Discovering the Potential of Project-Based Learning

In one of our most recent articles, we gave you a little glimpse of ESEI’s methodology highlighting the importance of combining practice and theory to give our students the best possible tools to successfully approach the professional world.

In the next few lines, you will be able to dig deeper into the characteristics of an approach called Project Based Learning (PBL), a learning and teaching model of which we are huge proponents.

What is Project-Based Learning and why it’s important for career development?

“The Project-Based Learning methodology is the most effective way to gain hands-on experience.
Throughout the whole year, we got to attend workshops, conferences, and networking events with significant value to me and I think every student should take part in this.”

– Mattia Perassolo, ESEI Alumni

PBL, which as we mentioned before stands for Project-Based Learning, is a student-centered strategy of learning and teaching that encourages students to engage in authentic real-life projects in order to develop critical thinking and many other useful skills.

Talking about projects – have you ever thought of your everyday life as a series of projects?

From choosing the right path to reach your destination to organizing a high school reunion, every task we face daily needs to be managed in the best possible way.

If you think of this comparison on a larger scale and apply it to the requirements of modern-world careers, which are marked by a series of projects rather than years of service to a specific organization, you’ll realize why we rely so much on this learning framework.

In other words, “PBL connects students with the real world”, meaning that it works by posing an authentic problem, challenge, or need to the students, engaging them in tasks similar to those they are likely to find once they are employed.

This teaching strategy can be used across various disciplines since it focuses on solving issues using skills such as problem-solving and decision-making, but also through new knowledge that students gain during this ongoing learning experience called Project Based Learning.

The benefits of Project-Based Learning

Critical thinking? Yes, Please.

Through Project-Based Learning, students are made able to improve their ability to investigate and actively reflect on their decisions.

Critical thinking allows them to conceptualize, apply and analyze information gathered from experience and translate it into action.

Good communicators, ahead!

Clear communication is a key skill that is essential when it comes to collaborating with other people – which is something that will likely occur at some point in everyone’s career.

PBL gives everyone a voice and a chance to contribute and also allows students to ease tension and build trust in each other.

Presenting your work to a whole class and your teacher at the end of a Project Based experience is a unique way to practice and grow in public speaking and, in general, express concepts in a clear, powerful, and effective way.

More collaboration

The more you learn to communicate, the better you manage to collaborate – that’s the golden rule of teamwork.

While Project Based Learning can be applied as an individual assignment, as we mentioned a few lines above, being able to cooperate with others is a crucial skill that you undoubtedly need to gain for your future career.

Practicing techniques such as active listening will not only make you a better co-worker for your fellow students and your soon-to-be colleagues, but it will also help create a safe environment where anyone feels free to share their thoughts.

This often leads to discussions that make the most of everyone’s culture and personal background, and that’s awesome for the development of creative insights, which can turn out to be very useful instruments for business managers, entrepreneurs, and many other professional figures.

Innovation & Empowerment

Talking about creative insights, you may already know that in a world where almost everything seems to be already seen and done, creativity itself is a great way to generate innovation.

And a creative business manager can provide solutions that no one else has ever thought of before, thus generating huge corporate value.

Not to mention, thanks to PBL our students also have the opportunity to take advantage of the empowerment that comes along with the sense of self-awareness derived from being able to suggest the right decision to make to reach their project’s goals.

Curious about our Project Based Learning methodology?

Hesitate no more: we warmly invite you to check our programmes and pick the one that best suits your academic and professional desires.

Check out our post on LinkedIn: our students putting into practice what they learn in class!