Educational project to improve problem-based learning in architectural construction courses using active and cooperative techniques

Abstract

This article presents a Project for Teaching Innovation (PTI) for the improvement of teaching practices in the Construction 1 course at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB). Since the 1980s this course has successfully made use of Problem-Basic Learning (PbBL); however over the last ten years, various doubtful practices and other improvable aspects have become clear, but rather than resolving themselves, they have become endemic. This PTI has been designed and implemented with the intention of improving this situation, and has been evaluated to determine the viability of its application, and its improvement if considered necessary. This design has been developed by the teaching team and assessed by experts from the University, which has consisted of drawing up strategies for improving each one of the identified problems which have been studied in depth during their application over the three courses prior to the PTI. The strategies consist of incorporating new activities, and active and cooperative learning techniques, and following the PTI, this was applied progressively throughout the three consecutive courses. For the purposes of evaluation, indicators were designed to control the functioning of each strategy, to collect and analyse data for each indicator, and to draw conclusions. To summarise, this project has provided a means to start resolving the problems faced by the Construction 1 PbBL and, at the same time, has created knowledge about the success of the techniques, activities and indicators used in this PTI which may be of use to future teaching projects.