Empowering Future HR Professionals: A Design-Based Research Approach to Project-Based Learning in Work and Organizational Psychology

This study reports on a Design-Based Research (DBR) project that implemented Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in an undergraduate psychology course on Human Resource Development (HRD). The purpose was to move beyond lecture-based instruction and explore how open pedagogy can create authentic, student-centered learning experiences that bridge theory and practice. Over two course iterations (n = 31), students co-designed, implemented, and evaluated HRD interventions for their peers, supported by peer and instructor feedback and complemented by a co-created open-book exam. Quantitative pre- and post-tests revealed significant improvements in students’ knowledge of HRD methods, learning theories, and application competencies, as well as enhanced confidence in their professional qualifications. Students valued the openness of the design, its practical orientation, and the error-friendly learning environment, though challenges emerged regarding workload, communication, and intrinsic motivation. Educators reported a transformation of their role from knowledge transmitter to facilitator and co-learner, while also identifying opportunities to use AI for generating authentic case tasks. The findings suggest that PjBL, combined with open pedagogy, fosters self-directed learning, transparency, and collaboration, thereby contributing to cultural change in higher education toward openness, participation, and innovation.