Using Project Based Learning to Increase Student Learning ...Using Project Based Learning to...
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Ange Jones Wamego Middle School Wamego, Kansas Let’s DO Science! Using Project Based Learning to Increase Student Learning and Interest in Earth Science Primary Question Does project based learning (PBL) as an instructional strategy increase student learning in an Earth science unit? Secondary Questions 1. Will using the PBL instructional strategy increase interest and engagement in Earth sciences? 2. Will the use of PBL in Earth science help students make connections to their own lives and understand the importance of learning Earth science? Data Source Data Source Data Source Primary Question Unit Pre-Test Unit Post-Test Student Reflections in Science Notebooks Sub Question 1 Pre-Unit Survey Post-Unit Survey Student Interviews Sub Question 2 Student Reflections in Science Notebooks Student Interviews Data Collection Students constructing their structure designed to withstand an earthquake. Students demonstrating their erosion prevention solution. Background Educators are always looking for new strategies to increase student achievement or presentation techniques that will not only grab their student’s attention, but sustain it and allow for students to make connections that result in a deeper level of learning. Students typically perform better when they are interested in the topic being taught. This leads to an active learning environment, which allows for increased retention of information and improved scores on unit assessments. The purpose of this project is to assess whether or not project based learning can be one strategy that can lead to greater student interest, engagement, and achievement when completing an Earth science unit. Treatment Students participated in two units of instruction. One unit topic was Plate Tectonics and the other unit topic was Erosion. Instruction during one unit was considered “traditional” in that it was lecture based with a few activities to reinforce content. During the second unit, instruction was “project based” where students were presented with a problem to solve. The content of the unit was learned in the context of solving the problem. Group A n=39 Plate Tectonics Unit Treatment Group Erosion Unit Comparison Group Group B n=42 Plate Tectonics Unit Comparison Group Erosion Unit Treatment Group Results In this case, PBL did not result in an increase in student’s content knowledge. However, according to student surveys, the PBL technique did lead to a 25% increase in student interest in Earth science. Engagement also increased. Student surveys show a 31% increase in engagement due to the hands-on and problem solving nature of the units. This was supported with student interviews where 88% of students reported more interest in the unit where they had a problem to solve. 52% 52% 41% 39% Plate Tectonics Unit Erosion Unit Student Content Knowledge Percent Gain Comparison Percent Gain Intervention Student Quotes • “I like the project a lot more because we got to build something, not just write about building something.” • “The project was more difficult, but more fun. I was the one who had to figure things out, and it helped to work with a team.”
Transcript of Using Project Based Learning to Increase Student Learning ...Using Project Based Learning to...
Ange JonesWamego Middle School Wamego, Kansas
Let’s DO Science!Using Project Based Learning to Increase Student Learning and Interest in Earth Science
Primary QuestionDoes project based learning (PBL) as an instructional strategy increase student learning in an Earth science unit?
Secondary Questions1. Will using the PBL instructional strategy increase interest and engagement in Earth sciences?2. Will the use of PBL in Earth science help students make connections to their own lives and understand the importance of learning Earth science?
Data Source Data Source Data Source
Primary Question Unit Pre-Test Unit Post-TestStudent Reflections
in Science Notebooks
Sub Question 1 Pre-Unit Survey Post-Unit Survey Student Interviews
Sub Question 2Student Reflections
in Science Notebooks
Student Interviews
Data Collection
Students constructing their structure designed to withstand an earthquake.
Students demonstrating their erosion prevention solution.
BackgroundEducators are always looking for new strategies to increase student achievement or presentation techniques that will not only grab their student’s attention, but sustain it and allow for students to make connections that result in a deeper level of learning. Students typically perform better when they are interested in the topic being taught. This leads to an active learning environment, which allows for increased retention of information and improved scores on unit assessments. The purpose of this project is to assess whether or not project based learning can be one strategy that can lead to greater student interest, engagement, and achievement when completing an Earth science unit.
TreatmentStudents participated in two units of instruction. One unit topic was Plate Tectonics and the other unit topic was Erosion. Instruction during one unit was considered “traditional” in that it was lecture based with a few activities to reinforce content. During the second unit, instruction was “project based” where students were presented with a problem to solve. The content of the unit was learned in the context of solving the problem.
Group A
n=39
Plate Tectonics Unit Treatment
Group
Erosion Unit Comparison
Group
Group B
n=42
Plate Tectonics Unit
Comparison Group
Erosion Unit Treatment
Group
ResultsIn this case, PBL did not result in an increase in student’s content knowledge. However, according to student surveys, the PBL technique did lead to a 25% increase in student interest in Earth science. Engagement also increased. Student surveys show a 31% increase in engagement due to the hands-on and problem solving nature of the units. This was supported with student interviews where 88% of students reported more interest in the unit where they had a problem to solve.
52% 52%
41% 39%
Plate Tectonics Unit Erosion Unit
Student Content Knowledge
Percent Gain Comparison Percent Gain Intervention
Student Quotes• “I like the project a lot more because we got to
build something, not just write about building something.”
• “The project was more difficult, but more fun. I was the one who had to figure things out, and it helped to work with a team.”
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