Student engagement outside the classroom:analysis of a challenge-based learning strategy in biotechnology engineering

Currently, there is great concern about the increasing percentage of school dropouts at all school levels, therefore student engagement has been at the center of the discussion of the use, design and implementation of innovative teaching techniques that promote student interest, awaken passion for the discipline of each program and through educational activities decrease the percentage of desertion in undergraduate studies. The Tec21 model, implemented at the Tecnologico de Monterrey, aims to reduce school dropout through the acquisition of new knowledge through the resolution of real-life challenges. Here we report on a learning experience based on the Tec21 model for students of the Biotechnology Engineering program who were taken out of the school to the Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference Institute and exposed to solve challenges related to the analysis of nucleotide sequences of genomes of current infectious germs. Study modules to support the solution of the challenges were designed to boost transversal competences such ethics, collaborative work, resilience and critical thinking. Analyses of achievement indicators, such as learning gain, and a student engagement survey showed that this active learning experience was 20 to 40% more efficient than that of students who remained in traditional classroom education. Interestingly, the academic challenge, the active learning, the staff-student interaction, the enriching educational experience, the supportive learning environment and work interacting learning, were also considerably higher. Our results support the idea that student achievement is directly linked to engagement and demonstrated that having a Challenge Based Learning experience helps to increase student´s commitment.