Problem-based learning and other active methodologies as support for distance teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This manuscript presents an innovative experience in the teaching–learning process with three objectives. The first is to incorporate the principles and values of social justice, reciprocity and solidarity in the subject ‘Statistics Applied to Business’ in the bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management at the University of the Basque Country. The second objective addresses how to apply active methodologies in the teaching of economics and business from a competency-based approach in order to investigate its impact. The third one, on the other hand, tries to explore how to provide students with active distance learning tools to improve and guarantee the quality of the teaching–learning process. The results of the experience demonstrate the potential of technical subjects for the development of transversal competencies and the capacity of students to design and solve complex problems with creativity and knowledge of social and labour realities. Likewise, greater motivation, better knowledge acquisition and appropriation of the work by the students are also detected. Finally, this article shows the potential of methodologies that involve the combined responsibility of students and teachers in the generation of knowledge that favours a professional development that is permeable and sensitive to the changes occurring in the social and labour world.

Keywords: Problem-based learning, distance teaching, pandemic, teaching innovation