Project-Based Learning and Proportional Reasoning in Law: A Project in the Context of Wrongful Dismissal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65685/amiutem.v14i1.282Keywords:
Proportional reasoning, Labor Law, Project-Based Learning, Legal educationAbstract
This article analyzes the design and implementation of a Project-Based Learning (PBL) experience aimed at developing proportional reasoning in undergraduate Law students through the analysis of a simulated case of unjustified dismissal. The instructional proposal integrates legal and mathematical knowledge by engaging students in a realistic professional scenario that requires interpreting labor regulations, representing quantitative information, and performing proportional calculations using spreadsheet tools.
The study follows a qualitative approach with a didactic case study design. Drawing on Lesh, Post, and Behr’s model of proportional reasoning levels, students’ written productions were analyzed to identify the types of strategies and levels of reasoning activated during the project. The findings reveal the coexistence of proportional and additive reasoning strategies, as well as differences in students’ conceptual understanding when addressing the legal problem. The results highlight the potential of PBL to support the articulation between mathematical reasoning and legal analysis in professional education. They also underscore the importance of designing contextualized learning experiences that foster quantitative competencies in social science programs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Jesus Francisco Rodríguez Higuera, María Teresa Dávila Araiza, Silvia Elena Ibarra
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