Effects of project-based learning on inferential reading comprehension in fifth-grade students in Cali: a mixed study

Abstract

Inferential reading comprehension remains a major challenge in primary education, especially in contexts that demand the development of higher-order cognitive skills, critical thinking, and meaningful knowledge transfer. This article presents the results of a study that implemented a didactic strategy grounded in Project-Based Learning (PBL) to strengthen inferential comprehension in fifth-grade students. Following the contributions of Chen (2021), who demonstrated the effectiveness of PBL in fostering inferential processes, and Ramírez (2021), who emphasized its potential to promote critical thinking and learner autonomy, the study adopted a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent design, integrating quantitative and qualitative analyses across the entire population—130 students and five teachers from three public schools in Santiago de Cali. Quantitative data were processed using SPSS, identifying patterns associated with the independent variable—teaching strategies—and the dependent variable—inferential reading comprehension performance—while qualitative data were analyzed through a co-occurrence scheme in Atlas.ti. In alignment with García-Martín (2020), the findings show that PBL enhances reading comprehension by situating learning in meaningful and collaborative contexts. A moderate positive correlation was found between teaching strategies and inferential comprehension (r = .493; p < .01), along with an increase in students achieving high and superior performance levels. The study concludes that PBL consolidates deep learning, intrinsic motivation, and cognitive transfer, establishing itself as an effective and replicable methodology for promoting advanced literacy skills in primary education.