Assessing the Effect of Project-Based Learning on Science Learning in Elementary Schools

Abstract

This investigation studied the effects of the Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning science intervention on third graders’ academic, social, and emotional learning. This intervention includes four science units and materials, professional learning, and post-unit assessments; features of project-based learning; three-dimensional learning (National Research Council, 2012); and the performance expectations from the Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). The intervention was evaluated with a cluster randomized control trial in 46 Michigan schools with 2,371 students. Results show that students who received the intervention had higher scores on a standardized science test (0.277 standard deviation) and reported higher levels of self-reflection and collaboration when involved in science activities.

Leading instructional improvement in elementary science: State science coordinators' sense‐making about the Next Generation Science Standards

“…Finally, integrating science with mathematics and/or ELA, another idea prominent in SSCs' understandings about elementary science, resonates with long-standing philosophies of thematic instruction, project-based learning, and literacy integration, particularly in elementary classrooms (Anderson et al, 1997;Blumenfeld et al, 1991;Krajcik et al, 2021;Vitale & Romance, 2011), as well as newer calls for such integration (NASEM, 2021b). However, SSCs' descriptions of integrating science with ELA and mathematics focused heavily on literacy, not mathematics.…”

Intervention initiatives to raise young people’s interest and participation in STEM

“…These two grade level interventions share a theoretical design-based rationale, based on project-based learning (PBL) principles, and provide solutions to several serious questions that have been raised about the quality of science instruction in the US. The elementary school intervention, Multiple Literacies in Project-based Learning (ML-PBL), is an efficacy study of 3 rd graders in Michigan where students were given four science units in which learning goals were developed consistent with the Next Generation of Science Standards and the instructional experiences were based on the components of three-dimensional learning (disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and cross-cutting concepts; National Research Council, 2012; Krajcik et al, 2021). The high school study, Crafting Engaging Science Environments (CESE), developed three units in chemistry and three in physics, and was similarly created using the PBL principles, the NGSS performance expectations, and the National Research Council's definition of three-dimensional learning (Schneider et al, 2022).…”

“…One key, new addition found in the ML-PBL and CESE interventions was the explicit importance placed on social and emotional learning and its relationship to science achievement (see chapter by Krajcik and Schneider, 2021 for ML-PBL; see Schneider et al, 2020 for CESE). PBL has implicitly emphasized social and emotional learning with its activities, materials, and assessments that have been deliberately designed to create equitable environments (Miller and Krajcik, 2019).…”

“…At the elementary level, students were asked questions about their interest, skills, and challenge in specific science activities (Bartz et al, 2022) and these same measures were asked to the secondary students with age-appropriate language (Schneider et al, 2016;Bradford and Bartz, 2022). Additionally, during teacher professional learning sessions, special activities were designed to guide teachers in fostering greater participation and inclusivity among all students (Krajcik and Schneider, 2021;Schneider et al, 2022).…”

“…For purposes of measurement at the elementary level, social and emotional learning states (i.e., patterns of feelings during activities within specific time periods) were assessed when students were in their science classes. This was a one-time measure, validated through a variety of statistical procedures (see, Krajcik et al, 2021). At the high school level, these constructs were measured 'in situ' when students who were participating in PBL experiences multiple times during the semester, were randomly notified and asked to answer a survey on their emotionality with the Experience Sampling Method (ESM).…”