Non-formal learning environments, such as science museums, have a fundamental role in science education and high potentialities as ideal contexts for science teachers' training. These aspects have been analyzed and reported in several recent works mainly focused on students' perception of science and increased engagement towards scientific…

The article presents our Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in the project-based Science education of third graders (8--9-year-old pupils) in the Slovak Republic. Individual tasks of project assignment titled "Temperature Measurement" were conceived for "guided inquiry". We also supported the IBL of pupils by interactive…

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two learning methodologies in a Plant Tissue Culture course of a Biotechnology degree--lecture-based and hybrid project-based learning--in which a project assignment was included. The effectiveness of these two systems was compared based on the students' knowledge…

Active teaching methods are emphasized as an important part of an effective teaching process for Generation Y students. Still, some individual characteristics, such as creativity and learning style, need to be considered as they can affect outcomes of the learning process. Empirical research on the students' preferences for various active and…

The development of experiential learning methodologies is gaining attention, due to its contributions to enhancing education quality. It focuses on developing competencies, and build-up added values, such as creative and critical thinking skills, with the aim of improving the quality of learning. The interdisciplinary mechatronics field…

Problem-based learning (PBL) approaches are well-accepted and disseminated and have been intensively employed in several engineering programs. This article aims to present a teaching experience in which PBL was applied in one course of a mechanical engineering graduation program. The PBL approach applied is described step-by-step as well as the…

Design of Mechanism is a standard subject in Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering majors. Different methods and tools are used by lecturers to teach the subject. In this work, we investigate the impact on the competencies development by implementing a project-based learning methodology in a mechanism course. For this, we analyze the performance…

Strong communication skills, in varied professional settings, have become an absolute necessity for young professionals. Therefore, university educators are challenged to provide novice specialists with the effective foreign language training that could bring the real professional world into the classroom. This study suggests an innovative method…

Educational systems are now focusing on skills enhancement, such as creative thinking skills (CTS), as a means of long-lasting, significant learning. To this end, some universities and higher education institutions incentivize active learning (AL) strategies as CTS developers. Indeed, a positive link among creative results, time availability, and…

Over the last decade, policy makers have urged universities to innovate their teaching methodologies. Although educational research has shown that active methods lead to improvements in learners' performance more than traditional lectures in small classes, some factors impede active methods from spreading in large size classes. In this paper we…

Practical strategies for improving individual engagement and performance within an engineering team project learning environment were applied and evaluated. While methodological refinements were required due to the structural challenges and novelty of the practice, positive outcomes such as a perceived increase in engagement and technical…

This paper is an attempt to approach the concept of experiential learning and describes the implementation of the project teaching method in a secondary school in Athens. In the framework of this study, we carried out qualitative research using the method of in-depth interview. We aimed at recording the views, perceptions, feelings and attitudes…

A major goal in Engineering training in the U.S. is to continue to both grow and diversify the field. Project- and service-based forms of experiential, problem-based learning are often implemented with this as a goal, and Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) High is one of the more well-regarded and widely implemented. Yet, the…

This study investigated the effect of interactive computer simulation-supported inquiry on South African grade 8 learners' comprehension of atoms and molecular structures. Two sample groups of 34 learners per sample group were used, one acting as a control group who were exposed to a teacher-directed pedagogy while the experimental group used…

The purpose of the study on which this paper is based was to conduct a performance evaluation of student learning for an introductory course in project management in a higher educational institution in Norway. This was done by utilizing performance measurement philosophy to evaluate perceived student learning after a project-based assignment was…