IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i19p8820-d1763237.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Integrating Project-Based and Community Learning for Cross-Disciplinary Competency Development in Nutrient Recovery

Author

Listed:
  • Diana Guaya

    (Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador)

  • Juan Carlos Romero-Benavides

    (Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador)

  • Natasha Fierro

    (Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador)

  • Leticia Jiménez

    (Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 110107, Ecuador)

Abstract

This study presents a vertically integrated Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Community-Based Learning (CBL) framework that connects postgraduate and undergraduate programs in Applied Chemistry and Agricultural Engineering. Postgraduate students synthesized zeolite-based materials for nutrient recovery, which were subsequently applied by undergraduate students in field trials conducted in collaboration with rural farming communities. The project was evaluated using rubrics, surveys, focus groups, and reflective journals. Results demonstrated substantial development of technical, communication, and critical thinking skills, with students highlighting the value of linking theory to practice. Community feedback confirmed the perceived benefits of the material for soil improvement and fertilizer efficiency, while also underscoring the need for sustained engagement. Despite challenges such as curricular coordination and resource constraints, the model effectively fostered interdisciplinary learning and social impact. These findings highlight the contribution of this sequentially instructional design to STEM education by connecting research, teaching, and outreach within a constructivist, sustainability-oriented approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Diana Guaya & Juan Carlos Romero-Benavides & Natasha Fierro & Leticia Jiménez, 2025. "Integrating Project-Based and Community Learning for Cross-Disciplinary Competency Development in Nutrient Recovery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-34, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8820-:d:1763237
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8820/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8820/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosa Sánchez-García & Salvador Reyes-de-Cózar, 2025. "Enhancing Project-Based Learning: A Framework for Optimizing Structural Design and Implementation—A Systematic Review with a Sustainable Focus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, May.
    2. Michelle Mey & Amanda Werner & Bridget de Villiers, 2018. "Student experiences of service learning through a community outreach project," Development in Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 764-774, August.
    3. Spanjaard, Daniela & Hall, Tim & Stegemann, Nicole, 2018. "Experiential learning: Helping students to become ‘career-ready’," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 163-171.
    4. Vilma Sukackė & Aida Olivia Pereira de Carvalho Guerra & Dorothea Ellinger & Vânia Carlos & Saulė Petronienė & Lina Gaižiūnienė & Silvia Blanch & Anna Marbà-Tallada & Andrea Brose, 2022. "Towards Active Evidence-Based Learning in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of PBL, PjBL, and CBL," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-31, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chung-Jen Wang & Zih-Rong Jiang, 2024. "Exploring High-Performance Work Systems and Sustainable Development in the Hospitality Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-26, November.
    2. Sabine Matook & Yazhu Maggie Wang & Micheal Axelsen, 2025. "Experiential Learning for Citizen Developers," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 67(1), pages 7-30, February.
    3. Rebecca Dingus & Hulda G. Black & Nicole A. Flink, 2024. "Analytics for all marketing majors: sparking interest in the uninterested," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(2), pages 126-141, June.
    4. Chad, Paul, 2020. "Equitable work-integrated-learning: Using practical simulations in university marketing subjects," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 119-127.
    5. Eman AbuKhousa & Mohamed Sami El-Tahawy & Yacine Atif, 2023. "Envisioning Architecture of Metaverse Intensive Learning Experience (MiLEx): Career Readiness in the 21st Century and Collective Intelligence Development Scenario," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    6. Norarifah Ali & Azmir Mamat Nawi & Norashikin Abdul Latiff, 2024. "Enhancing Creativity and Problem-Solving: Design Principles for Project-Based Learning in Product Design," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 3733-3742, September.
    7. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Yaneth Vásquez & Deyvis Cano & Fernando Valenzuela, 2023. "Research Thesis for Undergraduate Engineering Programs in the Digitalization Era: Learning Strategies and Responsible Research Conduct Road to a University Education 4.0 Paradigm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    8. Yuzhe Zhao & Jingmiao Zhou & Zhongxiu Peng & Zongyao Wang & Zunkuo Sheng, 2023. "A Big-Data-Based Experimental Platform for Green Shipping Monitoring and Its Teaching Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8820-:d:1763237. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.