Using Project-Based Learning as a Catalyst for Deeper Assessment and Meaningful Learning in Higher Education

Charity Hensley, Assistant Professor of Education, Emory & Henry University

This session will explore how project-based learning can transform assessment from a terminal measure of performance into an ongoing process that deepens learning, reflection, and knowledge construction at the college level. Participants will engage in dialogue around how authentic, inquiry-driven projects shift student focus from task completion to conceptual understanding, application, and metacognition. Drawing on research-informed practices, the conversation will examine how formative assessment, feedback cycles, and student voice can be intentionally embedded within project-based structures. Discussions will center on guiding questions such as: How do our current projects communicate what we truly value about learning? In what ways can assessment practices within PBL strengthen student reflection, revision, and ownership? How might these practices alleviate common challenges such as grading overload, surface-level thinking, or disengagement? The session invites colleagues to share successes, tensions, and possibilities for reimagining assessment through purposeful design in ways that can align projects more closely with learning outcomes and disciplinary goals.

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