Challenge-Based Learning as a Driver of Student Engagement: A Green Campus Case from Norway
Hong Li, University of Stavanger (Norway)
Masoumeh Shahverdi, University of Stavanger (Norway)
Abstract
Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) has emerged as a student-centered pedagogical approach that promotes active engagement with real-world problems through interdisciplinary inquiry and collaborative problem-solving. This paper presents a case study from the University of Stavanger, where CBL was integrated into a course aimed at engaging students in the (re)design of digital services for a more sustainable campus. Following the CBL framework, students identified localized sustainability challenges within the campus context, systematically investigated these issues through diverse research methodologies, and collaboratively developed actionable solutions to enhance the campus green transition. The study aimed to explore students’ perceptions of their engagement throughout the CBL-integrated course. Drawing on qualitative data derived from in-depth student reflections, the findings reveal patterns of student engagement across three main dimensions: emotional, cognitive, and behavioral, showing how the CBL framework both encouraged and challenged different forms of engagement. Building on these empirically grounded insights, we propose evidence-based pedagogical recommendations for educators seeking to implement CBL while optimizing student engagement in higher education contexts.
Keywords: Challenge-Based Learning, Sustainability, Green Transition, Digital Service Innovation, Student Engagement
REFERENCES
[1] Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. New Jersey: FT Press.
[2] Lozano, R., Merrill, M. Y., Sammalisto, K., Ceulemans, K., & Lozano, F. J. (2017). Connecting competences and pedagogical approaches for sustainable development in higher education: A literature review and framework proposal. Sustainability, 9(10), 1889.
[3] Nichols, M., Cator, K., & Torres, M. (2016). Challenge Based Learner User Guide. Digital Promise.
[4] UNESCO. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.