How to foster interdisciplinary project management efficacy beliefs in Challenge-based Learning? The role of attitudes and student engagement

Collaboration in interdisciplinary projects is essential for working on complex societal challenges. Challenge-based Learning (CBL) enables interdisciplinary learning and aims to prepare learners to tackle societal challenges in interdisciplinary teams. Student engagement in CBL can contribute to the development of relevant self-efficacy beliefs in interdisciplinary project management by targeting sources of self-efficacy in the instructional design. However, this might only be possible in teams sharing a positive perception of interdisciplinarity and the diverse perspectives in their team. This study examines the influence of the perception of interdisciplinary team composition on student engagement (RQ 1) and the influence of student engagement in CBL on interdisciplinary project management efficacy beliefs (RQ 2). In a cross-sectional design, N = 87 students in CBL courses were surveyed using standardized scales. The path model shows significant paths for the perception of interdisciplinary team composition on all components of student engagement. However, the results indicate that not every component of student engagement influences every efficacy belief relevant to interdisciplinary project management. The potential of CBL as an innovative learning environment to stimulate interdisciplinary learning to develop interdisciplinary project management skills is discussed, and implications for research and educational practice are derived.