complete project work in education

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

A guide to project work: supporting students in independent learning

What are your plans for the remaining weeks of the teaching year? Perhaps you have a group of tired students who need to be productively engaged after a period of study leave? It's an ideal time for project work. At best, projects can be exciting, personalised learning journeys. But the process can be fraught with difficulties and challenges. What, then, are the keys to success?

If project work is going to be more than simply a ragbag collection of unrelated activities, there needs to be a clear central objective. Research projects should begin with a specific question that the student is seeking to answer, or a testable hypothesis. I find that practical projects work best when they respond to a set design brief or commission.

It is fine for students to start the process with vague ideas about what they are trying to achieve. But these ideas need to focus on a central point, so that their work is coherent and has clear direction.

I start by asking students what interests them. What are their hobbies? What are their aspirations for future work or further study? I then suggest that they pick a project that fits in with those aims or interests. If a boy in my class says that he would like to do a project on football (a popular choice), I'll have a discussion with him about current issues in the footballing world. Moving from a general topic to a specific question such as, "Will the impact of goal-line technology improve football?" is a big step forwards.

Whether a student is writing a dissertation on the ethics of cloning, putting on a performance of scenes from Hamlet for year 9 students, or designing a model skatepark, the first thing to be done, once the objectives are clear, is to gather information about ideas, techniques, history, influences and so on.

I see many projects on questions connected to bioethics and genomics . Suppose a student is researching the question, "Is it ethical to use human embryonic stem cells for research purposes?" Following some initial research, I chat with them about how they intend to lay out the research section of their project. What will the titles for the various sections be – scientific background, ethical issues, religious controversies, political implications, and so on?

Once the headings are decided, students then add the research and link sources to each area to create a well synthesised review of research. I usually recommend they use some journal articles. One of the best starting points is the OpenDOAR repository of open-access sources.

Students really benefit from being given a model for the different structural elements of a project. A basic structure is reflects the design cycle itself: plan, research, develop, review. You may want to add in further elements as you see fit. Well-produced dissertations, for example, typically include an abstract, introduction, literature review, discussion and conclusion. Students may not be aware of what counts as a good model for structure; timely advice from the supervisor can really help them with the process.

In my experience, most students are more comfortable writing about what other people think, and they tend to be nervous about putting forward their own opinions. I explain, though, that their project should contain their own ideas: they need to argue for their own point of view. Once they have got past the research stage, I sometimes use an interview, which could be a peer-interview, to help them work out their own ideas. What is the central question in their project? What different answers do people give? What is their point of view? How would they argue for it? Does the research evidence support their viewpoint? What do they think is the strongest argument against their view, and how would they answer it?

Thinking skills

What I most enjoy, when supervising projects, is seeing students develop their skills in critical thinking and the expression of their own ideas. Project work naturally leads into argument, whether that's about the interpretation of data, the validity of a philosophical viewpoint, or something as concrete as the design of the set for the school play. There are so many alternative possible ways to go, students have to think critically and evaluate the merits of different possibilities.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which embodies this approach, was recently described by Elizabeth Truss MP as: " the best of education, in that it is rigorous and demanding as well as adaptable and fun. " With appropriate facilitation and planning, project work can be so much more than a time-filler at the end of the year. It can become the point at which the rhetoric about independent learning turns into reality.

Dr John L Taylor is head of philosophy and director of critical skills at Rugby School and the author of Think Again: A Philosophical Approach to Teaching . Follow him on Twitter @DrJohnLTaylor .

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional . Looking for your next role? Take a look at Guardian jobs for schools for thousands of the latest teaching, leadership and support jobs.

• Teaching tips
• Teacher's blog

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

Assessing Student Project Work

Techniques to evaluate progress and ensure success

Project work challenges students to think beyond the boundaries of the classroom, helping them develop the skills, behaviors, and confidence necessary for success in the 21st-century. Designing learning environments that help students question, analyze, evaluate, and extrapolate their plans, conclusions, and ideas, leading them to higher–order thinking, requires feedback and evaluation that goes beyond a letter or number grade. The term “authentic assessment” is used to describe assessment that evaluates content knowledge as well as additional skills like creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation.

Authentic assessment documents the learning that occurs during the project-building process and considers the real-world skills of collaboration, problem solving, decision making, and communication. Since project work requires students to apply knowledge and skills throughout the project-building process, you will have many opportunities to assess work quality, understanding, and participation from the moment students begin working.

For example, your evaluation can include tangible documents like the project vision, storyboard, and rough draft, verbal behaviors such as participation in group discussions and sharing of resources and ideas, and non-verbal cognitive tasks such as risk taking and evaluation of information. You can also capture snapshots of learning throughout the process by having students complete a project journal, a self-assessment, or by making a discussion of the process one component of the final presentation.

Developing Assessment

As you design the project, it is helpful to begin with the end in mind. What performances do you want to see? Then, determine exactly how students will demonstrate each performance as they build a product or solve a problem to complete the task.

Most of our assessment focuses on content mastery. Techniques we are all familiar with include the evaluation of the final product and having students complete quizzes or tests. Other benchmarks for content mastery you can use include the number of citations a student references, amount and quality of research, use of experts, validity and effectiveness of arguments, meeting the topic, and answering the essential question.

Completing complex authentic projects that require collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and innovation helps prepare students for increasingly complex life and work environments. Effective communication in the 21st-century requires that students can effectively express themselves in writing, verbally, and visually. Be sure to assess the quality of writing, including ideas, vocabulary, fluency, organization, and conventions, as well as the use of media and overall design. Since a project is a collaborative effort that occurs over time, include evaluation components that consider teamwork, organization, planning, and behavior.

Questions for Students

Content Knowledge

• What new content did you learn while working on this project?
• Did you know more or less than you expected?
• What surprised you?
• What else would you like to know about the topic?

Collaboration & Teamwork

• How did your work and actions contribute to your team’s success?
• What was the hardest part of about working in a team?
• What was the best part?

Technology & Communication

• What new skills did you learn?
• What else do you want to learn how to do?

Creating Rubrics

Because many performances cannot easily be quantified, you want to be as specific about your expectations as possible. Creating a rubric for the final product and various components of project work can ensure a more accurate, specific, and useful assessment.

A rubric is an authentic assessment tool that:

• Provides clear expectations for a project.
• Examines the product as well as the entire project-building process.
• Enumerates the performances on which students will be evaluated.
• Explains what constitutes excellence during the project process.
• Helps students understand what they need to do to excel.
• Helps remove subjectivity and bias from the evaluation process.

Sharing and clarifying the performances that will be assessed during a project removes mystery from the evaluation process, helping students focus on specific actions they can take to improve their performance.

Involving Students in Assessment

Involving students in project assessment boosts motivation, improves meta-cognition, and promotes self-directed learning. Students who are asked to reflect on their own performance learn to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and are able to pinpoint where to focus their efforts to see the greatest results.

You might have students provide feedback and critiques by asking them to keep a project journal or work log, evaluate themselves using the project rubric, and answer additional self-assessment questions. An open-ended self-assessment allows students to share learning that occurred during the process that was not included in the rubric. As they reflect and evaluate, students should describe their learning and contemplate decisions they have made individually and as a team.

You may also want to have students complete a peer evaluation for components of the project, such as the project presentation. Students can also evaluate the writing, design, and effective communication during the creation and presentation of the final product. Combining your assessment of the process and the end product with student reflections and evaluations will help you create a more accurate assessment of student performance.

Audience Assessment

Authentic project work should reflect the questions, problems, and needs of the world beyond the classroom. If the work is something that has real value, make sure there is a wider audience for the final product presentation. Having students create web pages to display their ideas and findings enables their products to easily reach a wider audience. If the project deliverable involves an oral presentation, invite peers, family, or community members to attend.

You may also want to invite subject matter experts in the area of project work to participate in the final product’s assessment. Developing public-service announcements? Invite employees from a local advertising agency. Designing a new school? One of your classroom parents may just be an architect.

If students know that other people will be relying on and judging the information and ideas they propose, their motivation to work hard and take risks increases. If you involve the audience in the assessment process, be sure to provide a rubric or other guide to ensure the feedback they provide is pertinent to project goals.

The complexity of student projects makes assessment that captures both the final product and the learning that occurs along the way an intricate and sometimes difficult task. Summative assessment can be an effective component of an overall assessment strategy. Authentic assessment can be used during the project-building process. Rubrics, ideally developed with the help of the students, can help to evaluate how successfully students address specific goals and performances. Self-reflection gives students a means to determine what they think they have learned and how well they have learned it. Crafting assessment strategies that combine all of these methods helps us gain a much better understanding of the learning that takes place during the entire process.

by Melinda Kolk

Melinda Kolk ( @melindak ) is the Editor of Creative Educator and the author of Teaching with Clay Animation . She has been helping educators implement project-based learning and creative technologies like clay animation into classroom teaching and learning for the past 15 years.

Project-based Learning Professional Development

Creative Educator can help you bring project-based learning to your school.

• What is PBL and why do it?
• Make It Matter! Move it from projects to project-based learning
• Developing the questions for project-based learning
• Write a Great Authentic Task
• It's the Process, Not the Product
• Assessing Project Work
• Formative assessment during project-based learning
• Collaboration
• PBL and Presentations of Learning

Bring project-based learning to your school

Eight elements of great project design

What can your students create?

Get students ready for project-based learning

How to write a great authentic task

Get started with rubrics!

More sites to help you find success in your classroom

Share your ideas, imagination, and understanding through writing, art, voice, and video.

Rubric Maker

Create custom rubrics for your classroom.

Pics4Learning

A curated, copyright-friendly image library that is safe and free for education.

Write, record, and illustrate a sentence.

Interactive digital worksheets for grades K-8 to use in Brightspace or Canvas.

Professional Learning

Digital Storytelling

21st Century Classrooms

Project-based Learning

Teaching and Learning

Informational Text

English Language Aquisition

Language Arts

Social Studies

Visual Arts

© 2024 Tech4Learning, Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

© 2024 Tech4Learning, Inc | All Rights Reserved | https://www.thecreativeeducator.com

7 Types of Projects that Foster Powerful Learning

2. information-data organizing projects, 3. major investigation projects, 4. design projects, 5. problem solving/decision making projects, 6. “argumentation” projects, 7. real world, authentic projects, some final thoughts.

1. Reading/Writing Projects

Elliott Seif has been a contributor to Educational Leadership.

ASCD is dedicated to professional growth and well-being.

Let's put your vision into action., related blogs.

Confronting the Uncomfortable: Strategies to Teach About Enslavement

Today, You’re a Podcast Host

Young Minds, Big Thinking

The Power of Peers

2 Simple Strategies to Launch Nonfiction Reading

To process a transaction with a purchase order please send to [email protected].

The Comprehensive Guide to Project-Based Learning: Empowering Student Choice through an Effective Teaching Method

Our network.

Resources and Tools

In K-12 education, project-based learning (PBL) has gained momentum as an effective inquiry-based, teaching strategy that encourages students to take ownership of their learning journey. 

By integrating authentic projects into the curriculum, project-based learning fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This comprehensive guide explores the principles, benefits, implementation strategies, and evaluation techniques associated with project-based instruction, highlighting its emphasis on student choice and its potential to revolutionize education.

