Project-Based Learning Guidelines for IT Higher Education

It is challenging to adapt higher education at the same pace as the fast-changing nature of the information technology (IT) sector. Creative ways are needed to accommodate the continuous changes in the IT industry, without needing to change the structure of the curriculum. As the IT industry comprises of project teams in project environments, a suitable instructional approach for IT higher education is project-based learning (PBL). A PBL strategy allows for the instruction of current technologies and contributes to skills development that is required in the IT industry. General guidelines and characteristics for PBL are followed across the board for all disciplines on a trial and error basis. Some guidelines may not be directly applicable to IT higher education, while other needed guidelines do not exist because they are domain-specific. The purpose of this paper is to present guidelines for PBL that is relevant to IT higher education. The guidelines are formulated using popular characteristics of PBL from literature and adapting them to the context of IT projects. Additional guidelines are added based on specific requirements of IT projects that are relevant to professional practice. A literature review matrix is presented as evidence of sources where the guidelines were adapted from. The guidelines can be used by educators who find it challenging to assess whether they are implementing a suitable PBL approach. Additionally, following the guidelines may contribute towards bridging the skills gap between IT higher education and the IT industry.