Modern approach to learning and teaching

1. Introduction

Modern approaches to learning and teaching in higher education are based on the idea that knowledge is constructed through action, cooperation and reflection, and not transmitted only through lectures. In this context, the flipped classroom, project-based learning (PjBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) stand out. All three approaches place the student at the center, link learning outcomes to authentic tasks, and seek clearly defined success criteria with active use of grading and assessment using rubrics. The teacher's role changes from a lecturer to a facilitator who provides structure, timely formative feedback and a stimulating environment for research.

In a flipped classroom, core concepts are covered before the meeting (videos, summaries, micro-activities), while shared time is used for discussion, problem-solving, and application in new contexts. This arrangement increases engagement and allows for differentiation: the teacher can spot more quickly where difficulties arise and intervene in a targeted manner.

Problem-based learning builds on this by starting from an open, authentic problem without a predetermined solution.  In small teams, students map what they know and what they need to learn, formulate hypotheses, plan research, test ideas and reflect. In this way, they develop critical thinking, argumentation and the transfer of knowledge to new situations, which are key competencies of higher education practice.

In project-based learning, the curriculum is organised around a tangible product or service for a real audience (e.g., prototype, digital exhibit, project plan), thus naturally integrating research, design, evaluation and communication. A typical cycle includes planning (triggering question, criteria, timeline), implementation (iterations with formative feedback and peer evaluation) and evaluation (public presentation, portfolio, self-assessment).

In practice, it is effective to combine approaches: the flipped classroom prepares joint time for in-depth work, PBL opens space for conceptual understanding through problems, and PjBL leads to the implementation of solutions and visible artifacts. Thus, the learning outcomes are transformed into measurable evidence of competences that are relevant to the academic community and the labour market.

2. The student is at the centre of the educational process

The student-centred model of the educational process presumes that knowledge is built through action, collaboration and reflection. It emphasizes active learning, student autonomy and student responsibility for planning and demonstrating learning through authentic tasks, with clear outcomes and evaluation criteria. This model is dominant in higher education teaching today, and it is based on a constructivist learning theory (Hayward, Dewey, Rogers, Knowles). We can say that it is a competency-based approach to teaching.

The essential features of a student-centred approach are active learning, deep understanding, increased student autonomy and responsibility, and interdependence between teachers and students. It is a continuous reflective process with questioning of context, continuous improvement of the learning experience and ensuring that learning outcomes are achieved in a way that encourages critical thinking and generic skills.

The role of the teacher is changing from that of a lecturer to that of a facilitator who sets the framework, offers support and provides timely formative feedback. The digital ecosystem includes a learning management system, interactive content and collaboration tools, and learning analytics are often used to quickly analyse and adapt teaching. Special attention is paid to inclusivity, universal design for learning and transparent assessment using rubrics. There is also an emphasis on self-regulation, clear checkpoints, micro-activities to check understanding and a cycle of feedback, iteration and reflection throughout the semester.

Challenges of applying the model

On the other hand, according to the responses of the participants of the workshop "Student-centred teaching: why and how?" held at the meeting of the Network of Quality Assurance System Units at Higher Education Institutions in Croatia, these are the challenges of implementing a model in which the student is at the centre of the educational process:

• insufficient motivation/resistance of students and teachers
• students not being used to being active
• insufficient resources
• a lot of time to prepare
• insufficient prior knowledge of students
• linking the outcomes of different courses with the aim of achieving study outcomes
• insufficient education of stakeholders
• change in awareness and mentality of teachers and students
• student heterogeneity
• insufficient recognition of teachers' innovation (rewarding)
• poor perception of higher education
• student resistance to collaborative learning
• teachers' resistance to continuous improvement
• low level of self-criticism
• teachers' lack of interest in students.

The vast majority of these challenges must be overcome at the HEI level (especially those of an organisational nature), some of them at the level of individual departments or divisions (spreading examples of good practice and the experience of teachers and students who apply such a model can be of great help), but special efforts need to be made to overcome those challenges that are at the personal level of teachers and students (most often motivation, possible personal resistance and change in awareness/mentality) because they sometimes represent the first and biggest obstacle to a successful transition to such a model, both for HEIs and for individuals in the educational process.

