Expository writing through Project-Based Learning in Hispanic Language and Literature, UNAN-Managua/CUR-Estelí, Nicaragua

Abstract

Currently, the difficulties university students face in writing expository texts are related to problems with agreement, textual progression, and limited use of discourse connectors, which prevent them from establishing appropriate relationships between sentences and paragraphs and result in fragmented texts that hinder the objective transmission of information. The objective of this article is to analyze the effectiveness of a teaching intervention based on Project-Based Learning (PBL) for expository writing among first-year university students in the Hispanic Language and Literature program at UNAN-Managua/CUR-Estelí. Through qualitative Action Research (AR) and the application of the following stages: 1) problem diagnosis; 2) planning; 3) implementation of a teaching sequence; and 4) analysis of results, collaborative writing, critical thinking, and self-regulation of learning were promoted. The implementation of the instructional sequence led to significant improvements in text structure, the use of connectors, and autonomy in the writing process. Most students evaluated the methodology positively, and its impact on motivation and the development of communication skills was evident. The study concludes that Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an effective strategy for strengthening academic writing, linking knowledge to real-world contexts, and promoting autonomous and meaningful learning.