Project-Based Learning: Enriching Students’ 21 st Century Skills

Abstract

With the advancement of technology, today's industry seeks to maximize its efficiency and effectiveness. Meanwhile, in education, technological advances make it easier for students to get more comprehensive knowledge and information. However, technological sophistication also poses challenges for students. If students do not develop their skills, they can be left behind because they cannot keep up with technological advances. Therefore, this paper attempts to describe the implementation of project-based learning in enriching the students' 21 st-century skills. This paper uses primary data to see student learning experiences after carrying out class projects. The populations in this paper are all students taking part in the Human Rights and Global Justice class in the Department of International Relations, Universitas Andalas. This paper shows that, in practice, this method does not eliminate the role of lecturers in learning. In addition, project-based learning can maximize students' learning experiences. Class projects provide opportunities for students to enrich their non-technical skills, such as flexibility, media literacy, leadership, and collaboration. The student can hone their skills if they can experience firsthand the dynamics outside the classroom. This method is effective because students can apply the knowledge learned in finding solutions to the problems found. Students also have the freedom to think creatively in producing outcomes from class projects that have been practiced.