Improving soft skills based on students' traces in problem-based learning environments

Abstract

To assume the productivity of students in the workplace, the higher educational institutions would be faced by a challenging reality that of how to keep focus on technicalities while improving the set of soft skills. Therefore, the main aim of this research is improving students' soft skills and thus their cognitive skills in parallel, to prepare them professionally, where they are put in a problem-based learning environment that is based on developing a software project. In this humble study, students undergo an experimental process where they are asked to develop a software project. The latter is defined by a teacher-set deadline period in which students' performed actions would be recorded to be used in the assessment process. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed system and the proposed approach for improving the soft skills, the prospective experiment was conducted at the level of a higher education institution. Over and above, the obtained results were highly satisfying and very encouraging. They also showed that the cognitive profiles and soft skills of most students were improved.