3. Flipped classroom

4. Project-based learning (PjBL)

Project-based learning organises learning around an authentic project that results in a tangible product or service for a real audience. It starts with a driving question that is challenging, relevant and multi-layered, e.g. "How to design a more accessible campus for people with reduced mobility?". This naturally triggres research, design, evaluation and communication. The student takes responsibility for the plan, deadlines and quality, and the teacher acts as a facilitator who provides structure, resources and feedback. Process and product are at the centre: documenting decisions, iterative improvement and public presentation to relevant stakeholders.

The structure typically includes three phases. In planning, the learning outcomes, success criteria and rubric are defined, the time plan is outlined and intermediate steps are determined. Implementation includes data collection, prototype development, feedback testing and peer evaluation. The evaluation combines public presentation with self-assessment) and a portfolio containing digital objects, i.e. evidence and reflection. Tools like kanban boards, shared/collaborative documents, and LMS help with task visibility, versioning and communication maintenance.

For example, in the environmental engineering programme, a team might develop a rainwater harvesting system for a faculty building: they create a hydraulic calculation, a 3D model, a cost estimate and a maintenance plan, and publicly defend the solution to the administration. In the humanities, a student prepares a digital exhibition of local heritage: describing artifacts, writes curatorial texts, creates an interactive map or timeline of prehistoric events, and collects community feedback. In economics/marketing, a team of students designs a campaign with A/B testing of creative solutions and a KPI report. In this way, project-based learning combines knowledge, skills and attitudes into a meaningful, authentic task that develops long-term competencies.

 

Examples of digital tools that can be used for project-based learning

Trello is a simple yet highly customisable project management tool that visualises work through boards, lists and cards based on the principles of a kanban board. Each project becomes a list board (e.g., “Planning / In Progress / Review / Completed”), and specific tasks live as cards that can be marked with deadlines, priorities, tags assigned to team/group members, and checklists. It is also possible to add attachments, comments and reminders, use templates for typical workflows, and extend functionality with integrations or automation for repetitive tasks. The advantage for higher education projects is transparency: everyone can see the status, identify bottlenecks and share responsibility. Trello is part of the Atlassian ecosystem and works on the web and mobile devices, making it easy to collaborate and work outside the classroom or HEI. The tool exists in a free and commercial version, the free version and the ready-made templates contained in it are sufficient to get started, and more advanced team features are available through the commercial version (therefore, it is up to the teacher to assess whether they want to use this tool and to what extent).

Application scenario: In an e-course where project-based learning is to be used, the teacher opens the so-called Main Board with the lists: Summary and Objectives, Research, Prototyping, Testing, Presentation, Final. Each team duplicates the board as its own project space. At the beginning of the cycle, teams add cards with a developed driving question, success criteria and reference resources to the Summary and Objectives list. The Research list contains cards with data collection tasks, source checklists, and methodology, while deadlines and labels (e.g., “critical,” “external stakeholder”) make it easier to prioritise individual tasks. In the Prototyping phase, each card represents a solution module with attachments (sketches, 3D models, cost tables). In Testing, teams open cards for each user test with findings and decisions. The teacher sets up automation: when moving a card to “Overview,” an internal checklist and a “ready for feedback” label are automatically added. A short weekly meeting is held directly on the board: everyone switches their cards and notes down on what is blocking further progress. Before submission, Presentation cards are given checklists for the story, slides and demonstration; the board remains a digital trail of the process for evaluation (the rubric includes visibility of the progress, documentation quality and final product).

GitHub is a standard platform for code versioning and collaborative development, but in project teaching it also offers powerful tools for planning and monitoring through Projects (customisable table/kanban views). Teachers can use GitHub Classroom to set up e-courses, create individual or team assignments, perform automated grading and track progress through the admin dashboard. Projects allow adding custom fields, filtering, grouping and creating different views (e.g. Backlog / Sprint / Roadmap), all linked to development workflows (branching, code reviews, CI). For students, this means working with real tools used in the software industry, with a clear track of decisions and changes, and transparent tasks and deadlines. GitHub Education also offers benefits (free access to partner tools), making it easier to establish a professional environment for student projects.