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning (PBL) is a inquiry-based and learner-centered instructional approach that immerses students in real-world projects that foster deep learning and critical thinking skills. Project-based learning can be implemented in a classroom as single or multiple units or it can be implemented across various subject areas and school-wide. 

In contrast to teacher led instruction, project-based learning encourages student engagement, collaboration, and problem-solving, empowering students to become active participants in their own learning. Students collaborate to solve a real world problem that requires content knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills.

Students aren’t only assessed on their understanding of academic content but on their ability to successfully apply that content when solving authentic problems. Through this process, project-based learning gives students the opportunity to develop the real-life skills required for success in today’s world. 

Positive Impacts of Project-Based Learning

By integrating project-based learning into the classroom, educators can unlock a multitude of benefits for students. The research evidence overwhelmingly supports the positive impact of PBL on students, teachers, and school communities. According to numerous studies (see  Deutscher et al, 2021 ;  Duke et al, 2020 ;  Krajick et al, 2022 ;  Harris et al, 2015 ) students in PBL classrooms not only outperform non-PBL classrooms academically, such as on state tests and AP exams, but also the benefits of PBL extend beyond academic achievement, as students develop essential skills, including creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Additional studies documenting the impact of PBL on K-12 learning are available in the  PBL research annotated bibliography  on the New Tech Network website.

New Tech Network Project-Based Learning Impacts

Established in 1996, New Tech Network NTN is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming teaching and learning through innovative instructional practices, with project-based learning at its core.

NTN has an extensive network of schools across the United States that have embraced the power of PBL to engage students in meaningful, relevant, and challenging projects, with professional development to support teachers in deepening understanding of “What is project-based learning?” and “How can we deliver high quality project-based learning to all students?”

With over 20 years of experience in project-based learning, NTN schools have achieved impactful results. Several research studies documented that students in New Tech Network schools outperform their peers in non-NTN schools on SAT/ACT tests and state exams in both math and reading (see  Hinnant-Crawford & Virtue, 2019 ;  Lynch et al, 2018 ;  Stocks et al, 2019 ).  Additionally, students in NTN schools are more engaged and more likely to develop skills in collaboration, agency, critical thinking, and communication—skills highly valued in today’s workforce (see  Ancess & Kafka, 2020 ;  Muller & Hiller, 2020 ;  Zeiser, Taylor, et al, 2019 ). 

NTN provides comprehensive support to educators, including training, resources, and ongoing coaching, to ensure the effective implementation of problem-based learning and project-based learning. Through their collaborative network, NTN continuously shares best practices, fosters innovation, enables replication across districts, and empowers educators to create transformative learning experiences for their students (see  Barnett et al, 2020 ;  Hernández et al, 2019 ).

Key Concepts of Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is rooted in several key principles that distinguish it from other teaching methods. The pedagogical theories that underpin project-based learning and problem-based learning draw from constructivism and socio-cultural learning. Constructivism posits that learners construct knowledge through active learning and real world applications. Project-based learning aligns with this theory by providing students with opportunities to actively construct knowledge through inquiry, hands-on projects, real-world contexts, and collaboration.

Students as active participants

Project-based learning is characterized by learner-centered, inquiry-based, real world learning, which encourages students to take an active role in their own learning. Instead of rote memorization of information, students engage in meaningful learning opportunities, exercise voice and choice, and develop student agency skills. This empowers students to explore their interests, make choices, and take ownership of their learning process, with teachers acting as facilitators rather than the center of instruction.

Real-world and authentic contexts

Project-based learning emphasizes real-world problems that encourage students to connect academic content to meaningful contexts, enabling students to see the practical application of what they are learning. By tackling personally meaningful projects and engaging in hands-on tasks, students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and its relevance in their lives.

Collaboration and teamwork

Another essential element of project-based learning is collaborative work. Students collaborating with their peers towards the culmination of a project, mirrors real-world scenarios where teamwork and effective communication are crucial. Through collaboration, students develop essential social and emotional skills, learn from diverse perspectives, and engage in constructive dialogue.

Project-based learning embodies student-centered learning, real-world relevance, and collaborative work. These principles, rooted in pedagogical theories like constructivism, socio-cultural learning, and experiential learning, create a powerful learning environment, across multiple academic domains, that foster active engagement, thinking critically, and the development of essential skills for success in college or career or life beyond school.

A Unique Approach to Project-Based Learning: New Tech Network

New Tech Network schools are committed to these key focus areas: college and career ready outcomes, supportive and inclusive culture, meaningful and equitable instruction, and purposeful assessment.

In the New Tech Network Model, rigorous project-based learning allows students to engage with material in creative, culturally relevant ways, experience it in context, and share their learning with peers.

Why Undertake this Work?

Teachers, administrators, and district leaders undertake this work because it produces critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and collaborators who are vital to the long-term health and wellbeing of our communities.

Reynoldsburg City Schools (RCS) Superintendent Dr. Melvin J. Brown observed that “Prior to (our partnership with New Tech Network) we were just doing the things we’ve always done, while at the same time, our local industry was evolving and changing— and we were not changing with it. We recognized we had to do better to prepare kids for the reality they were going to walk into after high school and beyond.

Students embrace the Model because they feel a sense of belonging. They are challenged to learn in relevant, meaningful ways that shape the way they interact with the world, like  these students from Owensboro Innovation Academy in Owensboro, Kentucky . 

When change is collectively held and supported rather than siloed, and all stakeholders are engaged rather than alienated, schools and districts build their own capacity to sustain innovation and continuously improve. New Tech Network’s approach to change provides teachers, administrators, and district leaders with clear roles in adopting and adapting student-centered learning. 

Part of NTN’s process for equipping schools with the data they need to serve their students involves conducting research surveys about their student’s experiences. 

“The information we received back from our NTN surveys about our kids’ experiences was so powerful,” said Amanda Ziaer, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for Frisco ISD. “It’s so helpful to be reminded about these types of tactics when you’re trying to develop an authentic student-centered learning experience. It’s just simple things you might skip because we live in such a traditional adult-centered world.” 

NTN’s experienced staff lead professional development activities that enable educators to adapt to student needs and strengths, and amplify those strengths while adjusting what is needed to address challenges.

Meaningful and Equitable Instruction

The New Tech Network model is centered on a PBL instructional core. PBL as an instructional method overlaps with key features of equitable pedagogical approaches including student voice, student choice, and authentic contexts. The New Tech Network model extends the power of PBL as a tool for creating more equitable learning by building asset-based equity pedagogical practices into the the design using key practices drawn from the literature on culturally sustaining teaching methods so that PBL instruction leverages the assets of diverse students, supports teachers as warm demanders, and develops critically conscious students in PBL classrooms (see  Good teaching, warm and demanding classrooms, and critically conscious students: Measuring student perceptions of asset-based equity pedagogy in the classroom ).

Examples of Project-Based Learning

New Tech Network schools across the country create relevant projects and interdisciplinary learning that bring a learner-centered approach to their school.  Examples of NTN Model PBL Projects  are available in the NTN Help and Learning Center and enable educators to preview projects and gather project ideas from various grade levels and content areas.

The NTN Project Planning Toolkit is used as a guide in the planning and design of PBL. The Project-based learning examples linked above include a third grade Social Studies/ELA project, a seventh grade Science project, and a high school American Studies project (11th grade English Language Arts/American History).

The Role of Technology in Project-Based Learning

A tool for creativity

Technology plays a vital role in enhancing PBL in schools, facilitating student  engagement, collaboration, and access to information. At the forefront, technology provides students with tools and resources to research, analyze data, and create multimedia content for their projects.

A tool for collaboration

Technology tools enable students to express their understanding creatively through digital media, such as videos, presentations, vlogs, blogs and interactive websites, enhancing their communication and presentation skills.

A tool for feedback

Technology offers opportunities for authentic audiences and feedback. Students can showcase their projects to a global audience through online platforms, blogs, or social media, receiving feedback and perspectives from beyond the classroom. This authentic audience keeps students engaged and striving for high-quality work and encourages them to take pride in their accomplishments.

By integrating technology into project-based learning, educators can enhance student engagement, deepen learning, and prepare students for a digitally interconnected world.

Interactive PBL Resources

New Tech Network offers a wealth of resources to support educators in gaining a deeper understanding of project-based learning. One valuable tool is the NTN Help Center, which provides comprehensive articles and resources on the principles and practices of implementing project-based learning.

Educators can explore project examples in the NTN Help Center to gain inspiration and practical insights into designing and implementing PBL projects that align with their curriculum and student needs.

Educators can start with the article “ What are the basic principles and practices of Project-Based Learning? Doing Projects vs. PBL . ” The image within the article clarifies the difference between the traditional education approach of “doing projects” and true project-based learning.

Project Launch

Students are introduced to a project by an Entry Event in the Project Launch (designated in purple on the image) this project component typically requires students to take on a role beyond that of ‘student’ or ‘learner’. This occurs either by placing students in a scenario that has real world applications, in which they simulate tasks performed by adults and/or by requiring learners to address a challenge or problem facing a particular community group.

The Entry Event not only introduces students to a project but also serves as the “hook” that purposefully engages students in the launch of a project. The Entry Event is followed by the Need to Know process in which students name what they already know about a topic and the project ask and what they “need to know” in order to solve the problem named in the project. Next steps are created which support students as they complete the Project Launch phase of a project.

Scaffolding

Shown in the image in red, facilitators ensure students gain content knowledge and skills through ‘scaffolding’. Scaffolding is defined as temporary supports for students to build the skills and knowledge needed to create the final product. Similar to scaffolding in building construction, it is removed when these supports are no longer needed by students.

Scaffolding can take the form of a teacher providing support by hosting small group workshops, students engaging in independent research or groups completing learner-centered activities, lab investigations, formative assessments and more.

Benchmarks (seen in orange in the image) can be checks for understanding that allow educators to give feedback on student work and/or checks to ensure students are progressing in the project as a team. After each benchmark, students should be given time to reflect on their individual goals as well as their team goals. Benchmarks are designed to build on each other to support project teams towards the culminating product at the end of the project.

NTN’s Help Center also provides resources on what effective teaching and learning look like within the context of project-based learning. The article “ What does effective teaching and learning look like? ” outlines the key elements of a successful project-based learning classroom, emphasizing learner-centered learning, collaborative work, and authentic assessments. 

Educators can refer to this resource to gain insights into best practices, instructional strategies, and classroom management techniques that foster an engaging and effective project-based learning environment.

From understanding the principles and practices of PBL to accessing examples of a particular project, evaluating project quality, and exploring effective teaching and learning strategies, educators can leverage these resources to enhance their PBL instruction and create meaningful learning experiences for their students.

Preparing Students for the Future with PBL

The power of PBL is the way in which it encourages students to think critically, collaborate, and sharpen communication skills, which are all highly sought-after in today’s rapidly evolving workforce. By engaging in authentic, real-world projects, and collaborating with business and community leaders and community members, students develop the ability to tackle complex problems, think creatively, and adapt to changing circumstances.

These skills are essential in preparing students for the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the future job market, where flexibility, innovation, and adaptability are paramount. 

