Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Second term
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesProject-Based Learning Social Sciences (B-KUL-S0K38A)
Cannot be taken as part of an examination contract
Smits Tim (coordinator) | N. | Bunneghem Matthias (cooperator) Aims
The intended learning outcomes of this course are situated on three, closely interrelated, levels:
(1) Matching the student’s programme. This course aims to use some of the learning outcomes achieved by students in other courses and expand them as part of an international and/or multidisciplinary project. The insights, competencies and skills to be applied and developed are in principle both generic (e.g. process skills) and discipline-specific – with their relative importance depending on the nature of the project.
(2) Acquiring new project-related insights and competencies. The course aims to enable new learning outcomes associated with its project-based character, outcomes which are mainly to be situated in the area of insight, analysis, planning, implementation and evaluation of the context of the project and of the student’s own contribution. More specifically, the course aims to teach students how to map and plan their own contribution to the project, how to develop problem detection and problem-solving strategies, how to reflect on their own learning process and on the interaction between generic, discipline-specific and/or multidisciplinary transversal competencies.
(3) Social, institutional and/or intercultural dimension. At the end of the project students have gained insight in the social and institutional context of the country, the region or the organisation in which the project took place, and they are able to reflect critically on both that context and their own ability to function within that context. At the end of the project, students demonstrate community involvement and/or intercultural awareness (depending on the focus of the specific project).
Previous knowledge
The course can only be taken by approval of the programme director. Therefore, the student submits a request form to the Faculty’s Student Administration.
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
6 ects. Project-Based Learning Social Sciences (B-KUL-S0K38a)
EnglishFormat: Assignment
12 
Both termsN. | Bunneghem Matthias (cooperator) Content
Applicable to Product Innovation Project
In the context of the Product Innovation Project, an interdisciplinary team of students works together during a full academic year to come up with a solution for a task given by a project sponsor. Students who want to take the course submit a request form to the Faculty’s Student Administration as soon as possible, if possible before the ISP-deadline and at the latest in week 7 of the first semester.
Applicable to other projects
The content of the course is decided upon on an individual basis. Students who want to take the course submit a request form to the Faculty’s Student Administration as soon as possible, if possible before the ISP-deadline and at the latest in week 7 of the first semester. Please mention in this request form:
- that you want to get credits for this course
- a description of your project
- the way in which this project meets the criteria mentioned below
- which professor of the programme is willing to be the supervisor of your project
Students either choose a project defined by their degree programme or propose their own project. In each case, students have to solicit a member of the senior academic staff or the staff member for education to act as supervisor. The project must be approved by the programme director and must meet the following criteria:
(1) it is related to both domain-specific and generic learning outcomes of the programme in which the course is incorporated; this context is explained in the request form;
(2) it has an international and/or multidisciplinary dimension and an added value for developing the student’s disciplinary future self.
Projects in collaboration with the following organisations can be eligible:
Other options are available here.
Course material
The course material will be adapted according to the needs of the concrete project.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Project-Based Learning Social Sciences (B-KUL-S2K38a)
Explanation
Applicable to Product Innovation Project
Professors from all participating faculties sit down after the final presentations and discuss each project and evaluate them based on the following input:
- An academic report
- The final presentation
- Written feedback on the team progress provided by KU Leuven KICK
Based on these inputs, the professors agree on one grade per team (the team score).
When this step is concluded, the professors will look into whether some students were relatively more or less involved than the average student within in that team. To do this, the professors use the following input:
- The results of the two peer assessments
- Written feedback on each team member and on the team as a whole, by the respective team coaches
- Contact moments between the professor and their student throughout the year
When a student is found to be better or worse than the average, the professors can scale the team score up or down for this individual. Usually, this results in a maximum difference of 2 points from the team score (team score +/- 2).
Applicable to other projects
- Students compose a portfolio describing the project’s goals, and the activities undertaken, as well as a detailed outline of the students own input in relation to their role and/or function. The portfolio is finalized by writing a brief (self-) reflective essay, containing reflections regarding the objectives and personal development goals applicable to the programme in which the student has been enroled as a degree seeking student.
- A member of the senior academic staff (ZAP), attached to the programme, or the staff member for education acts as supervisor. Students are requested to actively solicit members of the senior academic staff to act as supervisor.
- When finalizing the project, students present the complete portfolio to the supervisor and give some explanations orally.
- The supervisor awards marks to the portfolio.
Second exam opportunity
Students adjust the portfolio based on their supervisor's feedback.