Application scenario: In the Engineering Design course, the teacher uses GitHub Classroom to create team assignments and generate a repository for each team with initial templates (directory structure, CI configuration, rubric file). The teams in the repository open the so-called Issues requests and connect them to the Projects board, where it receives labels for priority and type of work (en. feature/bug/docs) and the associated phase. In case of changes, the so-called Pull requests with mandatory reviews and automatic checks (CI). The teacher monitors the workflow on the control panel, and automatically downloads the results and records the passing of the tests through the Classroom. Around the middle of the semester, the teams publish the so-called RC (en. "release candidate") and attach accompanying documentation with instructions. The final action plan shows what has been achieved and what is planned for the next iteration, which serves as material for public presentation and reflection on the development process (what we learned, what compromises we chose). This structured course combines technical execution with project management and communication, which gives students valuable experience working on application development tasks in a team.

Miro is an online whiteboard for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration: from ideation and affinity grouping to process mapping, scenario development and presentation preparation. The tool provides a so-called infinite digital canvas with sticky notes, shapes, connectors, comments, templates and a timeline, and supports the work of many participants in real time. Many templates speed up the launch of project activities, and an educational subscription offers benefits for teaching staff and students. In case of need for quick, almost one-time use, Miro Lite is also available (without registration, but the duration of the board is only 24 hours). Exporting image/PDF formats makes it easier to document and submit digital objects, while the presentation options within the board itself reduce "switching" between tools. Miro is particularly useful in project-based teaching because it combines visual thinking, collaboration and planning in one environment, or tool.

Application scenario: In the e-course "Service Design", groups of students begin activities on the Miro board by mapping stakeholders and affinity grouping insights from previously conducted interviews. They then use the "Customer Journey" template to visualise the user experience and highlight "sore spots". The teacher engages synchronously through comments and reactions to ask questions and guide performance criteria. The next step is idea development: each student adds a minimum of five ideas (via sticky notes), after which the group conducts a speed vote and selects a concept for rapid prototyping. After that, they plan weekly tasks and responsibilities in the kanban template, with deadlines and statuses visible to the entire group. For the mid-term review, students launch the presentation mode within Miro and lead the panel through the scenario, without exporting additional tools. After feedback, they duplicate the board for the next iteration and clearly mark changes (e.g. with the label "V2"). At the end of the semester, they export the board to PDF and attach it to the portfolio with a short reflection on the process (what was learned, what assumptions were revised, how to iterate further).

5. Problem-based learning (PBL)

Problem-based learning starts from a complex, open-ended problem without a predetermined solution and encourages students to activate prior knowledge, notice gaps, formulate hypotheses and independently regulate learning in a team. The emphasis is on the thinking process: how we define the problem, what are the assumptions, what are the relevant sources and how we test ideas. The role of the teacher is guiding. Through questions and support, he or she guides students through cycles of analysis, research and reflection, and not through frontal explanation as in traditional face-to-face teaching. In this way, PBL actively develops critical thinking, collaboration, communication and the transfer of knowledge to new contexts.

Typical PBL steps include scenario analysis (context, constraints), knowledge mapping (“what we know / what we need to learn”), hypothesis formulation and research plan, source collection and evaluation, solution testing, and evidence of learning (e.g., concept map, calculation or prototype). Activities are closely linked to curriculum outcomes, and evaluation encompasses both process (argumentation, teamwork, evaluation of evidence) and outcome (quality and appropriateness of solution, justification, reflection). Simulations and virtual laboratories are used for quality practice, from branching clinical cases to “digital twins” in engineering, with built-in decision points, assumption recording and automated feedback. Each simulation is followed by a structured review of what has been learned.
 

Examples of digital tools that can be used for problem-based teaching

Labster offers a collection of interactive virtual labs in which students solve problem scenarios while simultaneously acquiring theory and laboratory techniques. Each simulation places the student in an authentic context (e.g., research team, clinical case) and requires data-driven decision-making, with built-in questions and feedback. The platform integrates with LMS (e.g., Labster can be LTI-integrated with Moodle LMS), supports test customisation and automatic grading, and provides teachers with basic analytics on engagement and activity completion. The catalog of virtual labs covers multiple disciplines (biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, healthcare), and the simulations are self-contained, guided and short (lasting 10 to 60 minutes), making them suitable for pre-activities in PBL or for differentiated learning. The advantage of Labster is that it combines a safe environment for experimentation with clear goals and the possibility of repetition without material costs. This allows classroom teaching to engage in deeper analysis, comparison of approaches and results, and reflection on the problem-solving process.

