Evaluation of Social Skills After the Application of the Challenge Based Learning Methodology

Objective: To evaluate the social skills of ninth-grade students from two educational institutions after implementing the Challenge-Based Learning methodology, identifying students' sociodemographic characteristics and their relationship with social skills. Theoretical Framework: Challenge-based learning as an active methodology in the teaching-learning process and the social skills developed by students. Method: A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, pretest-posttest for related samples. The Goldstein Social Skills Scale was used to measure social competence. The population consisted of students from one public and one private educational institution, with 59 and 36 students, respectively. Results and Discussion: The study assessed the impact of an intervention on students' social skills across various sociodemographic characteristics. An increase in social skills was observed, particularly in males, adolescents aged 17-18, and students from both high and low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, these differences were not statistically significant (Wilcoxon, p=0.072). Living with both parents and spending more time with them was found to enhance social development. These findings highlight the significant influence of family and sociodemographic contexts on the acquisition of social skills. Implications: It is essential to integrate active methodologies such as Challenge-Based Learning to strengthen adolescents' social skills. Interventions should consider family and sociodemographic contexts to maximize their effectiveness. Originality/Value: This study contributes to expanding the existing literature on social skills and the use of active learning methodologies.