“Joining New Tech Network provides us an opportunity to reframe many things about the school, not just PBL,” said Bay City Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Patrick Malley. “Eliminating the deficit mindset about kids is the first step to establishing a culture that makes sure everyone in that school is focused on next-level readiness for these kids.”

The New Tech Network Learning Outcomes align with the qualities companies are looking for in new hires: Knowledge and Thinking, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Collaboration and Agency.

NTN schools prioritize equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue postsecondary education or training successfully. By integrating college readiness and career readiness into the fabric of PBL, NTN ensures that students develop the academic, technical, and professional skills needed for future success. 

Through authentic projects, students learn to engage in research, analysis, and presentation of their work, mirroring the expectations and demands of postsecondary education and the workplace. NTN’s commitment to college and career readiness ensures that students are well-prepared to transition seamlessly into higher education or enter the workforce with the skills and confidence to excel in their chosen paths.

The Impact of PBL on College and Career Readiness

PBL has a profound impact on college and career readiness. Numerous studies document the academic benefits for students, including performance in AP courses, SAT/ACT tests, and state exams (see  Deutscher et al, 2021 ;  Duke et al, 2020 ;  Krajick et al, 2022 ;  Harris et al, 2015 ). New Tech Network schools demonstrate higher graduation rates and college persistence rates than the national average as outlined in the  New Tech Network 2022 Impact Report . Over 95% of NTN graduates reported feeling prepared for the expectations and demands of college. 

Practices that Support Equitable College Access and Readiness

According to  a literature review conducted by New York University’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools  ( Perez et al, 2021 ) classroom level, school level, and district level practices can be implemented to create more equitable college access and readiness and these recommendations align with many of the practices built into the the NTN model, including culturally sustaining instructional approaches, foundational literacy, positive student-teacher relationships, and developing shared asset-based mindsets.

About New Tech Network

New Tech Network is committed to meeting schools and districts where they are and helping them achieve their vision of student success. For a full list of our additional paths to impact or to speak with someone about how the NTN Model can make an impact in your district, please send an email to  [email protected] .

Sign Up for the NTN Newsletter

Publications

On-demand strategy, speaking & workshops, latest articles, write for us, library/publications.

• Competency-Based Education
• Early Learning
• Equity & Access
• Personalized Learning
• Place-Based Education
• Post-Secondary
• Project-Based Learning
• SEL & Mindset
• STEM & Maker
• The Future of Tech and Work

Stacy Wall Schweikhart and Dr. Thomas Lasley on Learn to Earn Dayton

Nell rosenberg on access and teleservices programs, julian guerrero on pathways and programs for indigenous youth, cynthia leck and juetzinia kazmer-murillo on igniting agency in early learners, recent releases.

Unfulfilled Promise: The Forty-Year Shift from Print to Digital and Why It Failed to Transform Learning

The Portrait Model: Building Coherence in School and System Redesign

Green Pathways: New Jobs Mean New Skills and New Pathways

Support & Guidance For All New Pathways Journeys

Unbundled: Designing Personalized Pathways for Every Learner

Credentialed Learning for All

AI in Education

For more, see Library |  Publications |  Books |  Toolkits

Microschools

New learning models, tools, and strategies have made it easier to open small, nimble schooling models.

Green Schools

The climate crisis is the most complex challenge mankind has ever faced . We’re covering what edleaders and educators can do about it. 

Difference Making

Focusing on how making a difference has emerged as one of the most powerful learning experiences.

New Pathways

This campaign will serve as a road map to the new architecture for American schools. Pathways to citizenship, employment, economic mobility, and a purpose-driven life.

Web3 has the potential to rebuild the internet towards more equitable access and ownership of information, meaning dramatic improvements for learners.

Schools Worth Visiting

We share stories that highlight best practices, lessons learned and next-gen teaching practice.

View more series…

About Getting Smart

Getting smart collective, impact update, project management for education.

Bernie Trilling has been on a decade-long journey to bridge professional project management and project-based learning. His new book, Project Management for Education , makes the case that project-based learning (PBL) is the best way to build 21st-century skills and that project management is the most important career skill.

Project Management for Education, developed and published by the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation , makes this case:

• Learning Projects are great vehicles for students to gain essential 21C Skills.
• One of the biggest lifts for both teachers and students is managing all those pesky moving parts of rich, motivating learning projects – a real challenge for PBL.
• Who knows the most about managing projects? Project Managers! And the world’s largest organization of PMs – the Project Management Institute .
• Find out what makes projects sing, and adapt the business and engineering principles and practices for educators.

Pretty straightforward, right? Only the last bullet took longer than Bernie imagined because.

Business project management and project-based learning have had little overlap. Ask PBL teachers if they’ve ever had any training in project management – not many hands go up. And, not many project managers have had any K-12 teaching experience. (Having been a project manager in energy, construction, and technology before becoming a school administrator, I’m thrilled Bernie and PMI made this connection!)

Published later this month, the book is two-sided. One side of the book is for educators, flip it over, and the other side is for project managers, with a “rainbow bridge” center section of illustrated case studies.

The guiding equation of Project Management for Education is:

PM + PBL = Deeper Learning for Career, Community and Life

In writing the educator part of this book, Bernie had a couple of important insights. The first is that there is a basic set of phases to managing any project and a number of variations built up from this basic Project Cycle (bottom of the chart) that can be applied to any project challenge. The following chart shows the similarities and differences in different types of projects:

Second, more work needs to be to be done in adapting “exploratory” or “agile” project management methods for education. Here is a chart of how these two project types map against the basic Define, Plan, Do, Review process:

And third, Bernie’s most important insight is that this is not just about getting things done–the Define, Plan, Do, Review process is really a learning  process.

“This project cycle just may be education’s most important missing link in nurturing self-propelled, self-reliant, lifelong learners,” said Trilling.

Project management includes core skills and processes for helping any learner l earn-how-to-learn –the metacognition skills for a lifetime of learning.

On the subject of core skills, Trilling knows what he’s talking about. With Charles Fadel, he’s co-author of Four-Dimensional Education: The Competencies Learners Need to Succeed  an important book and outcome framework.

Project Management for Education is an important book. It outlines a rigorous approach to project-based learning not only because it is engaging but because project management is a core career skill and (with reflection) the best approach to learning how to learn.

For more, see:

• Finding The Critical Path is a Critical Project Management Skill
• Lifelong Learning + Project Management
• Project Management Solutions for the 21st-Century Student
• Building Better Teams for Project-Based Work
• Projects That Learn
• Project or Activity? Project-Based Learning and Cousins

Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive Getting Smart’s weekly Smart Update .

Tom Vander Ark

• @tvanderark
• @TomVanderArk

Discover the latest in learning innovations

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Related Reading

Real World Learning: Client Projects Are Trending 

Empower Online Learners: Top 10 Pro Tips for Project Design and Delivery

Out with the Test, in With PBL: How Project- Based Learning is Transforming Remote Learning

How Systems and States Can Encourage Better Project-Based Learning

Leave a comment.

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.

Nominate a School, Program or Community

Stay on the cutting edge of learning innovation.

Subscribe to our weekly Smart Update!

Smart Update

What is pbe (spanish), designing microschools download, download quick start guide to implementing place-based education, download quick start guide to place-based professional learning, download what is place-based education and why does it matter, download 20 invention opportunities in learning & development.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff
• Academic Leaders
• Faculty and Instructors
• Graduate Students and Postdocs

Center for Educational Innovation

• Campus and Collegiate Liaisons
• Pedagogical Innovations Journal Club
• Teaching Enrichment Series
• Recorded Webinars
• Video Series
• All Services
• Teaching Consultations
• Student Feedback Facilitation
• Instructional Media Production
• Curricular and Educational Initiative Consultations
• Educational Research and Evaluation
• Thank a Teacher
• All Teaching Resources
• Aligned Course Design
• Active Learning
• Team Projects
• Active Learning Classrooms
• Leveraging the Learning Sciences
• Inclusive Teaching at a Predominantly White Institution
• Assessments
• Online Teaching and Design
• AI and ChatGPT in Teaching
• Documenting Growth in Teaching
• Early Term Feedback
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Writing Your Teaching Philosophy
• All Programs
• Assessment Deep Dive
• Designing and Delivering Online Learning
• Early Career Teaching and Learning Program
• International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Program
• Preparing Future Faculty Program
• Teaching with Access and Inclusion Program
• Teaching for Student Well-Being Program
• Teaching Assistant and Postdoc Professional Development Program
• Why Use Team Projects?

Why use team projects in your course? Team projects provide an effective way for your students to complete a complex task that they could not complete alone, and students working on a team project experience many additional benefits. For example, multiple empirical research articles report that students who work in teams outperform students who work individually. The benefits that students experience when working cooperatively compared to working individually are highlighted below (Johnson, 2014).

Benefits of working cooperatively for students

• Use higher-level reasoning skills more frequently.
• Are more accurate and creative when problem solving.
• Exhibit greater willingness to take on difficult tasks and persist .
• Experience more intrinsic motivation .
• Better able to transfer learning from one situation to another.
• Spend more time on task .

The ability to work effectively as a part of a team is a skill that is highly valued by employers. The Career Readiness initiative  (UMTC College of Liberal Arts) identifies teamwork and leadership as core career competencies. According to the Career Readiness core competencies, students competent in Teamwork and Leadership are able to:

• Understand their own roles and responsibilities within a group, and how they may change in differing situations.
• Influence others without necessarily holding a formal position of authority, and have the willingness to take action.
• Leverage the strengths of the group to achieve a shared vision or objective.

Do Students Want to Work in Teams?

Not usually. One published study indicated that the overwhelming majority of students preferred working alone to working in teams (Raidal, 2009). However, this is usually due to a previous bad experience working in teams. These bad experiences include poorly designed projects with little support from the instructor, teammates who didn’t pull their share of the work on the project, feeling that the project was just busywork, and difficulties meeting outside of class due to conflicting schedules (Scager, 2016). This site will provide you with all the information and resources you need to avoid these pitfalls. 

• Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., Smith, K. A., The state of cooperative learning In postsecondary and professional settings. Educational Psychology Review 19, 15 – 29 (2007).
• Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., Smith, K. A., Cooperative learning: Improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25, (3&4), 85 - 118 (2014).
• Raidal, S.L. & Volet, S.E. Preclinical students’ predispositions towards social forms of instruction and self-directed learning: A challenge for the development of autonomous and collaborative learners, Higher Education, 57, 577-596 (2009).
• Scager, K., Boonstra, J. Peeters, T., Vulperhorst, J. Wiegant, F., Collaborative learning in higher education: Evoking positive interdependence. CBE Life Science Education, 15:ar69 (2016).
• Research and Resources
• Why Use Active Learning?
• Successful Active Learning Implementation
• Addressing Active Learning Challenges
• Project Description Examples
• Project Description for Students
• Team Projects and Student Development Outcomes
• Forming Teams
• Team Output
• Individual Contributions to the Team
• Individual Student Understanding
• Supporting Students
• Wrapping up the Project
• Addressing Challenges
• Course Planning
• Working memory
• Retrieval of information
• Spaced practice
• Active learning
• Metacognition
• Definitions and PWI Focus
• A Flexible Framework
• Class Climate
• Course Content
• An Ongoing Endeavor
• Align Assessments
• Multiple Low Stakes Assessments
• Authentic Assessments
• Formative and Summative Assessments
• Varied Forms of Assessments
• Cumulative Assessments
• Equitable Assessments
• Essay Exams
• Multiple Choice Exams and Quizzes
• Academic Paper
• Skill Observation
• Alternative Assessments
• Assessment Plan
• Grade Assessments
• Prepare Students
• Reduce Student Anxiety
• SRT Scores: Interpreting & Responding
• Student Feedback Question Prompts
• Research Questions and Design
• Gathering data
• Publication
• GRAD 8101: Teaching in Higher Education
• Finding a Practicum Mentor
• GRAD 8200: Teaching for Learning
• Proficiency Rating & TA Eligibility
• Schedule a SETTA
• TAPD Webinars

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Front Psychol
• PMC10411581

A study of the impact of project-based learning on student learning effects: a meta-analysis study

1 Institute of Computer and Information Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China

2 Institute of Smart Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China

Associated Data

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Introduction

With the educational reform for skills in the 21st century, a large number of scholars have explored project-based learning. However, whether project-based learning can effectively improve the learning effect of students has not yet reached a unified conclusion.

This study uses a meta-analysis method to transform 66 experimental or quasi-experimental research papers based on project-based learning over the past 20 years into 190 effect values from the sample size, mean, and standard deviation of experimental data during their experiments, and to conduct in-depth quantitative analysis.

The results of the study showed that compared with the traditional teaching model, project-based learning significantly improved students’ learning outcomes and positively contributed to academic achievement, affective attitudes, and thinking skills, especially academic achievement.

The results of the moderating effects test indicated that the effectiveness of project-based learning and teaching was influenced by different moderating variables, including country region, subject area, type of course, academic period, group size, class size, and experimental period : (1) from the perspective of country geography, the effects of project-based learning in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, were significantly better than those in Western Europe and North America; (2) in terms of curriculum, project-based learning promotes student learning effects more significantly in engineering and technology subjects, and is better applied in laboratory classes than in theory classes; (3) from a pedagogical point of view, project-based learning is more suitable for small group teaching, in which the group size is 4-5 people teaching the best results; (4) in view of the experimental period, 9-18 weeks is more appropriate and has more obvious advantages for application at the high school level.

1. Introduction

Project-based learning (PBL) is a new model of inquiry-based learning that is centered on the concepts and principles of a subject, with the help of multiple resources and continuous inquiry-based learning activities in the real world, with the aim of producing a complete project work and solving multiple interrelated problems within a certain period of time ( Jingfu and Zhixian, 2002 ). s a new student-centered teaching approach, project-based learning directly points to the goal of cultivating 21st-century skills, especially higher-order thinking skills, and higher-order thinking occurs based on problem-solving, a challenging problem that emphasizes real-world situations and open environments, and project-based learning motivates students to continuously explore in the process of problem-solving, thus promoting the development of higher-order thinking.

In the era of digital transformation of education, the new generation of information technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and metaverse are bringing great changes to education at an unimaginable speed, and at the same time posing unprecedented challenges to talent training. Cultivating students with higher-order thinking skills that can adapt to the future development of society and reasonably cope with the complex real world has become an important mission in the current education reform and development around the world ( Ma and Yang, 2021 ). Different types of problems produce different teaching methods and also guide the development of students’ different thinking skills. Project-based learning, as a new type of teaching and learning method in the context of curriculum and teaching reform, takes real life as the background, is driven by practical problems, breaks the disciplinary boundaries, integrates multiple disciplines into one project, and develops students’ future-oriented abilities——creative thinking, problem raising, problem solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, etc. The advantages of this approach over traditional teaching and learning models are being recognized and explored. A large number of studies on the effects of project-based learning have been done, but there is not complete agreement on the effects on the development of students’ thinking skills, academic performance, and affective attitudes.

Over the past few decades, project-based learning has received a lot of attention in the field of education. Many studies have shown that project-based learning can improve students’ learning motivation, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and communication skills. However, due to the complexity and diversity of project-based learning, as well as differences in research methods, research findings on its effectiveness and influencing factors vary. A key research question in project-based learning meta-analytic studies is to assess the impact of project-based learning on student learning outcomes, including student performance in the areas of academic achievement, thinking skills, and affective attitudes. By combining the results of multiple independent studies, more accurate and reliable conclusions can be obtained to further understand the effects of project-based learning. In addition, project-based learning meta-analysis studies can help reveal the factors and mechanisms influencing project-based learning. By comparing the learning effects under different project-based learning conditions, researchers can analyze the impact of factors such as project characteristics, instructional design, and learning environment on student learning. This can help guide the design and implementation of project-based learning and promote effective student learning. Based on this, this study compensates for the limitations of individual studies by integrating and synthesizing multiple independent studies in order to systematically assess the effects of project-based learning, provide more accurate and reliable evidence, and reduce the chance of research findings. At the same time, project-based learning meta-analysis can provide a broader perspective to help researchers and educational policy makers gain a comprehensive understanding of the effects and influencing factors of project-based learning, so that they can develop more effective teaching strategies and policies to promote the improvement and development of project-based learning.

2. Literature review and theoretical framework

One view is that project-based learning can significantly improve student learning outcomes, including academic achievement, motivation, and higher-order thinking skills. Karpudewan et al. (2016) explored the feasibility of improving energy literacy among secondary school students using a project-based instructional approach. The quantitative results of the study showed that students exposed to a PBL curriculum had better performance on energy-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. The quantitative results of the study showed that students exposed to the PBL curriculum outperformed students taught using the traditional curriculum. The quantitative results of the study showed that students exposed to the PBL course outperformed students taught with traditional courses in terms of energy-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. The results of Zhang Ying’s intrinsic motivation scale, which was administered to 21 private university students before and after they received project-based learning, showed that there were significant differences in students’ interest, autonomy, and competence before and after, which positively influenced students’ intrinsic motivation to learn ( Zhang, 2022 ). Yun (2022) used the fifth-grade project “Searching for Roots. Xu Hui Yuan” project-based learning as an example to discuss that project-based in-depth ritual education can develop students’ core literacy. Biazus and Mahtari (2022) conducted a quasi-experiment using project-based learning and direct instructional learning models and found that the PBL model had a significant impact on the enhancement of creative thinking skills of secondary school students. Parrado-Martínez and Sánchez-Andújar (2020) explored the effects of project-based learning on ninth-grade students’ writing skills and found that cooperative work in project-based learning potentially promoted students’ critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills, significantly improving middle school students’ English writing skills. Hernández-Ramos and De La Paz (2009) found that students in project-based learning conditions showed significant improvements in content knowledge measures and growth in their historical thinking skills compared to students in control schools. Most researchers agree that STEM as a form of project-based learning and STEM integration will have a positive impact on education, with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages ( Hamad et al., 2022 ; Wardat et al., 2022 ).

Another view is that project-based learning has the same effect or even some negative effects compared to traditional instruction. García-Rodríguez et al. (2021) conducted an intervention experiment in undergraduate education to test the effectiveness of a student-centered project-based learning approach in promoting student skill acquisition. The study found that students’ problem-solving and information management skills, two instrumental general competencies were not improved. The results of ÇAKICI’s project-based learning activities on fifth-grade children’s science achievement showed that although project-based activities significantly improved children’s science achievement, attitudes toward science did not change. Gratchev and Jeng (2018) explored whether the combination of traditional teaching methods and project-based learning activities improved students’ learning experiences, and data collected over 3 years showed that the two groups’ achievements were very similar, and the findings indicated that students were less motivated to accept new learning methods such as PBL. Parrado-Martínez and Sánchez-Andújar (2020) found that the implementation of PBL did not significantly change students’ perceived utility of teamwork, communication, and creativity. Kızkapan and Bektaş (2017) examined the effects of project-based learning and traditional learning methods on the academic performance of seventh graders, and the results showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups on post-test “achievement test” scores. Sivia et al. (2019) used a mixed triangulation-convergence approach to examine the difference in student engagement between project-based and non-project-based learning units and found that project-based learning did not significantly increase student engagement. Karaçalli and Korur (2014) used a quasi-experimental design to teach the experimental group using a project-based learning approach, and the results showed no statistically significant effect on students’ attitudes toward learning across groups.

In summary, a review of the literature reveals that the research findings and teaching effectiveness of project-based learning have not yet been uniformly determined, and few studies have systematically analyzed and evaluated the optimal group size, class size, curriculum type, and subject area of project-based learning. Therefore, based on 66 empirical research papers that conducted experimental or quasi-experimental studies on project-based learning and traditional teaching, this study quantifies the true magnitude of the impact of the project-based learning approach on students’ learning outcomes and seeks to summarize the experience of applying project-based learning in schools in order to provide a reference for developing project-based teaching. And an attempt is made to answer the following research questions:

• Does project-based learning significantly improve students’ thinking skills, academic performance, and affective attitudes compared to traditional teaching methods?
• How do different moderating variables (type of course, learning section, group size, class size, subject category, experiment period, country region.) affect students’ learning effects?

Since the purpose of this study was to explore the effect of project-based learning on learning effectiveness and to explore other factors that may moderate this effect. Therefore, based on relevant research findings on the effect of project-based integrated learning on learning effectiveness and the results of literature coding, the meta-analytic theoretical framework for this study, as shown in Figure 1 .

Research framework diagram.

3. Study design

3.1. methods.

Meta-Analysis is a quantitative analysis method that extracts and organizes multiple results of experimental or quasi-experimental studies on the same research question and then produces an average effect value by weighting the sample size, standard mean deviation, and other data from the existing research results and analyzes the effect value to obtain the results. The meta-analysis method has been widely used in education. This study compares and combines literature on the same research topic but with different research results by extracting data such as pre and post-test means, sample sizes, and standardized mean differences from relevant literature, while using the standard deviation (SMD), which can correct for small sample bias, as the effective value to indicate the degree of influence of project-based instruction on student learning outcomes. The study entered the relevant data into CMA meta-analysis software (Comprehensive Meta Analysis 3.0) for data analysis.

3.2. Research process

To ensure the quality of the study, this study strictly followed the meta-analysis criteria proposed by Glass (1976) , which was mainly divided into four assessment procedures: literature collection, literature coding, effect size calculation, and moderating variable analysis, and finally a comprehensive effect size exploration and study results.

3.2.1. Literature search

To ensure the timeliness of the study, this study mainly searched the relevant research on the topic of project-based learning since 2003 to 2023, mainly in CNKI, Springer Link, Web of Science, Semantic Scholar and other databases, and searched the literature by “AND” or “OR” logical word collocation of project-based learning and learning effectiveness keywords. The keywords of project-based learning include: project-based learning, PBL, project teaching; the keywords of learning effect include: learning effect, learning performance, learning achievement, learning*, learning outcome, learning result, etc. And the selected articles are all from SSCI or SCI authoritative journals, Chinese core journals of article literature type and part of the master’s degree thesis. To avoid omissions, this study also supplemented the search with the references of relevant articles.

