Have I correctly used ‘knowledge construction’ and ‘was’ in the given text?

Have I correctly used ‘knowledge construction’ and ‘was’ in the given text? Please help me. Thank you very much.

Meaningful learning and knowledge construction will occur if students work in authentic learning contexts under the guidance of experienced mentors. That was why the university students, including my peers and I, participated in in the hands-on assessment seminar facilitated by seven government agencies