Project-Based Learning: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Learning with Numerous Advantages

The rising digitization and technological advancements expect the students to be well equipped with knowledge and information about new gadgets, innovations, and technologies. Further, if the student has hands-on experience in these fields is a bonus!

Hence, introducing new methods of education and learning among the students helps them to be overall ready for what’s coming next. One highly effective method in them is project-based learning.

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning is a new approach or methodology in teaching-learning, where the students educate themselves by working on group projects, assignments, building something, solving a problem uniquely, or other such activities.

 The main aim of PBL is to help the students learn and grow using engaging experience. It brings new opportunities for the students as they have gained hands-on experience in working with various topics, concepts, and skills. It helps them to develop important skills that are required in their professional careers in the future. 

How is it a multidisciplinary approach to learning?

Multidisciplinary learning is a unique method of education in which the students can learn and explore subjects from various fields, curriculums, and industries and cater to their varied areas of interest. The education or subjects are not limited to what course or subject they have chosen for their degree. For example, a student from a Science background can choose a subject from humanities.

Further, in multidisciplinary learning the students can learn and educate themselves at their own pace, ways, and methods. It helps the students to see a broad vision of their careers or the problems around them. It gives them the freedom to learn and explore in their own time and methods.

Similarly, project-based learning helps the students to learn various aspects of project building which include-

·        Technicalities of the problem they are solving

·        Compatibility with other group members

·        Leadership Skills

·        Dividing work as per interests

·        Understanding various approaches

·        Working on their expertise

·        Sharing knowledge with other members and learning from them

·        Presenting the project

·        Public speaking

·        Conflict resolution and others

It enables the students to follow their passions and work on the subjects towards which they have even a slight inclination and explore more of them.

Advantages of Project-Based Learning-

 Skill Development-

Project-based learning is majorly aimed towards the development of skills and concepts which will help the students to grow and attract great opportunities in jobs and research for their careers in the future. The skills and knowledge can be gained through multiple sources such as the internet, workshops, teacher’s instructions, and others.

Addressing Real-Life Problems- 

The project on which the students are working should be able to solve real-life problems that we can see around us. It must be able to offer an optimized, cost-efficient solution for those problems. Further, the solutions should be accessible to the people who need them. 

Problem Solving Attitude-

When the students are working on a project, they have to face a lot of challenges. Sometimes the challenges are technical, sometimes group conflicts, etc. But the most sensible thing to do is to develop a problem-solving attitude among themselves. Further, asking for help, seeking solutions, and giving workload based on students’ expertise can help them to great extent. 

Student Collaboration- 

Student collaboration is one of the main advantages of project-based learning. The students work together to solve a problem concerning everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. This helps to learn group work, networking, debating, discussion, and understanding others’ opinions, perspectives, and different ways of working. Further, it helps students initiate positive interactions and learn from each other.

Presentation Skills-

After the project is ready, it has to be presented in front of the audience in some competitions, exhibitions, or paper presentations. Here, students have to present to the audience members how the project will solve a particular problem. 

Conclusion-

Project-based learning is majorly focused on the development of skills and knowledge among the students. It aims to make them ready for future opportunities in jobs and research. Using a learning management system can help the students work on a project even in the remote working environment of the institute. The system is easy to use and highly compatible.