3.2.2. Literature selection and inclusion criteria

To find articles that meet the subject matter requirements, this study used the ( Page, 2021 ) process for literature processing ( Vrabel, 2009 ), the literature search, screening, and inclusion process is shown in Figure 2 . Combining the needs of the meta-analysis method itself and ensuring the accuracy and rigor of the research results, the following selection and inclusion criteria were used: (1) duplicate literature had to be removed; (2) it had to be a study of the effects of project-based learning versus traditional teaching models on learning effectiveness; (3) it had to be an empirical research type article; (4) complete data that could calculate the effect values had to be available. A total of 91 articles were screened by two researchers in the inclusion phase, and those with inconsistent screening were discussed, and the final decision was made to include 66 articles in the meta-analysis, which met the inclusion criteria for the number of articles in the meta-analysis method.

Flow chart of literature screening.

3.2.3. Literature code

The concept of project-based learning was first introduced by American educator William Heard Kilpatrick proposed ( Kilpatrick, 1918 ). In the 1920s and 1930s, project-based learning was widely used in the lower grades of elementary and secondary schools in the United States; in 1969, McMaster University in Canada officially launched the PBL teaching model within the school. To compare the variability of the effects of project-based learning in countries around the world, the regions of the countries where the study was conducted were coded and divided into North America, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and other regions. As project-based learning is used more frequently in the classroom, whether there is an ideal group size to facilitate student learning outcomes ( Wei et al., 2020 ), and the impact of group size on academic achievement ( Al Mulhim and Eldokhny, 2020 ), which academic section, subject, and course type is better taught, are questions that should be addressed. Therefore, the coding of this study included the following seven main items: subject category, course type, country region, academic section, class size, group size, and experimental period, and categorized learning outcomes into three main categories: academic achievement, thinking skills, and emotional attitudes. Because this study included 66 documents with 190 effect sizes, only part of the feature coding content is displayed, as shown in Table 1 ( Kelly and Mayer, 2004 ; Mioduser and Betzer, 2007 ; Hernández-Ramos and De La Paz, 2009 ; Domínguez and Elizondo, 2010 ; Keleşoğlu, 2011 ; Çakici and Türkmen, 2013 ; Karaçalli and Korur, 2014 ; Bilgin et al., 2015 ; Astawa et al., 2017 ; Kızkapan and Bektaş, 2017 ; ShiXuan, 2017 ; Yuan, 2017 ; Praba et al., 2018 ; Yexin, 2019 ; Faqing, 2020 ; Gao, 2020 ; Lei, 2020 ; Ling, 2020 ; Linxiao, 2020 ; Lu, 2020 ; Luo, 2020 ; Mingquan, 2020 ; Rui, 2020 ; Yanan, 2020 ; Yang, 2020 ; Akharraz, 2021 ; Cong, 2021 ; Migdad et al., 2021 ; Xiaolei, 2021 ; Wang, 2021a , b , 2022 ; Jina, 2022 ; Ma, 2022 ; Xu, 2022 ; Xuezhi, 2022 ; Yating, 2022 ; Ying, 2022 ; Yuting, 2022 ; Zhang, 2022 ). To ensure the objectivity of the coding process, this study was completed independently by two researchers for the 66 empirical research articles included in the meta-analysis, and the coding results were tested for consistency using SPSS 24.0, and the Kappa value was 0.864, which was greater than 0.7, indicating that the coding effect was valid and the results were credible.

Code list (due to space limitation, only part of the coding content is shown).

3.2.4. Data analysis

Based on the completion of the literature coding, the calculation of the effect size (Standardized difference in means), including sample size, standard deviation, and mean value, was performed by finding the relevant experimental data in the literature. The effect size values were calculated as follows:

Starting with Mean, SD, N in each group.

Raw difference in means.

RawDiff = Mean1-Mean2.

SDP = Sqr (((N1–1) * SD1^2 + (N2-1) * SD2^2)/(N1 + N2–2))).

Standardized difference in means.

StdDiff = RawDiff/SDP.

The next stage was data analysis by (1) publication bias test. A funnel plot was used for qualitative analysis, while a combination of Begg’s rank test and loss of safety coefficient was used for quantitative analysis; (2) Heterogeneity test. The aim was to determine whether there was heterogeneity among the samples in this study; (3) Calculation of effect size values. To quantify the degree of influence of project chemistry learning on learning outcomes; (4) the moderating variables were tested. All data analyses in this study were conducted using Comprehensive Meta Analysis 3.0.

4.1. General effect size results

4.1.1. publication bias test.

In this study, the std. diff in means (SMD) value was selected as the unbiased effect value, and also to ensure the possibility that the results reported in the literature do not deviate from the true results, the publication bias was analyzed qualitatively using funnel plots, and the publication bias was analyzed qualitatively using Begg’s rank test, Trim and Fill and Fail-safe N to quantitatively analyze publication bias. Publication bias is critical to the results of meta-analysis, and if the research literature is not systematically representative of all existing research in the field in general, it indicates that publication bias may exist ( Higgins and Thompson, 2002 ). As shown in Figure 3 , the majority of study effect values were clustered within the funnel plot, and a small number of effect values were relative to the right, with Begg’s rank test Z  = 5.082 > 1.960 ( p  < 0.05), indicating a possible publication bias. Therefore, the severity of publication bias was further identified using the loss of safety factor, which showed N  = 2,546, much larger than “5K + 10” ( K  = 190), suggesting that an additional 2,546 unpublished studies would be required to reverse the results ( Rothstein et al., 2006 ), and it can be concluded that there is no significant publication bias in this study.

Publication bias funnel plot.

4.1.2. Heterogeneity test

To ensure that the effect values of the independent samples in this study are combinable, Q and I2 values were used to define heterogeneity. Higgins et al. classified heterogeneity as low, medium, or high, as measured by the magnitude of the I2 statistic, which was 25, 50, and 75%, respectively. In addition, if the Q statistic is significant then the hypothesis that there is no heterogeneity among the sample data should be rejected. Based on the forest plot of I2 = 87.4% > 50% and Q  = 1496.2 ( p  < 0.001), the results indicate that there is a high degree of heterogeneity between the samples, therefore, this study used a random effects model for correlation analysis to eliminate some of the effects of heterogeneity, and also further indicates that it is necessary to conduct a moderated effects test to examine the effect of project-based learning on learning effects.

4.2. Results about problem of studies’ fields

4.2.1. the overall impact of project-based learning on student learning outcomes.

Cohen (1988) proposed the effect value analysis theory in 1988, he believed that the effect standard measure effect is determined by the effect value (ES), when the ES is less than 0.2, it means that there is a small effect impact, when the ES is between 0.2–0.8 means that there is a moderate effect, when the ES > 0.8 means that there is a significant effect impact. This study included 190 experimental data from 66 empirical research papers, and as shown in Table 2 , the combined effect value of the impact of project-based learning on student learning outcomes was 0.441, close to 0.5 and p  < 0.001, indicating that project-based learning has a large degree of impact on learning outcomes and is an effective teaching approach.

Main effects test.

In this study, the literature included in the meta-analysis was divided into three subcategories of academic achievement, thinking skills, and emotional attitudes according to the “three-dimensional goals” for analysis. Moderately positive impact (SMD = 0.650), and the total effect values for affective attitudes and thinking skills were 0.389 and 0.386, respectively.

Based on the deeper connotation of “three-dimensional goals,” this study classifies affective attitudes into learning motivation, learning attitude, learning interest, and self-efficacy; thinking skills into creative thinking ability, computational thinking ability, decision-making ability, critical thinking ability, problem-solving ability, problem raising ability, collaboration ability, and comprehensive application ability. As shown in Table 3 . In terms of affective attitudes, project-based learning influenced more on students’ interest in learning (SMD = 0.713), and also had moderate positive effects on learning motivation (SMD = 0.401) and learning attitudes (SMD = 0.536), with lower effects on self-efficacy; in terms of thinking skills, project-based learning had the most significant effects on students’ creative thinking skills (SMD = 0.626) and computational thinking skills (SMD = 0.719) had the most significant effect, followed by problem solving, collaboration, and general application skills, but the effects on decision making, critical thinking, and problem raising skills did not reach a statistically significant level.

Effects of project-based learning on different learning outcomes.

4.2.2. Examining the effects of different moderating variables on student learning

First, in terms of country region as a moderating variable, the overall effect value of its moderating effect on learning effectiveness was 0.358 and p  < 0.001, indicating a moderate effect and the effects varied across countries. In terms of effect values between groups, although project-based learning originated in the United States and was first applied in American countries such as Canada, its effect on student learning outcomes was not significant (SMD = 0.061, p  = 0.429 > 0.05), and there was no significant difference in whether or not project-based learning was used; instead, the application of project-based learning produced better learning outcomes in Asian countries, especially in Southeast Asian countries (SMD = 0.684), followed by West Asia (SMD = 0.594).

Second, looking at the school level as the moderating variable, the overall effect value SMD = 0.355, in order of effect value from smallest to largest, is university (SMD = 0.116) < junior high school (SMD = 0.520) < primary school (SMD = 0.527) < high school (SMD = 0.720), which indicates that there are differences in the effects of project-based learning on the learning outcomes of students in different school levels, with the effects on high school, primary school, and junior high school, while the effect on college was relatively small.

Third, using group size as the moderating variable, the combined effect value of group size on learning effectiveness is 0.592 ( p  < 0.001), which is close to 0.6, indicating that the effect of group size on students’ learning effectiveness is more significant and has a moderate to a high degree of facilitating effect. In terms of the effect values of different sizes, the effect values are all positive, indicating that the group learning style is effective and has different degrees of facilitating effects on learning effects, with the most significant facilitating effect of a group size of 4–5 students on learning effects (SMD = 0.909).

Fourth, to test the applicability of project-based learning on different class sizes, the class sizes were divided into three sizes according to the sample size: small (1 ~ 100 students), medium (100 ~ 200 students), and large (200 ~ 300 students), and the data in Table 4 show that the overall effect value of the moderating effect of class size on the learning effect is 0.378, p  < 0.001, indicating that project-based learning on different class size. Looking specifically at each size, the degree of impact was higher for small class sizes (SMD = 0.483), followed by medium size (SMD = 0.466), but lower and not significant for large class sizes (SMD = 0.106, p  = 0.101 < 0.05).

Results of moderating effects of different moderating variables.

* To avoid the inclusion of literature that did not provide group size numbers from influencing the study results, only literature that did provide data was included in the analysis here.

Other literature included in the meta-analysis ( Beier et al., 2019 ; Castro-Vargas et al., 2020 ; Chung, 2021 ; Ergül and Kargın, 2014 ; Hugerat, 2016 ; Hung et al., 2012 ; Lazić et al., 2021 ; Lin and Lu, 2018 ; Mark, 2022 ; Ozdamli and Turan, 2017 ; Ruiz-Rosa et al. (2013 ; Wang et al., 2016 ; Wurdinger and Qureshi, 2015 ; Zulaeha et al., 2020 .).

