The Role of Project-Based Learning in Helping University Students Gain Some Academic Skills and Developing Students’ and Faculty Member’s Attitudes Towards It

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying the role of the project-based learning strategy in helping students at the College of Applied Studies and Community Service, Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University gain some academic skills and developing students’ and faculty members’ attitudes towards it. Two questionnaires and one graded scale were used as tools of the current study to measure how much faculty members and students were satisfied with project-based learning and teaching and to evaluate project-based learning practices, and training materials included in the teacher's guide and students' book. The study sample included 87 students and 15 faculty members who participated in implementing this pedagogical strategy. The results of the study showed that both students and faculty members were satisfied with using the project-based learning strategy. There were also statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the pre- and post-evaluations in the graduated scale of the standards of project-based learning practice in favor of the post-application. It was concluded that project-based learning helped students gain the following academic skills: cooperation with members of their group, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision-making, and project management.