Use of activity theory to analyse and improve project-based courses

Abstract

Teaching has long been viewed as both an art and a craft. In this context, we may recognise that there are parts of teaching and education that are hard to quantify and frequently escape rigorous analysis. Pedagogical theory frequently assigns a prominent role to the teacher. However, this is less likely in educational scenarios where students have a high degree of autonomy, like project-based learning (PjBL). This paper illustrates how Activity Theory, an analytical framework developed for analysing workplace activities and implementing changes in the workplace, can fill the gap and be employed to analyse PjBL courses.