An Experimental Study to Investigate the Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) for Teaching Science at Elementary Level

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) covers different types enabling use to receive, share and exchange information. In project-based learning (PBL), the learners remained the center of the process by engaging, collaborating and connecting himself to the real world. Teachers can explore characteristics of project-based learning and can organize the curriculum, the classroom, technology and the students for the successful 21 st century skills. This study investigated the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) for teaching science at elementary level. The objectives of the study were application of the project-based learning technique to teach science at elementary level and finding out the effect of project based learning on the academic achievement of the students. There was no significance difference between the mean academic achievement scores of pre-test and post-test after the treatment. The one-group pretest-posttest design was used for the present study. All grade 8 students of the Federal Government high schools of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were the population. A federal school 8th class was randomly selected for the study. This selected group was considered as experimental group. The group was pre and post tested. The experimental group was taught through project-based learning technique by the researcher. After the treatment a post test was conducted and difference of the mean academic achievement score was observed. t test was used to analyze the data and it was recommended to use PBL in classroom particularly in teaching science subjects. It is an approach that focused students and priority is given to him for learning activities. In student-centered learning, students are carefully heard, patiently listened and considerably given preference. The classroom activities are determined and developed following their interests, abilities and needs. There is a great change in teacher and pupil roles. Now teacher role has shifted from knowledge transmitter to learning facilitator, collaborator and coach. Teacher is not a primary source of information but he or she becomes a knowledge explorer, knowledge enhancer and co-learner. The learners are provided with options and assigning them responsibilities for their own learning. There is also great change in student role with the time. Now students are not silent, passive listeners of the lecture delivered by teachers, reproduce knowledge and act as a solitary person but he or she is active participant of all the teaching learning process and providing input to knowledge and sharing it with others by collaboration and mutual understanding. In learner-centered classroom activities, students often work together in small groups, and they decide between themselves what each member's respective role should be. Seeking solutions to real-life problems, gathering information, analyzing data -this is called project-based learning (PBL). There is nothing particularly new about this type of learning since good teachers have frequently incorporated pr...

An Action Research on Project-Based Learning and Understanding by Design and Their Effects on the Science Achievement and Attitude of Science Students

“…Students who may struggle in a traditional instructional setting have often been found to do well when they work in a PBL class (Bell, 2010;Thomas, 2000;Condliffe, 2016). The effectiveness of PBL has been investigated in various studies (Condliffe, 2016;Iwamoto et al, 2016;Chiang & Lee, 2016;Mayer, 2016;Cervantea, et al, 2015;Khaliq, et al, 2015;Harmer & Strokes, 2014;Redmond, 2014;Holmes, 2012;Bell, 2010;Yancin, et al, 2009;Thomas, 2000;Katz & Chard, 1992;) in different subject areas as well as deepening students' transfer skills. Research has proven that through PBL, students become a better problem-solvers, researchers, and critical thinkers (Thomas, 2000, Bell, 2010, Harmer and Strokes, (2014, Condliffe, 2016).…”

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