CHALLENGE-BASED LEARNING AND LEARNING DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE HIGHER TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM IN NEGOTIATION AND SALES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze students' perceptions of the contribution of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) to learning development in higher technological education, considering the dimensions of cognitive learning, critical thinking, academic motivation, meaningful learning, and collaborative learning. A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive, and cross-sectional research design was adopted. The study involved 50 students enrolled in the Market Research course of the Higher Technology Program in Negotiation and Sales, who completed a market research project for a real organization as part of a challenge-based learning experience. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 25 items measured on a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) were employed to assess both the descriptive results and the psychometric properties of the instrument. The findings revealed favorable evaluations across all learning dimensions, with academic motivation (M = 4.50) and collaborative learning (M = 4.28) receiving the highest scores. The measurement instrument demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, with Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability values above 0.93 and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values exceeding 0.74. Overall, the results suggest that students perceive Challenge-Based Learning as an effective pedagogical approach for promoting learning development through authentic, practice-oriented educational experiences.