Long-term Impacts of Project-Based Learning in Science and Engineering
Arthur Heinricher, Paula Quinn, Richard F. Vaz, Kent Rissmiller
Abstract
Long-term impact of formal project work for science and engineering alumni from Worcester Polytechnic Institute was studied through an externally-conducted web-based survey.The survey included 39 Likert scale questions targeting impacts grounded in 1) institutional undergraduate learning outcomes and 2) areas of unanticipated impact that emerged from a pre-survey online ideation exercise.The survey was distributed to over 10,000 randomly-selected graduates and had a response rate of 25%.Results showed that project work had long-term positive impacts on alumni in terms of professional skills, world views, and personal lives.Mann-Whitney U tests revealed statistically significant differences: Project work had stronger positive impacts on engineering majors when compared to non-engineering majors and on alumni who completed off-campus projects when compared those who completed on-campus projects.Kruskal-Wallis tests identified areas where impact either changed or remained stable over time.Findings provide a unique perspective on the long-term impacts of project-based learning.