Examining the Impact of Project-Based Learning on Students’ Self-Reported and Actual Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Active, collaborative, and project-based learning strategies have become increasingly popular in college classrooms due to their effectiveness in cultivating student-centered learning. Compared to conventional teaching methods, active and project-based learning engages students in the learning process by fostering collaborative approaches to addressing real-world problems. To better prepare students for future careers in health promotion, we evaluated the effectiveness of a collaborative project-based health promotion assignment on self-perceived and actual learning among a sample of underrepresented students ( N = 33). In order to assess learning, students completed both a self-reported and actual learning assessment designed to assess competency of the core learning outcomes of the health promotion course. Results demonstrated approximately similar increases in self-reported and actual learning over the semester. Although the results were unexpectedly parallel, students consistently underestimated their knowledge on both the pre- and post-learning assessments. In all, survey results demonstrated the group-based project served as a valuable tool for undergraduate learning, with the majority of students evaluating the project positively across all measures.