IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i9p3553-d350890.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Critical Thinking Using Project-Based Learning: The Case of The Agroecological Market at the “Universitat Politècnica de València”

Author

Listed:
  • Pablo Aránguiz

    (INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Guillermo Palau-Salvador

    (INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Ana Belda

    (Rural and Agrifood Engineering Department, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Jordi Peris

    (INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

Higher education institutions play an important role in the transition processes to sustainable development through developing critical thinking (CT) in their students. The case of the Research Methodology course of the International Cooperation Master’s degree at the Universitat Politècnica de València is a paradigmatic case of experiential learning, where students face their own realities related to sustainable topics through an action research project with the Agroecological Market (AM). The learning methodology is project-based learning and helps the participants to deeply analyze problems related to the transition of socio-technical systems, such as sustainable food. The objective of this research was to analyze the contribution of project-based learning to students’ critical thinking through a qualitative analysis of the pedagogical outputs obtained during the course. The analysis and results are structured in three dimensions of critical thinking: (i) students’ critical attitude towards reality; (ii) students’ ability to reason and analyze in order to form their own rigorous judgments; and (iii) students’ capacity to construct and deconstruct their own experiences and meanings. The results show that project-based learning using a real-life scenario helped students reflect on their critical thinking and the challenges that our societies face for a transition to sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo Aránguiz & Guillermo Palau-Salvador & Ana Belda & Jordi Peris, 2020. "Critical Thinking Using Project-Based Learning: The Case of The Agroecological Market at the “Universitat Politècnica de València”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3553-:d:350890
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3553/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3553/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ariane Díaz-Iso & Almudena Eizaguirre & Ana García-Olalla, 2019. "Extracurricular Activities in Higher Education and the Promotion of Reflective Learning for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Kaarina Määttä & Sanna Hyvärinen & Tanja Äärelä & Satu Uusiautti, 2020. "Five Basic Cornerstones of Sustainability Education in the Arctic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Kerry Shephard & Tony Egan, 2018. "Higher Education for Professional and Civic Values: A Critical Review and Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Alfredo Ortiz Aragón, 2010. "A Case for Surfacing Theories of Change for Purposeful Organisational Capacity Development," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(3), pages 36-46, May.
    5. Jim Woodhill, 2010. "Capacities for Institutional Innovation: A Complexity Perspective," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(3), pages 47-59, May.
    6. Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla & Ernesto Ganuza-Fernandez, 2018. "We Don’t Want to Be Officially Certified! Reasons and Implications of the Participatory Guarantee Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, April.
    7. Farla, Jacco & Markard, Jochen & Raven, Rob & Coenen, Lars, 2012. "Sustainability transitions in the making: A closer look at actors, strategies and resources," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(6), pages 991-998.
    8. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    9. Dolors Cañabate & Teresa Serra & Remigijus Bubnys & Jordi Colomer, 2019. "Pre-Service Teachers’ Reflections on Cooperative Learning: Instructional Approaches and Identity Construction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Peter Clarke & Katy Oswald, 2010. "Introduction: Why Reflect Collectively on Capacities for Change?," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(3), pages 1-12, May.
    11. Jenkins, Kirsten & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & McCauley, Darren, 2018. "Humanizing sociotechnical transitions through energy justice: An ethical framework for global transformative change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 66-74.
    12. Pilar Colás-Bravo & Patrizia Magnoler & Jesús Conde-Jiménez, 2018. "Identification of Levels of Sustainable Consciousness of Teachers in Training through an E-Portfolio," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-18, October.
