Development of a platform to promote project-based learning in higher education: contributes of the RESTART4EDU project

Pedagogical innovation in higher education is increasingly a necessity to adapt to new audiences and differentiate among institutions. It requires, however, training for teachers and tools that support them in the design of their curricular units. This paper aims to present an interactive platform to support higher education teachers in the application of project-based learning (PBL) in higher education. PBL is presented as one of the best exemplars of constructivist learning with benefits in terms of students’ engagement, motivation and achievement. However, it challenges teachers’ traditional conceptions of the classroom and requires efforts to adjust rules and tasks both by teachers and students. Carried out in the scope of the Restart for Education in a Digital Era through Project-based E-learning (RESTART4EDU) project, the development stages of the platform and its evaluation by teachers, in the context of a summer school, are presented in this proposal. The platform was developed according to the principles of PBL project preparation, with suggestions and indications for improvement in each of the essential aspects. The content and the usability were evaluated by a group of teachers from three European countries and their responses, recorded in open format, point out to clear benefits of this tool to support teachers in developing their projects. However, suggestions for improvement in terms of interactivity, design and usability were made. Contributions to the development of the platform, as well as implications for pedagogical practices in higher education and research are presented.