Fifth, when subject categories were viewed as moderating variables, all subject effect values were larger than 0, with a combined effect value of SMD = 0.443 ( p  < 0.001), suggesting that project-based learning had a positive degree of enhancement on learning effectiveness across subjects, reaching a statistically significant difference. Due to the relatively small amount of literature in other categories and life sciences, this study focuses on the effects of project-based learning on learning outcomes in engineering and technology, humanities and social, and natural sciences. In each of the subjects, Engineering and Technology (SMD = 0.619) > Natural Sciences (SMD = 0.484) > Humanities and Society (SMD = 0.284), the results indicate that project-based learning has the most significant impact on learning effectiveness in Engineering and Technology and relatively less in Humanities and Society.

Sixth, the overall effect value SMD = 0.441 when looking at the type of course as a moderating variable, while the between-group effect test between experimental and theoretical classes reached a statistically significant level ( p  < 0.001). The effect of project-based learning on student learning outcomes was more pronounced in experimental classes (SMD = 0.498), which was greater than the overall combined effect value, consistent with the finding that project-based learning is more suitable and effective teaching strategy for engineering and technology disciplines, while the use of project-based teaching in theory classes (SMD = 0.393) was below the average effect value.

Seventh, in terms of the experimental period as a moderating variable, there were significant differences in project-based learning across experimental periods ( p  < 0.001), with a moderating overall effect value of SMD = 0.424. The best effect of instructional facilitation was observed for the duration of 9–18 weeks (SMD = 0.673), which was better than single experiments (SMD = 0.359) and 1–8 weeks (SMD = 0.498), with a relatively weak effect on learning outcomes beyond 18 weeks (SMD = 0.3000).

5. Discussion

This study used meta-analysis to systematically review and quantitatively analyze 66 experimental or quasi-experimental research papers published between 2003 and 2023 on the effects of project-based instruction on student learning, and to dissect the differences brought about by different moderating variables. The results show that: ① project-based learning can significantly improve students’ learning outcomes compared with traditional teaching models; ② the effects of project-based teaching and learning are influenced by different moderating variables, including subject area, course type, academic period, group size, class size, and experiment period. The results derived from the meta-analysis are further discussed and analyzed below.

5.1. Project-based learning has a positive effect on student learning outcomes

First, the combined effect value of SMD = 0.441 ( p  < 0.001) for the effect of project-based learning on learning outcomes indicates that compared to the traditional teaching model, project-based teaching has a moderately positive contribution to students’ academic achievement, thinking skills, and affective attitudes, which is consistent with the results of previous studies ( Wenlan and Jiao, 2019 ). This is consistent with previous studies. Compared with the traditional “teacher teach-student receive-evaluate and feedback” model, project-based learning is closer to a “complete learning process” ( Changming, 2020 ). It is a student-centered learning activity in which students show richer affective attitudes such as interest in learning and attitudes toward learning, which can positively guide students’ motivation to learn and influence their academic performance, and is naturally more effective in developing students’ emotional attitudes and values, and thinking skills.

Second, project-based learning has a significant positive effect on students’ thinking skills (SMD = 0.387, p  < 0.001) and affective attitudes (SMD = 0.379, p  < 0.001), indicating that the effect of project-based learning on students’ learning outcomes is not only the effect of academic performance, but also the effect of self-emotional attitudes and values, creative thinking skills, computational thinking skills, and other higher-order The impact of project-based learning on students’ learning is not only on their academic performance, but also on their self-emotional attitudes and values, creative thinking skills, computational thinking skills and other higher-order thinking skills. Project-based learning is a classroom activity that effectively develops students’ core literacies ( Hongxing, 2017 ) and promotes the development of higher-order thinking ( Weihong and Yinglong, 2019 ). The real value of project-based learning lies in its ability to enhance students’ higher-order thinking skills, such as creative thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and integrated application skills, by exploring real problems in small groups as a way to acquire the core concepts and principles of subject knowledge, and by posing driving questions around a topic based on real situations and students’ deep involvement in the investigation. Education for the future requires project-based learning to develop students’ 21st century skills and core literacies for their future careers and lives.

5.2. Moderating effects of different variables on student learning outcomes

To better analyze the impact brought by different moderating variables, this study categorized the moderating variables into four major categories: first, country region; second, curriculum, including subject categories and course types; third, teaching, including experimental period and learning periods; and fourth, experimental scale, including class size and group size. The results of the meta-analysis show as follows: (1) the application effect of project-based learning in Asia is better than that in countries in Oceania and Western Europe; (2) project-based learning has different degrees of influence on different disciplines and is better applied in the type of laboratory course; (3) in terms of the experimental period, the experimental period of 9–18 weeks is more appropriate and the application advantage of project-based learning at the high school level is more obvious; (4) project-based learning is more suitable for small-class teaching, in which the best effect is achieved when the group size is 4–5 students.

In terms of country region, the combined effect value of project-based learning is 0.358, and the application effect varies in different countries. In the Asian region, especially Southeast Asia, the effect of project-based learning is significantly better than that of Western Europe and North America. This study suggests the following reasons: First, Southeast Asian countries are relatively lagging in economic development, and industrialization and modernization are slower, so students and teachers pay more attention to practical learning methods, and project-based learning is a practice-based, problem-solving-oriented learning method that can better help them adapt and master skills and knowledge in actual work. Secondly, because the level of basic education in some Southeast Asian countries is relatively low due to various factors such as history, culture, and society, the project-based learning method can help students understand practical problems more deeply, comprehend knowledge, and enhance their hands-on and problem-solving abilities. Third, in Western European countries, students and teachers focus more on theoretical knowledge and logical thinking, individual student performance, and competition, and in countries such as Oceania, students and teachers focus more on practicality and teamwork. In Asia, however, the educational culture emphasizes a focus on discipline, order, and respect for teachers, making project-based learning more acceptable to students and parents. Students’ attitudes toward learning are also generally more serious, hard-working, and diligent, focusing on academic performance and opportunities for advancement, so students are more willing to engage in project-based learning in the hope of achieving better learning outcomes. Fourthly, in Asia, especially in East Asia, there is a strong demand for high-quality human resources, and project-based learning can cultivate students’ practical skills and innovative spirit, making them more competitive and capable of adapting to the future society.

In terms of curriculum, the combined effects of project-based learning on different subject areas and different course types were approximately equal, at 0.443 and 0.441, respectively, and the effect on student learning in engineering and technology disciplines was more significant (SMD = 0.619) and larger than the average effect, which is consistent with previous research findings that PBL is more appropriate for teaching in engineering ( Kolmos and De Graaff, 2014 ). Facing the rapidly developing society, the traditional teaching methods seem to be unable to better develop students’ skills to meet the market demand, and the research results also show that the application effect of PBL in experimental classes (SMD = 0.498) is better than that in theoretical classes (SMD = 0.393), because PBL can give students a complete understanding of the process of a project from problem raising to problem-solving, which provides them with valuable practical experience.

From the instructional aspect, the experimental period of 9–18 weeks (SMD = 0.673) had the greatest impact on student learning effects, and the impact of project-based learning for more than 18 weeks (SMD = 0.359) was relatively low, while the results of the study showed that project-based learning had a greater impact at the high school level (SMD = 0.720), followed by elementary school, middle school, and university, a finding that supports the results of Mehmet’s study ( Ayaz and Soeylemez, 2015 ). The moderating effect of the experimental period showed that the longer the experiment, the better the effect of about half a semester, and the project-based learning did not have a lasting and stable effect on students’ learning outcomes. Currently project-based learning is carried out more often at the primary and secondary school levels, and the teaching effect is more significant, but the application effect in universities is relatively low (SMD = 0.116), and the results of the study also indicate that the application promotion effect is most obvious in engineering and technology disciplines, so in the follow-up study, the application of project-based learning at the higher education level should be actively explored.

In terms of experimental scale, the effect of project-based learning on small class teaching (SMD = 0.483) is greater than that of medium class (SMD = 0.466) and large class (SMD = 0.106), and the teaching effect is better for group size of 4–5 people (SMD = 0.909), 8 people and above (SMD = 0.514), and 6–7 people (SMD = 0.436) in decreasing order. Therefore, project-based learning is more suitable for small-class teaching, and the number of people in the group collaborative learning is more conducive to the learning effect of around 4–5 people, which is almost consistent with the results of Wei et al. (2020) study on the effect of cooperative learning on learning effect. The relationship between class size and educational output has been discussed by a number of economists from the perspective of the economics of education, and is referred to as the “class size effect.” In small classes, teachers can spend more time on teaching and learning, each student can receive more attention from the teacher, and teachers and students can have more time to interact, thus having more opportunities to demonstrate and participate in collaborative group learning. In terms of group size, although there is no uniform standard, in general, too few or too many group members are not conducive to a higher degree of impact on the learning effect. From the research results, the best learning effect is produced by 4–5 students, with more reasonable task distribution among group members, all with a clear division of labor and sufficient interaction, which is more conducive to the formation of the group effect, thus better promoting the learning effect.

5.3. How does the impact of project-based learning on learning outcomes occur?

The results of the study show that project-based learning has a moderate positive contribution to learning effectiveness under different measurement measures dimensions, and how its effect occurs. The theoretical framework of the impact of project-based learning on learning effectiveness is drawn in conjunction with the specific processes and key features of project-based learning, as shown in Figure 4 , and will be analyzed in the following in conjunction with the theoretical framework.

Theoretical framework for the impact of project-based learning on learning effects.

In terms of the specific process of project-based learning, it includes five steps: identifying project goals and scope, developing a project plan, implementing the project, monitoring project progress and solving problems, completing the project and presenting and evaluating it, and these steps include key activities that affect learning outcomes such as problem orientation, cooperative learning, and authenticity, which together affect students’ learning outcomes.

Specifically, project-based learning is usually oriented to real-life problems, requiring students to apply their knowledge and skills to solve problems, and the driving questions stimulate students’ interest in learning; it integrates the knowledge and skills of multiple disciplines, blending theoretical knowledge with practice and cultivating students’ creative thinking skills and comprehensive application skills; in the process of implementing projects, group members divide the work and cooperate to identify problems and After the project is completed and presented, the teacher gives timely feedback and evaluation to influence students’ attitude in project-based learning and improve the learning effect. In conclusion, the specific process and characteristics of project-based learning are the key factors to enhance students’ learning effect. Reasonable design of project characteristics and the application of different variables in project-based learning can effectively enhance students’ learning effect.

5.4. When is it more effective to use project-based learning?

The findings suggest that learning effects are influenced by different moderating variables, and this study suggests combining the effects of different variables for project-based learning in order to achieve the optimal effect size. For high school students in the field of engineering and technology subject areas of laboratory courses to 9–18 weeks as the experimental period, based on small class teaching, and group size of 4–5 people using the PBL method of teaching, to promote the improvement of student learning outcomes more effective. In experimental courses, the use of project-based learning can enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the principles and practical operations of experiments, increase their interest and motivation, and promote the development of their active learning and innovative thinking skills, thus improving learning outcomes. Small class teaching and group work can better meet students’ individual needs, enhance their sense of participation and belonging, and increase their interest and motivation in learning. Finally, the 9–18 weeks experimental cycle allows students to make the most of their time and explore the subject matter in depth, enabling them to gain deeper understanding and experience in their learning. It is hoped that the results of this study will provide a reference for front-line educators to carry out project-based teaching and explore more effective ways to promote learning outcomes.

