Design and Evaluation of a Project-Based Learning Ubiquitous Platform for Universal Client: PBL2U

Mobile technologies are more and more present in students’ lives. Therefore, it is interesting to see how these technologies enable students to learn beyond their courses. In this paper, the authors describe some ongoing work funded by their institution. The authors are developing a prototype of a project-based learning ubiquitous platform which aims at helping students learn some skills and knowledge about project management. In accordance with project-based learning theories, their platform also teaches students how to collect knowledge and introduces them to lifelong learning skills. The software is designed to be reused and adapted to various situations of ubiquitous and collaborative learning, for universal clients (smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs, etc.). They have designed the technical architecture of the authors’ platform so as to make it easily extendable and maintainable. The technical and pedagogical evaluation of the authors’ platform has been done with students in real life conditions, during a period dedicated to a project to create innovative business. At the end of the paper, the authors describe this experimentation and discuss the pros and cons of such a platform.