Problem Based Learning and Critical Thinking In dustrial Engineering Students

This work investigates the influence of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on the development of critical thinking skills in Industrial Engineering students during the first semester of 2025. Through a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental design, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, the authors demonstrate how the implementation of PBL generates significant improvements in key dimensions such as analysis, inference, interpretation, appreciative evaluation, argumentation, and self-regulation. The book addresses the limited incorporation of active learning methodologies in higher education and offers contextualized empirical evidence for Bolivia. The results confirm that PBL constitutes an effective teaching strategy for promoting higher-order cognitive skills, provided that its implementation is accompanied by planning, teacher training, and curricular integration.