Student differentiation in project-based learning: a mathematical modeling approach to assessing creative activity resources
Abstract
Introduction. Enhancing the effectiveness of project-based learning in higher education and improving overall learning outcomes necessitate a more profound understanding of the factors influencing students’ creative resources. These resources may serve as critical parameters for differentiating students in project-based contexts. Aims: the primary objectives of this study are to determine the psychodiagnostic and integral indicators of creative resources that facilitate exploratory and stabilizing tendencies in activity and to identify parameters for the effective differentiation of students in project-based learning settings. Materials and methods. Creative resources in project-based learning settings were assessed using the Rorschach test. Mathematical modeling was employed to calculate integral indices of exploratory and stabilizing tendencies based on the interaction of key psychodiagnostic indicators: cognitive initiative, psychophysical activity, emotional reactivity, and cognitive control. The study sample comprised 372 university students (mean age: 20.5 ± 2.2 years), including 144 females (38.7%) and 228 males (61.3%). Results. The study identified distinct patterns in the distribution of creative resources, with six student groups characterized by varying ratios of psychodiagnostic and integral indicators. The largest and smallest groups demonstrated uneven distributions of creative resources. Differentiation based on the cooperation model demonstrated the highest accuracy, while the competition model exhibited the lowest. Conclusion. Key parameters for differentiating students in project-based learning settings were established, providing a robust framework for tailoring educational strategies. The findings underscore the utility of mathematical modeling in identifying and differentiating students based on their creative resources. These results have practical implications for designing learning trajectories and training programs that foster and maintain optimal levels of creativity. By aligning project-based learning strategies with students’ creative resource profiles, educators can enhance competency acquisition, project efficiency, and overall academic performance
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