Scoping Review Methodology and Its Use to Review Online Project-Based Learning in Higher Education, 2020-2023

Abstract

A scoping review (also called a scoping study) is an increasingly popular type of literature review in diverse fields. Aiming to promote this research methodology among those researching project-based learning (PBL), the article provides a thorough overview of scoping review methodology by reviewing its history and development, elaborating on the procedure it requires, and specifying the indications when the methodology is suitable. The second half of the article illustrates how a scoping review can be conducted; the methodology is applied to review the research on the implementation of online project-based learning in the context of higher education that was published between 2020 and 2023. More specifically, the review is conducted to answer the following question: What approaches and strategies are used to ensure online project-based learning implementation across diverse subjects? This particular period is chosen due to the rise of online learning which coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show a number of useful approaches and strategies in the aforementioned areas; it is anticipated that they will be applicable both to projects in face-to-face environments and especially beneficial for educators who implement PBL online.