How to capture student learning in challenge-based learning – a proposal for a longitudinal study

Recent years have seen increasing calls for a more modern and flexible university education that prepares students for an increasingly complex and ambiguous world. As an educational concept responding to such calls, Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) has been implemented by an increasing number of higher education institutions. CBL puts students in the lead of their own learning, working on authentic and real-life challenges, collaborating with other learners and stakeholders to define learning and working goals. Research systematically exploring student learning processes in CBL and specifically student learning outcomes however remains scarce. In a pilot study, we therefore explored the learning gains CBL alumni reported to have taken away from a CBL learning experience. Participants reported many advantages of CBL and having acquired a broad number of personal and professional skills, but also named disadvantages of CBL learning processes. Therefore, we present a proposal for a longitudinal study of student learning in CBL in the second part of the paper. This longitudinal study should follow students on their path through higher education, capturing their learning process, perceptions of the CBL learning environment, and learning gains during each CBL course they encounter. This would allow us to get a better understanding of how CBL learning experiences affect student learning in other (both CBL and non-CBL) courses and foster the development of most beneficial conceptions of learning as well as processing and regulation strategies.