The Impact of Environmental Research and Technology Fairs on Students Academic Outcomes: A Pre- and Post-Pandemic Analysis

Ore E.C.; Garcia D.M. · International Journal of Engineering Education (2026)

Resumen

This study examines the impact of environmental research fairs on the achievement of student outcomes in the Environmental Engineering Program at Universidad Continental (Peru) through a six-year longitudinal analysis (2018–2023). The dataset includes student-outcome direct measurements and judges’ scores from 224 projects involving approximately 1,000 students. Fairs were conducted face-to-face in 2018, 2019, and 2023, and virtually in 2020–2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions. We compare pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods to assess differences in performance associated with fair modality. Findings suggest that face-to-face fairs are associated with higher achievement in outcomes linked to experimentation, problem analysis, design, and communication, whereas virtual editions reduced opportunities for consistent external judging and hands-on demonstration. These results support the role of research and technology fairs as an active-learning strategy and inform improvements for both face-to-face and virtual implementations.

Instituciones: Universidad Continental