6. Conclusion

This study conducted a meta-analysis of 66 empirical research papers on the use of project-based learning interventions for learning, and the findings provide evidence for the use of project-based learning in education to develop students’ core literacy and higher-order thinking skills, and 21st-century skills. The results show that: (1) project-based learning can significantly improve students’ learning outcomes compared with traditional teaching models; (2) the effects of project-based teaching are influenced by different moderating variables, including subject area, course type, academic period, group size, class size, and experiment period. From the perspective of countries and regions, the effect of project-based learning in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, is significantly better than that in Western Europe and North America; from the perspective of courses, project-based learning has a more obvious effect on promoting students’ learning in engineering and technology disciplines, and the application effect in experimental classes is better than that in theory classes; from the perspective of teaching, project-based learning is more suitable for small-class teaching, in which the best effect is achieved with a group size of 4–5 students From the perspective of teaching, project-based learning is more suitable for small class teaching, and the best effect is achieved in group size of 4–5 students.

7. Limitation

Although our findings have important implications for educators, they still have some limitations. For example, some studies using project-based learning for teaching and learning lacked sufficient statistical information for inclusion in the analysis, and most of the studies did not provide a specific classification of learning effectiveness, limiting our ability to analyze learning effectiveness enhancement in more detail. Subsequent research can be carried out in depth in two aspects: (1) the current empirical studies on project-based learning focus on primary and secondary schools, with less research on the impact on universities and young children; with the popularity of higher education, future research can be conducted on the above research subjects; (2) taking the digital transformation of education as an opportunity to explore the integration of technology and project-based learning to better develop students’ core literacy and 21st century skills.

Data availability statement

Author contributions.

YM: critically review the work, provide commentary, supervise and direct the writing of the draft. LZ: conceptualization, methodology, validation, quantitative data analysis, writing, review and editing. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

This work was supported by the Chongqing graduate education teaching reform research project (No. yjg201009), the Postgraduate Research Innovation Project of Chongqing in 2023 (No. CYS23419, No. CYS23416), and the Special Project of Chongqing Normal University Institute of Smart Education in 2023 (No. YZH23013).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

We would like to sincerely thank all the teachers and students of Computer and Information Science, Chongqing Normal University, for their support and contributions to us, especially for the support from the Smart Education Research Institute.

• Akharraz M. (2021). The impact of project-based learning on students’ cultural awareness .
• Al Mulhim E., Eldokhny A. (2020). The impact of collaborative group size on students’ achievement and product quality in project-based learning environments . Int. J. Emerg. Technol. Learn. 15 , 157–174. doi: 10.3991/ijet.v15i10.12913 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Astawa N. L., Artini L. P., Nitiasih P. K. (2017). Project-based learning activities and EFL students’ productive skills in English . J. Lang. Teach. Res. 8 , 1147–1155. doi: 10.17507/jltr.0806.16 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ayaz M., Soeylemez M. (2015). The effect of the project-based learning approach on the academic achievements of the students in science classes in Turkey: a meta-analysis study . EB 40 , 255–283. doi: 10.15390/EB.2015.4000 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Beier M. E., Kim M. H., Saterbak A., Leautaud V., Bishnoi S., Gilberto J. M. (2019). The effect of authentic project-based learning on attitudes and career aspirations in STEM . J. Res. Sci. Teach. 56 , 3–23. doi: 10.1002/tea.21465 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Biazus M., Mahtari S. (2022). The impact of project-based learning (PjBL) model on secondary students’ creative thinking skills . Int. J. Essential Competencies Educ. 1 , 38–48. doi: 10.36312/ijece.v1i1.752 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bilgin I., Karakuyu Y., Ay Y. (2015). The effects of project based learning on undergraduate Students' achievement and self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching . Eurasia J Math Sci. Technol. Educ. 11 , 469–477. doi: 10.12973/eurasia.2014.1015a [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Çakici Y., Türkmen N. (2013). An investigation of the effect of project-based learning approach on Children's achievement and attitude in science . Online J. Sci. Technol. 3 , 9–17. [ Google Scholar ]
• Castro-Vargas C., Cabana-Caceres M., Andrade-Arenas L. (2020). Impact of project-based learning on networking and communications competences . Int. J. Adv. Comput. Sci. Appl. 11 :2020. doi: 10.14569/IJACSA.2020.0110957, PMID: [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Changming L. (2020). Why do we need project-based learning? Primary Secondary School Manage 08 , 5–6. [ Google Scholar ]
• Chung S.J. (2021). Students’ perception of self-regulated learning in a project-based learning .
• Cohen J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for behavioral science . Technometrics 31 , 499–500. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cong Li. (2021). Research on the design and implementation of project-based teaching of high school chemistry based on STSE education . [Master’s thesis]. China: Hunan Institute of Technology; Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1021880452.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Domínguez C., Elizondo A. J. (2010). Database design learning: A project-based approach organized through a course management system . Comput. Educ. 55 , 1312–1320. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.06.001 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Duman B., Yavuz Ö. K. (2018). The effect of project-based learning on students’ attitude towards English classes . J. Educ. Train. Stud. 6 :186. doi: 10.11114/jets.v6i11a.3816 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ergül N. R., Kargın E. K. (2014). The effect of project based learning on students’ science success . Procedia. Soc. Behav. Sci. 136 , 537–541. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.05.371, PMID: [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Faqing. (2020). Research on the impact of project-based learning STEM curriculum on elementary school students’ problem solving ability [Master’s thesis]. China: Huazhong Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=s1YNj1Y_QLPkngH9X91x7Fs23_bcTKtQ_HV8_ZRG-u1wLLGRrl6pB21f7OyV3756xBZmpbJQSOsehywyktxXqDM37fhvBhTkVIdtKvLX5mrirj4EiSiDZyCFW4nENRtZYbN0hR_pNI0=\u0026amp;uniplatform=NZKPT\u0026amp;language=CHS [ Google Scholar ]
• Gao Yan-jun. (2020). Research on the teaching model of high school biology unit based on project-based learning (Master’s thesis, Southwest University. Availabe at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202101&filename=1021533870.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• García-Rodríguez F. J., Ruiz-Rosa I., Gutiérrez-Tao D. (2021). Project-based learning as a tool to foster entrepreneurial competences (el aprendizaje basado en proyectos como herramienta para potenciar la competencia emprendedora) . Cult. Educ. 33 , 316–344. doi: 10.1080/11356405.2021.1904657 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Glass G. (1976). Primary, secondary, and metaanalysis of research . Educ. Res. 5 , 3–5. doi: 10.3102/0013189X005010003, PMID: [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gratchev I., Jeng D. S. (2018). Introducing a project-based assignment in a traditionally taught engineering course . Eur. J. Eng. Educ. 43 , 788–799. doi: 10.1080/03043797.2018.1441264 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hamad S., Tairab H., Wardat Y., Rabbani L., AlArabi K., Yousif M., et al.. (2022). Understanding science teachers’ implementations of integrated STEM: teacher perceptions and practice . Sustainability 14 :3594. doi: 10.3390/su14063594 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hernández-Ramos P. F., De La Paz S. (2009). Learning history in middle school by designing multimedia in a project-based learning experience . J. Res. Technol. Educ. 42 , 151–173. doi: 10.1080/15391523.2009.10782545 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Higgins J. P., Thompson S. G. (2002). Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis . Stat. Med. 21 , 1539–1558. doi: 10.1002/sim.1186, PMID: [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hongxing H. (2017). Project-based learning: classroom teaching activities to cultivate students’ core literacy . J. Lanzhou Univ. 06 , 165–172. doi: 10.13885/j.issn.1000-2804.2017.06.021 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hugerat M. (2016). How teaching science using project-based learning strategies affects the classroom learning environment . Learn. Environ. Res. 19 , 383–395. doi: 10.1007/s10984-016-9212-y [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hung C., Hwang G., Huang I. (2012). A project-based digital storytelling approach for improving Students' learning motivation, problem-solving competence and learning achievement . J. Educ. Technol. Soc. 15 , 368–379. [ Google Scholar ]
• Jina Du. (2022). The application of project-based learning based on problem awareness in primary school mathematics classroom . [Master’s thesis]. China: Jimei University; Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202301&filename=1022632607.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Jingfu L., Zhixian Z. (2002). Project-based learning model . Foreign Educ. Res. 11 , 18–22. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kaldi S., Filippatou D., Govaris C. (2011). Project-based learning in primary schools: effects on pupils' learning and attitudes . Education 39 , 35–47. doi: 10.1080/03004270903179538 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Karaçalli S., Korur F. (2014). The effects of project-based learning on Students' academic achievement, attitude, and retention of knowledge: the subject of “Electricity in our Lives” . Sch. Sci. Math. 114 , 224–235. doi: 10.1111/ssm.12071 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Karpudewan M., Ponniah J., Zain A. N. M. (2016). Project-based learning: an approach to promote energy literacy among secondary school students . Asia Pac. Educ. Res. 25 , 229–237. doi: 10.1007/s40299-015-0256-z [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Keleşoğlu A. (2011). I nvestigating the effects of project-based learning on students’ Academic Achievement and Attitudes Towards English Lesson. vol.1 The Online Journal Of New Horizons In Education. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kelly G.J., Mayer R.E. (2004). Enhancing undergraduate students’ chemistry understanding through project-based learning in an IT environment .
• Kilpatrick W. H. (1918). The Project Method: The Use of the Purposeful Act in the Education Process . Teach. Coll. Rec . 19 , 319–335. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kızkapan O., Bektaş O. (2017). The effect of project based learning on seventh grade students’ academic achievement . Int. J. Instr. 10 , 37–54. doi: 10.12973/iji.2017.1013a [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kolmos, Graaff D. (2014). Problem-based and project-based learning in engineering education Merging models . doi: 10.1017/CBO9781139013451.012. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lazić B. D., Knežević J. B., Maričić S. M. (2021). The influence of project-based learning on student achievement in elementary mathematics education . S. Afr. J. Educ. 41 , 1–10. doi: 10.15700/saje.v41n3a1909 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lei Zhou. (2020). The design and implementation of project-based learning for high school chemistry teaching . [Master’s thesis]. China: Yunnan Normal University; Availabe at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202101&filename=1020760511.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Lin K., Lu S. (2018). Effects of project-based activities in developing high school students’ energy literacy . J. Balt. Sci. Educ. 17 , 867–877. doi: 10.33225/jbse/18.17.867 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ling C. (2020). Design and practice of teaching activities based on project-based learning to cultivate primary school students’ computational thinking . [Master’s thesis]. China: Chongqing Normal University; Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1020648502.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Linxiao P. (2020) The application of project learning in senior high school biology classroom study .
• Lu P. (2020). Research on teaching design of junior high school information technology curriculum based on project-based learning . [Master’s thesis]. China: Beijing University of Technology. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202101&filename=1021563235.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Luo J. (2020). Research on the development of computational thinking skills based on project-based learning . [Master’s thesis]. China: Huazhong Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202101&filename=1020119469.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Ma Q. (2022) Project learning self-efficacy in elementary programming impact study .
• Ma S., Yang X. (2021). Cooperative reasoning learning to promote the development of higher-order thinking . Educ. Dev. Res. 24 , 64–73. doi: 10.14121/j.cnki.1008-3855.2021.24.011 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mark Y. (2022). The effectiveness of PBL classes using multimedia tools: a case study of a university liberal arts English class . Multimedia Lang. Teach. 25 , 237–257. [ Google Scholar ]
• Migdad S. I., Joma A., Arvisais O. (2021). The impact of the project-based learning strategy on leadership skills acquisition among Palestinian refugees students in Gaza . Didactique 2 , 4–39. doi: 10.37571/2021.01012 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mingquan L. (2020) Project learning in senior high school geography teaching research and practice .
• Mioduser D., Betzer N. (2007). The contribution of project-based-learning to high-achievers’ acquisition of technological knowledge and skills . Int. J. Technol. Des. Educ. 18 , 59–77. doi: 10.1007/s10798-006-9010-4 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ozdamli F., Turan B.Y. (2017). Effects of a technology supported project based learning (TS-PBL) approach on the success of a mobile application development course and the students’ opinions .
• Page M. J. (2021). PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews . BMJ (Clinical research ed.) , 372 :n160. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n160 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Parrado-Martínez P., Sánchez-Andújar S. (2020). Development of competences in postgraduate studies of finance: A project-based learning (PBL) case study . Int. Rev. Econ. Educ. 35 :100192. doi: 10.1016/j.iree.2020.100192 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Praba L.T., Artini L.P., Ramendra D.P. (2018). Project-based learning and writing skill in EFL: Are they related?
• Rothstein H.R, Sutton A. J., Borenstein M. Publication bias in meta-analysis: Prevention, assessment, and adjustments[M] (2006). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons: 350. [ Google Scholar ]
• Rui Jiao. (2020). An empirical study on the development of computational thinking skills of high school students based on project-based learning . [Master’s thesis]. China: Shaanxi Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1020131664.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Ruiz-Rosa I., Taño D., García-Rodríguez F. J. (2021). Project-Based Learning as a tool to foster entrepreneurial competences (El Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos como herramienta para potenciar la competencia emprendedora) . Cult. Educ. 33 , 1–29. doi: 10.1080/11356405.2021.1904657 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Saleh S., Muhammad A., Abdullah S.M. (2020). Stem project-based approach in enhancing conceptual understanding and inventive thinking skills among secondary school students .
• Santyasa I. W., Rapi N., Sara I. W. (2020). Project based learning and academic procrastination of students in learning physics . Int. J. Instr. 13 , 489–508. doi: 10.29333/iji.2020.13132a [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Shin M. (2018). Effects of project-based learning on students’ motivation and self-efficacy . English Teaching . 73 , 95–114. [ Google Scholar ]
• ShiXuan M. (2017). Research on the design of project-based learning activities based on Moodle . [Master’s thesis]. China: Nanjing Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD201901\u0026amp;filename=1018254455.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Shyr W. (2012). Teaching mechatronics: an innovative group project-based approach . Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ. 20 , 93–102. doi: 10.1002/cae.20377 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sivia A., MacMath S., Novakowski C., Britton V. (2019). Examining student engagement during a project-based unit in secondary science . Can. J. Sci. Math. Technol. Educ. 19 , 254–269. doi: 10.1007/s42330-019-00053-x [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tseng K., Chang C., Lou S., Chen W. (2013). Attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in a project-based learning (PjBL) environment . Int. J. Technol. Des. Educ. 23 , 87–102. doi: 10.1007/s10798-011-9160-x [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Vrabel M. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement . Rev. Esp. Nutr. Hum. Diet. 18 :e123. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wang J. (2021a) Project learning perspective of organic chemistry teaching design and implementation of high school .
• Wang Y. (2021b). Design and practice of open source hardware project-based learning for primary schools with problem-solving skills development . [Master’s thesis]. China: Northeast Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1021631051.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Wang H. (2022). Research on the design and application of a comprehensive practical activity curriculum for primary schools based on project-based learning . [Master’s thesis]. China: Mudanjiang Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202301&filename=1022609345.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Wang H., Huang I., Hwang G. (2016). Comparison of the effects of project-based computer programming activities between mathematics-gifted students and average students . J. Comput. Educ. 3 , 33–45. doi: 10.1007/s40692-015-0047-9 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wardat Y., Belbase S., Tairab H. (2022). Mathematics teachers’ perceptions of trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS)-related practices in Abu Dhabi emirate schools . Sustainability 14 :5436. doi: 10.3390/su14095436 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wei W., Yongquan D., Miao Y. (2020). The impact of cooperative learning on students' learning outcomes: A meta-analysis based on 48 experimental or quasi-experimental studies . Shanghai J. Educ. Res. 07 , 34–40+59. doi: 10.16194/j.cnki.31-1059/g4.2020.07.008 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Weihong L., Yinglong X. (2019). Promoting Students' high-level thinking development through project-based learning -- design and implementation of "baby market" exploration project . Basic Educ Curric 06 , 20–23. [ Google Scholar ]
• Wenlan Z., Jiao H. (2019). Does project-based learning play a role in learning? -- meta-analysis based on 46 experimental and quasi-experimental studies . Res. Visual Educ. 02 , 95–104. doi: 10.13811/j.cnki.eer.2019.02.012 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wurdinger S., Qureshi M. (2015). Enhancing college students’ life skills through project based learning . Innov. High. Educ. 40 , 279–286. doi: 10.1007/s10755-014-9314-3, PMID: [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Xiaolei H. (2021). Research on the design and practice of high school information technology curriculum based on project-based learning . [Master’s thesis]. China: Southwest University; Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1021768096.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Xu C. (2022). A practical study of project-based learning for developing core literacy in subjects . Master’s thesis]. Southwest University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202201&filename=1021767951.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Xuezhi Li. (2022). Research on the design and practice of project-based learning in junior high school mathematics curriculum . [Master’s thesis]. China: Ningxia University; https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202301&filename=1022059895.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Yanan H. (2020). An experimental study of Jigsaw-based project-based learning in elementary school IT class . [Master’s thesis]. China: Loudoun University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202101\u0026amp;filename=1020380160.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Yang X. (2020), Practical research on teaching reform of information technology curriculum in Baochang No. 1 Middle School . [Master’s thesis; ]. China: Inner Mongolia Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD201801&filename=1017093188.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Yating B. (2022). Research on the design and practice of teaching elemental compounds in high school based on project-based learning . Master’s thesis]. China: Fuyang Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202301&filename=1022640350.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Yexin Li. (2019) The application of robot project learning in middle school teaching research .
• Ying Z. (2022). A study on the influence of project-based teaching on the intrinsic motivation of private university students’ English learning . J. Sci. Educ . 13 , 29–31. doi: 10.16400/j.cnki.kjdk.2022.13.010 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Yuan X.-F. (2017). A Study on the Teaching Reform of Information Technology Course in Baochang No.1 Middle School - Taking “Project-based Learning” as an Example 2017. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD201801&filename=1017093188.nh
• Yun X. (2022). Practical exploration of project-oriented deep ritual education -- take the project-oriented learning of searching for roots Xu Huiyuan in grade 5 as an example . Shanghai J. Educ. Res. 9 , 64–68. doi: 10.16194/j.cnki.31-1059/g4.2022.09.006 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Yuting Tang. (2022). Practical research on project-based learning based on the development of scientific inquiry ability in secondary school biology teaching . [Master’s thesis]. China: Guizhou Normal University. Available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD202202\u0026amp;filename=1022573120.nh [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang Y. (2022). A study on the effect of project-based teaching on the intrinsic motivation of private university students’ English learning . J. Sci. Educ. 13 , 29SPi_ENDASH31. doi: 10.16400/j.cnki.kjdk.2022.13.010 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang Ji-hong. (2022) Based on the junior high school students information technology subject core. Mesh type teaching mode design and application research .
• Zulaeha D., Marpaung D. (2020). Project-based learning approach to improve students’ writing skill . PROJECT 3 :120. doi: 10.22460/project.v3i1.p120-126, PMID: [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Advertisement

