Project-based learning as a tool for developing teamwork skills in IT students

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in higher education, its role in developing teamwork skills among IT students remains insufficiently explored. This study evaluates the effectiveness of PjBL in a Web Technologies course and identifies the pedagogical conditions that promote teamwork competence. The study involved 93 students of the Information Systems educational program, who were divided into experimental (EG) and control groups (CG). For EG, the training was conducted within the framework of PjBL, a team project was carried out, while CG was trained using traditional methods. The project assignments were developed in collaboration with IT industry professionals and were designed to simulate authentic real-world professional tasks. Project teams were formed based on Belbin's team role model. Teamwork skills were assessed using Stephenson's Q-sort methodology, while academic performance was evaluated based on test results. Statistical analysis included Pearson's χ ² test, Student's t -test, Cramer's V, and Cohen's d . The experimental group demonstrated improvements across all assessed dimensions of teamwork and a statistically significant increase in academic performance compared with the control group ( p  < 0.05): the mean score increased from 67.0% to 83.4% ( Δ  = 16.4%; p  < 0.0001). The study shows that the effective implementation of PjBL in IT education depends not only on project tasks but also on balanced team and the objective assessment of teamwork skills. The findings advance the understanding of the mechanisms involved in developing teamwork competence and provide a methodological foundation for designing competency-based educational programs in IT education.