Building engineering students’ adaptive performance through challenge‑based learning: A sensemaking perspective

This study seeks to provide insights into micro-level processes which help explain how challenge-based learning (CBL) supports development of adaptive performance among students in higher education. Based on empirical data and using the sensemaking perspective, we analyse how educational design of CBL enables and develops adaptive performance among engineering students.

We show that, in addition to task- and curriculum-related factors, there are important contextual factors in education design supportive of adaptive performance development. Specifically, a safe learning environment and informal interaction with teaching staff contribute to this. 

We found that such an environment allows students to engage in (negative) feedback loops using sensegiving, sensedemanding, and sensebreaking. These sensemaking skills constitute collaborative discourse relevant for development of adaptive performance in higher education.

Our findings indicate that practice of sensegiving, sensedemanding, and sensebreaking during CBL helps to develop students' adaptive performance. Namely, by enabling students' use of questions as well as their engagement with (negative) feedback within and outside the classroom, such as with challenge-owner or relevant stakeholders.

Furthermore, we argue that sensegiving, sensedemanding, and sensebreaking can serve as empirical indicators for assessment of adaptive performance development among students in higher education and beyond.