Problem-and project-based learning (PBL) has been seen as one of the pedagogical models to bridge the knowledge gab between education and work. This article reports a study of students' preparedness from a systemic PBL university to enter work life. Theoretically, a conceptual understanding of a systemic PBL is presented including four elements: 1) knowledge and problem modes, 2) variation in problem and project approaches, 3) an interlinked full-scale curriculum, and 4) focus on PBL competences and employability skills. A longitudinal study for a national cohort of Danish engineering education students from the first-year programme until graduation and into their first job is presented. A comparison of a systemic PBL university with a reference group is presented. The findings show that students at the systemic PBL university compared to the reference universities report a higher level of preparedness in terms of generic and contextual competences but selfassess themselves as less prepared considering more domain-specific competences related to natural science.

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Educational institutions around the world continue to develop teaching practices in which the importance of digital solutions is expanding. The increasing digitization of education and learning has made it even more important to explore and test how experiential collaborative teaching methods can be digitized and designed to facilitate collaboration, active participation, and exploration, elements that are all crucial to support development of complex skills and competencies. Previous research reveals that many solutions for e-learning do not sufficiently support more complex forms of learning. The authors argue that many technologies developed for the field of education fall short of their purposes and neglect or ignore intended underpinning pedagogy and didactics. As new technologies are being developed, promising great improvements in supporting student’ learning processes, the problem is exasperated by a technological euphoria, supported by EdTech companies, which effectively undermines appropriate cautions and reservations. The article applies the overarching conceptualization Experiential and Collaborative learning (ECL) in an attempt of include an array of established and complex educational methods or pedagogical models, such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Reflective Practice-based Learning (RPL) and Inquiry- of ECL have been derived. Based on those keywords, a systematic literature study within the database of ECEL article from 2012-2021 has been conducted to investigate and summarize the potential gap often seen between pedagogical and technological development in Edtech. The research question is twofold: "How is ECL addressed in ECELs papers" and "What is the potential gap transforming ECL to digital solutions"? The findings reveal that ECL is present in many articles to some extent. However, after sorting the articles using PRISMA, only a few articles are included capturing the complexity of ECLs. Based on the selected articles, gaps and potentials are identified, indicating a need for further research.

The Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory (OCLI) is one of the most popular instruments for measuring self-directed learning (SDL). Although several previous studies have validated it, an exploratory application of confirmatory factor analysis had not been attempted; such an analysis provided new insights. Responses from 159 students from Aalborg University, a Problem-Based Learning institution known for its high degree of self-directed project work, were analyzed. This investigation examines all previously suggested factor structures against commonly applied measures and further develops the most promising, identifying a new three-factor structure reaching standard thresholds of model fit. The newly identified underlying dimensions of the OCLI—internal locus of control, the ability to be self-regulating, and avidity for learning—simplify the interpretation of the factors and help mitigate some of the instrument’s previous problems. This will serve to keep the OCLI relevant as an instrument for measuring self-directed learning in the future. We recommend further studies to revise the OCLI, rephrasing and reconceptualizing items that have aged poorly as well as investigating the pattern of the reverse-coded items. Lastly this paper suggests that other statistical instruments might be revitalized through the application of similar methods, taking advantage of the advances in computation and statistical analysis.

Who would have thought that, when the first call for papers for our event was published in the summer of 2019, we would meet in a very differently looking world two years afterwards? The Corona pandemic has challenged the educational world. PBL practitioners and researchers alike were called upon to bring forward their knowledge, experience and creativity in designing and implementing solutions to digitally supported pedagogies.In a way, the PBL and active learning community has held huge resources here -a deep understanding of the cognitive, motivational, emotional and social implications of the learning process. Extensive experience with the orchestration of self-directed and student-centered approaches as well as a long-standing engagement in exploration and enrichment of learning scenarios by digital possibilities. However, the challenges have been considerable as well: how do we maintain engagement amongst students in a time of physical and therefore also social distancing? How do we create places and spaces for group work and meaningful interaction in the digital sphere? And not to forget, how do we keep the relationships alive between the university-ecosystem and the rest of the world, in which the problems our students are working on have their arena?The PBL2021 International Conference is intended as a space and place to bring together PBL practitioners and researchers to share our insights and experiences around the powerful approaches of PBL and Active Learning. Under the conference title Transforming PBL Through Hybrid Learning Models we want to invite all participants to share, watch, listen to, discuss and engage with the insights and experiences from both the Corona-period and from PBL and active learning practices in general. With three outstanding keynotes and almost 100 contributions in various formats we hope the conference will provide a rich (digital) environment for this. The proceedings certainly are a testament to the richness and breadth of the topics and insights the PBL and Active Learning community has to share. The conference would not have been possible without the willingness to collaborate with us. We would like to express our gratitude to the PAN-PBL Association of PBL and Active Learning for entrusting us with the hosting of the 11th conference in the successful conference series, and for being excellent collaboration partners throughout this journey. Difficult decisions, such as the postponement of the conference, had to be made and we were extremely glad to have the PAN-PBL board with us on these decisions at all times.