Abstract

HERRERIAS BRUNEL, Cecilia  and  ISOARD VIESCA, Ma. Verónica. Aprendizaje en proyectos situados: la universidad fuera del aula. Reflexiones a partir de la experiencia. Sinéctica [online]. 2014, n.43, pp.01-16. ISSN 2007-7033.

This article presents the results of a research that gathers the student's voices about the Professional Application Projects (PAP), as an educational experience at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), a university in Guadalajara, Jalisco. From this data we analyze the elements this education modality can contribute to the Higher Education level. The reflection this article provides is situated in the debate of the competencies based Education, providing elements to support the appropriateness of the modality of project based learning, and it reveals the potential real context projects have in Higher Education. It is a qualitative study that used as main instruments the focus group and the content analysis of the texts the students produced, by exploring four generative topics: elements that promoted the development of competencies and learning, differences between the learning process from the work in the classroom and in the PAP, valuable or meaningful elements from the PAP experience, and suggestions and changes to improve the PAP. The theoretical framed used were four approaches: project based learning, situated learning, social development of learning and the legitimate peripheral participation in practice communities. The article concludes that the PAP have a great potential for promoting the well-rounded education of the Higher Education students, since they are situated in the Four Pillars of Education for the XXI th century proposed by UNESCO: learning to learn, learning to be, learning to do and learning to live together. The PAP are also relevant in the development of professional, personal and social competencies. The PAP provide a social service from the university that is meaningful for the people, groups and communities in social and economic disadvantage.

Keywords : project based learning; situated learning; higher education.

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