    13. Ana C. Urquidi-Martín & Carmen Tamarit-Aznar & Javier Sánchez-García, 2019. "Determinants of the Effectiveness of Using Renewable Resource Management-Based Simulations in the Development of Critical Thinking: An Application of the Experiential Learning Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-15, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nurul Fadhilah & Rahmatia Thahir, 2023. "Development of an Electronic Module with Project Based Learning," BIOEDUSCIENCE, Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka, vol. 7(3), pages 350-357.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Upham, Dr Paul & Sovacool, Prof Benjamin & Ghosh, Dr Bipashyee, 2022. "Just transitions for industrial decarbonisation: A framework for innovation, participation, and justice," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    2. Colvin, John & Blackmore, Chris & Chimbuya, Sam & Collins, Kevin & Dent, Mark & Goss, John & Ison, Ray & Roggero, Pier Paolo & Seddaiu, Giovanna, 2014. "In search of systemic innovation for sustainable development: A design praxis emerging from a decade of social learning inquiry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 760-771.
    3. Jain, Sanjay, 2020. "Fumbling to the future? Socio-technical regime change in the recorded music industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Mock, Mirijam & Omann, Ines & Polzin, Christine & Spekkink, Wouter & Schuler, Julia & Pandur, Vlad & Brizi, Ambra & Panno, Angelo, 2019. "“Something inside me has been set in motion”: Exploring the psychological wellbeing of people engaged in sustainability initiatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1-11.
    5. Hassan Qudrat-Ullah & Mark McCarthy Akrofi & Aymen Kayal, 2020. "Analyzing Actors’ Engagement in Sustainable Energy Planning at the Local Level in Ghana: An Empirical Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Nina Savela & Jarkko Levänen & Sara Lindeman & Nnenesi Kgabi & Heikki Koivisto & Meri Olenius & Samuel John & Damas Mashauri & Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola, 2020. "Rapid Urbanization and Infrastructure Pressure: Comparing the Sustainability Transition Potential of Water and Energy Regimes in Namibia," World, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Kuokkanen, A. & Nurmi, A. & Mikkilä, M. & Kuisma, M. & Kahiluoto, H. & Linnanen, L., 2018. "Agency in regime destabilization through the selection environment: The Finnish food system’s sustainability transition," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1513-1522.
    8. Erlinghagen, Sabine & Markard, Jochen, 2012. "Smart grids and the transformation of the electricity sector: ICT firms as potential catalysts for sectoral change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 895-906.
    9. Lorenz Probst, 2022. "Higher Education for Sustainability: A Critical Review of the Empirical Evidence 2013–2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    10. Sunio, Varsolo & Gaspay, Sandy & Guillen, Marie Danielle & Mariano, Patricia & Mora, Regina, 2019. "Analysis of the public transport modernization via system reconfiguration: The ongoing case in the Philippines," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 1-19.
    11. María Elena López Reyes & Willem A. Zwagers & Ingrid J. Mulder, 2020. "Considering the Human-Dimension to Make Sustainable Transitions Actionable," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-25, October.
    12. Nelson, Sarah & Allwood, Julian M., 2021. "The technological and social timelines of climate mitigation: Lessons from 12 past transitions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    13. Catia Milena Lopes & Annibal José Scavarda & Guilherme Luís Roehe Vaccaro & Christopher Rosa Pohlmann & André Luis Korzenowski, 2018. "Perspective of Business Models and Innovation for Sustainability Transition in Hospitals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.
    14. Rakas, Marija & Hain, Daniel S., 2019. "The state of innovation system research: What happens beneath the surface?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    15. Elzen, Boelie & Bos, Bram, 2019. "The RIO approach: Design and anchoring of sustainable animal husbandry systems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 141-152.
    16. José M. Peiró & Vicente Martínez-Tur & Nanja Nagorny-Koring & Christoph Auch, 2021. "A Framework of Professional Transferable Competences for System Innovation: Enabling Leadership and Agency for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-30, February.
    17. Magda M. Smink & Marko P. Hekkert & Simona O. Negro, 2015. "Keeping sustainable innovation on a leash? Exploring incumbents’ institutional strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 86-101, February.
    18. Pereira, Guillermo Ivan & Specht, Jan Martin & Silva, Patrícia Pereira & Madlener, Reinhard, 2018. "Technology, business model, and market design adaptation toward smart electricity distribution: Insights for policy making," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 426-440.
    19. Gallaher, Adam & Graziano, Marcello & Axon, Stephen & Bertana, Amanda, 2023. "Breaking wind: A comparison between U.S. and European approaches in offshore wind energy leadership in the North Atlantic region," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    20. Zhenwen Liu & Hsi-Chi Yang & Yan-Chyuan Shiau, 2020. "Investigation on Evaluation Framework of Elementary School Teaching Materials for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3553-:d:350890. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.