Enhancing Learning Experiences, Engagement, and Learning Outcomes Through Short-Term Project-Based Learning: A Case Study in the Formation Evaluation Course of Petroleum Engineering

This study investigates the experiences of 58 s-year undergraduate students who participated in a short-term project-based learning (PjBL) Project within the Formation Evaluation course at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP). The students’ experiences were measured using a survey instrument consisting of 20 items that focused on four constructs: Authentic Learning Experience, Inquiry-based Learning Experience, Collaboration, and Effective Assessment. The survey demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.964 to 0.979. The results indicate that participants had a positive perception and experience with the project-based learning approach, as reflected by a mean survey score of 4.42/5.00. The findings suggest that project-based learning effectively provided an authentic and engaging learning experience, fostering critical thinking, independent inquiry, collaboration, and teamwork. It also prepared students for real-world applications. Furthermore, the study conducted an unequal variance t-test to compare the January 2023 semester batch and the January 2020 semester batch. The results revealed significant differences, providing strong evidence that the implementation of PjBL in the January 2023 semester batch led to significantly enhanced learning outcomes and proficiency compared to the January 2020 semester batch. This further supports the effectiveness of project-based learning as an instructional approach in promoting student success. These findings align with previous research emphasizing the benefits of PjBL in enhancing student engagement, collaboration, and ownership of learning. This study offers valuable insights into the experiences of students involved in a short-term project-based learning project. It demonstrates the effectiveness of the PjBL approach in providing an authentic and engaging learning environment, fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and preparing students for real-world applications.