ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Higher Education
The effectiveness of project-based learning: a retrospective comparative analysis of Russian and foreign experience
Provisionally accepted
Galina Vladimirovna Astratova1Galina Victorovna Gorelova2Tatyana Anatolyevna Makarenya2Ludmila Grigoriena Matveeva2
Alexei Igorevich Kalinichenko2
Chigozirim Onwusiribe1*- 1Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia
- 2Uznyj federal'nyj universitet, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
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Background: Project-based learning (PBL) implementation faces unresolved tensions between pedagogical integrity and economic utility, complicated by fragmented theoretical frameworks and divergent national approaches across educational systems. Objective: This study identifies systematic barriers to PBL effectiveness through retrospective comparative analysis of Russian and international practices, models socio-economic impacts via cognitive simulation, and develops evidence-based optimization strategies. Methods: Mixed-methods approach combining historical analysis of PBL evolution (15th-20th centuries), institutional case studies from six leading Russian universities (HSE, SFedU, Moscow Polytech, FEFU, UrFU, UNN), and cognitive simulation modeling using 29-node framework with CMCS software to map regional development impacts across 24 test scenarios. Key Findings: Russian PBL emphasizes collective outcomes while Western models prioritize individualization. Current implementations show 78% commercial focus over competency development, though customer-centric approaches demonstrate 3.2× higher critical thinking scores. Cognitive modeling confirms PBL specialists enhance human capital (+210%), regional sustainability (+120%), and technological sovereignty (+150%) with grant support reducing risks by 37-52%. Conclusion: PBL effectiveness requires rebalancing commercial-pedagogical tensions through customer-centric approaches, enhanced teacher training, and systematic grant support. Cognitive modeling provides unifying framework for resolving paradigm conflicts while maximizing socioeconomic impact.
Keywords: project-based learning, Cognitive Modeling, Higher education reform, Human capital development, Regional innovation systems
Received: 02 Aug 2025; Accepted: 24 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Astratova, Gorelova, Makarenya, Matveeva, Kalinichenko and Onwusiribe. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Chigozirim Onwusiribe, onvusiribe@urfu.ru
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