereira3Roberto Baelo Álvarez4Department of General and Specific Didactics and Educational Theory, University of León, León 24007, Spain; Corresponding author.Institute of Environmental Research (IMA), University of León, León E-24007, SpainDepartment of General and Specific Didactics and Educational Theory, University of León, León 24007, SpainDepartment of General and Specific Didactics and Educational Theory, University of León, León 24007, SpainDepartment of General and Specific Didactics and Educational Theory, University of León, León 24007, SpainProject-Based Learning (PBL) is a widely applied methodology to foster professional competencies, especially when integrated with STEAM education. This study assesses the impact of a STEAM PBL activity on higher education students and academics, regarding competence acquisition (i.e., personal, professional, academic, and social competences). Additionally, it explores how participants' profiles and learning backgrounds shape their perceptions of PBL benefits by analyzing their motivations, expectations, and attitudes toward the methodology. Participants included higher education students and academics from six universities across five European countries. Data was collected through questionnaires across four domains: expectations and motivation, self-perception, competence acquisition, and satisfaction. Responses were analyzed using GLM to evaluate the influence of gender and academic role, and program modality (national or international) on participants' perceptions. Results show that both students and academics perceived similar benefits from PBL, regardless of their background or study modality. They reported high satisfaction and significant competency acquisition across all areas, with no significant differences based on gender, academic role, or prior experience, which highlights PBL as an inclusive methodology for diverse participants’ profiles. The primary motivation for participation was to gain practical skills and engage in international collaboration, with minimal influence from external rewards. The findings stress the effectiveness of the PBL approach in STEAM education for fostering key competencies in higher education, promoting personal and professional growth, collaboration, and practical application of STEAM disciplines. The inclusiveness and effectiveness of PBL for diverse profiles supports its broader implementation in STEAM education to better prepare students for global challenges.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666374025000159CompetencesEuropean universities initiativeHigher educationProject based learningSTEAM educationTeamwork |
| spellingShingle | Paula García-Llamas Angela Taboada Patricia Sanz-Chumillas Luísa Lopes Pereira Roberto Baelo Álvarez Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context International Journal of Educational Research Open Competences European universities initiative Higher education Project based learning STEAM education Teamwork |
| title | Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context |
| title_full | Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context |
| title_fullStr | Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context |
| title_short | Breaking barriers in STEAM education: Analyzing competence acquisition through project-based learning in a European context |
| title_sort | breaking barriers in steam education analyzing competence acquisition through project based learning in a european context |
| topic | Competences European universities initiative Higher education Project based learning STEAM education Teamwork |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666374025000159 |
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