Challenge-based learning

Challenge-based learning (CBL) is a method based on solving challenges in the real world. Learning in one or various subjects is organised around a real external challenge. Students work in groups in collaboration with businesses and/or members of the community to solve a specific problem in the territory, and they explore options for improvement, propose solutions, put these solutions into practice and assess them. In comparison to a product development project, the challenge in CBL must be quite open-ended and emphasise the social impact. The teams must identify concrete needs within the scope of the challenge through interaction with external experts and end users and choose one in a reasoned manner. Then they have to come up with several conceptual solutions, choose one based on the feedback they received when they showed representations or rapid prototypes to users, and finally develop a proof-of-concept prototype. Because of the time it takes to complete the previous stages, this prototype tends to be lighter than the one obtained in the PDP type. A business model is also formulated and sustainability and ethical aspects are analysed. Learning outcomes are more in the realm of innovation than technology. It is customary to work in multidisciplinary teams; each member contributes their own knowledge and experience in analysing the challenge and formulating the final proposal. The professor must be more of an expert in the method than in the subject being discussed and act as the team's facilitator and the link between the students and the entity providing the challenge to be solved; this can be a private company, a public institution, an NGO or any entity that has close ties to the territory.

SPACE REQUIREMENTS:

Large, flexible and versatile classroom, with mobile modular tables or shovel chairs, in which groups of students can work simultaneously, computers can be connected and the teacher can reach all the groups easily, and good sound design to prevent excessive noise. Groups spend a lot of time talking amongst themselves. Whiteboards on walls are useful for representing ideas and encouraging discussion. Other classrooms or small auxiliary spaces for group tutorials are useful, as it is good for tutorials to involve different supervisors. This requires more teachers even though tutorials take place while other students are working in a group. An additional space may also be necessary for devising simple prototypes, as well as, depending on the solution's technology, an electronics or electromechanical laboratory or a fab lab-type manufacturing facility.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER GROUP:

Teams in CBL are relatively small, comprising 4 - 6 students; if the teams are interdisciplinary, 2 students per discipline. The advantage of them being interdisciplinary is that different perspectives can be brought to bear in identifying needs and generating ideas. In the final prototyping stage, students do contribute their own discipline-specific competencies.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 

An important part of CBL is interaction with external agents. Students must invest time in managing this interaction. One option is to have working sessions every two weeks so that there is time to organise meetings and hold interviews. 

DURATION:

Long sessions lasting 3 - 4 hours, in which most of the time is spent working as a team, are very useful. Capsules on methodology lasting half an hour at most are typically presented, students give short (5 min) presentations on the state of the project and tutorials are held team by team. 

TECHNOLOGICAL FACILITATORS:

Collaborative work tools.