Quantitative Indicators for Assessing the Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning Experiences

This paper reports on a comparison of four different Project-Based Learning (PjBL) experiences with the goal of identifying metrics that can be used to evaluate PjBL experiences for their effectiveness in achieving strong learning outcomes. Data is collected as part of a course taken by 40 engineering students at Shantou University, China with 20 students from the University of Calgary and 20 students from Shantou University. A combination of data sources are considered, with instructor observations, peer assessment, team grade and a question about the appropriateness of team size providing the most useful data for formulating an assessment of PjBL effectiveness.