Application scenario: In the e-course “Analytical Chemistry — Applied Problems”, each PBL episode begins with a short scenario: “Local water supply suspects contamination; what analyses should be performed and how to interpret the results?”. Before the classroom lesson, students complete two simulations in Labster (e.g. spectrophotometry + method validation), each with built-in questions and short checks. A prerequisite is set in the LMS: only after achieving more than 70% of points on the simulation test is the data document for teamwork unlocked. In the lesson, groups of students analyse different data sets, discuss detection limits, sources of error and trade-offs between time, cost and accuracy. The instructor compares their hypotheses and decision paths on the board and highlights differences in validation. This is followed by a mini-experiment in Labster (or a “what-if” variant) where groups change parameters and check how this affects the output values, i.e. the result. Finally, each group prepares recommendations to the city administration and submits the methodology.

Capsim is a business simulation and simulation evaluation platform that enables students to manage a company through decision cycles in finance, marketing, production, R&D and strategy. In a real-world environment, teams make decisions, compete with other teams and receive objective performance metrics. In addition to classic financial simulations, Capsim also offers CapsimInbox, an inbox simulation for developing and measuring soft skills (prioritisation, communication, conflict resolution). Teachers can adjust parameters, assign individual and group tasks, track results and integrate activities with the course. This design supports PBL: students work on open-ended problem situations, test hypotheses through simulation iterations and learn about the consequences of decisions in interconnected company functions.

Application scenario: In the graduate course “Business Strategy – PBL”, groups inherit a company profile in the consumer electronics segment. The cycle looks like this: 1) analysis of market reports from the previous round, 2) formulation of hypotheses (e.g. “If we increase investment in research, will we reduce sensitivity to price wars?”), 3) making integrated decisions (research budget, capacity, prices, channels, financing), 4) simulation outcome and reporting. Each team prepares a roundtable, arguing why it chose the strategy and how it would change it in the next round. Finally, they write a letter to the management with recommendations (investments and risks) and reflection on incorrect assumptions.

Body Interact is a virtual patient simulator aimed at developing clinical thinking and decision-making in healthcare. The platform offers a large library of scenarios (1200+ cases across 50+ therapeutic areas) with varying levels of difficulty, from pre-hospital situations to emergency admission. Students collect medical histories, order tests, interpret findings and perform interventions, with immediate feedback and scoring. The educational portal offers curated sets of scenarios and progression through levels, while integrations and reports help educators plan and evaluate. In a PBL context, Body Interact enables safe, reproducible and realistic practice of complex decisions and structured reporting after each episode.

Application scenario: At the clinical e-college "Emergency Medicine", each group receives a different case (e.g., ”chest pain in traffic”, "digestive problems of a large number of children in kindergarten"). Phase 1: 5 minutes for rapid condition identification and triage. Phase 2: team care at Body Interact, students order tests. Phase 3: report, i.e. comparison of decisions, discussion of alternative paths, "what if" variants and the like. Evaluation includes team performance, clinical reasoning and individual progress through scenarios.

6. Conclusion

In conclusion, the flipped classroom, project-based learning (PjBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) together form a framework that transforms teaching in higher education from the transmission of information to guided solving of potential challenges that students may encounter in their future work. These approaches align learning outcomes with clearly visible evidence of competence and use shared classroom time for discussion, testing of ideas and reflection. The benefits are greatest when all three approaches are combined: the flipped classroom prepares the groundwork, PBL develops conceptual understanding through open-ended problems and PjBL leads to the delivery of solutions to a real audience.

The student gains greater autonomy and a clearer purpose of learning. Pre-processed micro-activities in the flipped classroom model make it easy to enter the topic at your own pace; PBL encourages students to hypothesise, evaluate sources and make decisions under constraints; PjBL offers real user context and measurable performance criteria. This develops metaskills: self-regulation, teamwork, communication with stakeholders and transferability of knowledge. Risks (uneven contributions, overload) are reduced by clear roles, rubrics and iterative feedback.

The role of the teacher shifts from that of a lecturer to that of a facilitator. The teacher uses data (test results, activity and learning analytics) for timely interventions and turns the digital results of student work into evidence of achievement. Thus, the curriculum becomes a systematic place for building competencies, and not just a skeleton/structure of lectures, seminars and exercises.

7. Additional sources

• Pašić, D. Student-centred teaching
• Čikeš, N. Students at the Centre of Learning and Teaching
• Wright, G.B. Student-Centered Learning in Higher Education
• Kaput, K. Evidence/Contributions for Student-Centered Learning