Project-Based Learning for the Teaching of History: A Proposal to Develop Critical Thinking in High School

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71112/h9qtz106

Keywords:

Project-Based Learning, History, critical thinking, High school, Ecuador

Abstract

This study analyzed the application of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching strategy to strengthen critical thinking in the teaching of History among first-year students of the Unified General Baccalaureate (1º BGU) at a public school in the province of Guayas, Ecuador. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measurements was used, allowing for a comparison of student performance before and after the pedagogical intervention. The methodological approach included collaborative work, guided inquiry, the use of historical sources, and the creation of final products as a synthesis of learning. The results showed a significant improvement in performance levels, decreasing the percentage of students at the low level and increasing the percentages at the medium and high levels, suggesting progress in skills such as analysis, interpretation, and argumentation. In conclusion, PBL constitutes an innovative and relevant alternative to revitalize the learning of History and promote critical thinking skills in public high schools, contributing to a more reflective, participatory, and contextualized education.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arifin, Z., Supriadi, N., y Aulia, R. (2025). The effect of inquiry-based learning on students’ critical thinking skills in science education: A systematic review. European Journal of Mathematics and Science Education. https://www.ejmste.com/article/the-effect-of-inquiry-based-learning-on-students-critical-thinking-skills-in-science-education-a-15988

Cabrera Martirena, C. (2022, April 14). Formative assessment in project-based learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/formative-assessment-project-based-learning/

Castro-Valle, L. A., Terrones-Marreros, M. A., Duran-Llaro, K. L., y Oscar-Santiago, G. M. (2023). Project-based learning strategy to develop critical thinking in high school students. Koinonía, 8(Suppl. 2), 149–162. https://doi.org/10.35381/r.k.v8i2.2868

Delgado Carreño, B. C. (2025). Aprendizaje basado en proyectos y su influencia en el pensamiento crítico. InveCom (Revista de Investigación y Comunicación). https://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?pid=S2739-00632025000300190&script=sci_arttext

Hryn, O., y Chekushina, T. (2024). Mejora de la capacidad de pensamiento crítico de los alumnos mediante la educación orientada a proyectos. Eduweb, Revista de Tecnología de Información y Comunicación en Educación.

https://revistaeduweb.org/index.php/eduweb/article/view/671

Journal of Classics Teaching. (2024). Ancient history education through project-based learning. Journal of Classics Teaching. https://resolve.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-classics-teaching/article/ancient-history-education-through-projectbased-learning/FB8D6EC59090BBFB8A155F9EC8389205

Kainulainen, M. (2025). Regrounding inquiry-based learning in history: A study of historical knowledge construction. The Social Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370008.2025.2503193

Kldiashvili, E., et al. (2025). Project-based approach as methodology to improve. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11896811/

López-Fernández, C., y Llorent-Vaquero, M. (2023). Putting critical thinking at the center of history lessons in primary education: A quasi-experimental study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 128, 104111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104111

Malque. (2025). Measurement of high school students’ physics critical thinking skills. https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/msj/article/view/11805

Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador. (2016). Historia 1 BGU. Ministerio de Educación.

https://www.educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2016/09/librostexto/HISTORIA-1-BGU.pdf

Nicholus, G., Muneja, P. S., y Mseleku, Z. (2024). Evaluating video-based PBL approach on performance and critical thinking ability among secondary school students. Cogent Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2346040

Ofianto, O., Putra, R. A., y Dewi, R. (2024). Assessing historical thinking skills in high school history learning: The impact of Padlet technology. International Journal of Social Education, 39(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1430832.pdf

Paiva, R. S., et al. (2025). Selection of critical and creative thinking assessment instruments… Brazilian Journal of Education, Technology and Society. https://brajets.com/brajets/article/view/1864

Pamuji, D. (2025). Integrating project-based learning and video exposé to enhance students’ critical thinking skills. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2578371

Pan, A. J. (2023). Investigating the impact of a possibility-thinking integrated project-based learning framework in history education. Teaching and Teacher Education. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871187122002152

Pazmiño, S. F. S., et al. (2025). Metodología de aprendizaje basado en proyectos para el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico… Maestro y Sociedad. https://maestroysociedad.uo.edu.cu/index.php/MyS/article/view/7023

Rahman, S., Iswatiningsih, D., y Inganah, S. (2025). The effect of project-based learning (PJBL) on the critical thinking ability of science. Andamaje: Revista de Islam y Multiculturalismo, 7(3), 986–1000. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v7i3.8315

Safitri, W. I., et al. (2025). Measuring learners’ critical thinking skills using argument… https://joease.id/index.php/joease/article/download/97/75/984

Sari, R. T. (2025). The effect of project-based learning on critical thinking skills. International Journal of Education and Technology (IJETZ). https://jurnal.yayasannurulyakin.sch.id/index.php/ijetz/article/download/423/196/2184

Tigrero-Suárez, F. E., y Villon Villon, C. J., (2024). Aprendizaje basado en proyectos en el desarrollo del pensamiento reflexivo. Caso de una institución educativa. Polo del Conocimiento, 9(12), 3432–3448. https://polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/article/view/8789

Trustee, E. (2024). Secondary school learners’ perceptions of project-based learning. International Journal of Recent Research in Education and Research (IJRER). https://etdci.org/journal/ijrer/article/download/2689/1424

Zambrano Briones, M. A., Hernández Díaz, A., y Mendoza Bravo, K. L. (2022). El aprendizaje basado en proyectos como estrategias didácticas. Revista Conrado, 18(84), 172–182. https://conrado.ucf.edu.cu/index.php/conrado/article/view/2223

Zhang, L., et al. (2023). A study of the impact of project-based learning on student learning effects Frontiers in Psychology.

https://pressbooks.usnh.edu/preparingtoteachtwp/files/2024/04/Frontiers-in-Psychology-01-frontiersin.org-A-study-of-the-impact-of-project-based-learning-on-student-learning-effects.pdf.

Downloads

Published

2026-02-27

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Education Sciences

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Patricia Maribel Rizzo Franco, Augusto René Tigrero Martínez, Manuel Ernesto Deleg Chucino, Yoixi Araceli Garzón Tenemaza, María Elena Quispe González (Autor/a)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Rizzo Franco, P. M., Tigrero Martínez, A. R., Deleg Chucino, M. E. ., Garzón Tenemaza, Y. A., & Quispe González, M. E. . (2026). Project-Based Learning for the Teaching of History: A Proposal to Develop Critical Thinking in High School. Multidisciplinary Journal Epistemology of the Sciences, 3(1), 1651-1672. https://doi.org/10.71112/h9qtz106

Most read articles by the same author(s)