Challenge-Based Learning – the way to authentic and sustainable learning?

Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) has been implemented in numerous educational contexts and prior research has found a variety of benefits for students, but data are usually collected during or right after the course which does not allow for inferences on whether these learning outcomes are lasting. This research undertakes a first attempt to explore the long-term learning gains in CBL by surveying CBL alumni one to several years after their participation in a CBL course, about their course motivation, (dis)advantages of CBL, key learnings and competence development. Alumni mentioned the freedom granted in CBL projects that required dealing with uncertainty and self-regulation both as advantages and disadvantages and described many key learning outcomes. Results support prior work regarding student learning outcomes of CBL. Furthermore, insights from this project fuel on-going discussions in CBL research and practice on what and how much guidance is needed and how learning outcomes can best be assessed, in order to best create authentic learning environments and sustainable learning outcomes.