Reflections on Project Work in Early Childhood Teacher Education

• Published: 03 February 2022
• Volume 51 , pages 407–418, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

• Mary Donegan-Ritter   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3351-1590 1 ,
• Betty Zan 1 &
• Allison Pattee 1  

768 Accesses

Explore all metrics

Project approach allows early childhood teachers to use both child-initiated and teacher-facilitated instructional methods. This article describes what we learned from a study focused on project approach professional development for early childhood teachers who later served as mentor teachers during a field experience for an introductory methods course. The mentor teachers saw their role as guides and supports for early childhood preservice teachers who were placed in teams in their classrooms to implement project approach. Interviews with mentor teachers and document reviews of preservice teacher reflection papers reveal that preservice teachers gained understanding about how child engagement can be fostered through project work and the importance of working as a team. Mentor teachers wanted university faculty to take a more active role in supporting team communication, make visits to the classroom and situate project work in a field experience with enough hours to get to know the children and fully develop each phase of the project. Implications for early childhood teacher educators seeking to incorporate project work in preservice field experiences are shared.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Professional Experience and Project-Based Learning as Service Learning

Teachers’ Role in Students’ Learning at a Project-Based STEM High School: Implications for Teacher Education

Teaching Beyond the Classroom: A Project-Based Innovation in a Language Education Course

Alfonso, S. (2017). Implementing the project approach in an inclusive classroom: A teacher’s first attempt with project-based learning. Young Children, 72 (1). Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/publications/vop/implementing-inclusive-classroom

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. (2018). A pivot toward clinical practice, its lexicon, and the renewal of educator preparation. Retrieved from https://aacte.org/resources/research-reports-and-briefs/clinical-practice-commission-report/

Baum, A. C., & Korth, B. B. (2013). Preparing classroom teachers to be cooperating teachers: A report of current efforts, beliefs, challenges, and associated recommendations. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 34 (2), 171–190.

Article   Google Scholar  

Beneke, S. & Ostrosky, M. M. (2009). Teachers' views of the efficacy of incorporating the Project Approach into classroom practice with diverse learners. Early Childhood Research & Practice , 11 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ848843.pdf

Blank, J., Damjanovic, V., DaSilva, A. P. P., & Weber, S. (2014). Authenticity and “standing out”: Situating the Project Approach in contemporary early schooling. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42 , 19–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0549-2

Bredekamp, S. (Ed.) (1987). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 . National Association for Education of Young Children.

Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs (Revised Edition). National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Brown, C. P., & Feger, B. S. (2010). Examining the challenges early childhood teacher candidates face figuring their roles as early educators. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 31 , 286–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2010.523774

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 . National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Couse, L. J. & Recchia, S. L. (Eds.) (2016). Handbook of early childhood teacher education. Routledge.

Creswell, J. (2007). Data analysis and representation. In J. Creswell (Ed.), Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed., pp. 179–212). Sage.

Curby, T. W., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Konold, T. R., Pianta, R. C., Howes, C., Burchinal, M., Bryant, D., Clifford, R., Early, D., & Barbarin, O. (2009). The relations of observed pre-k classroom quality profiles to children’s achievement and social competence. Early Education and Development, 20 (2), 346–372. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409280802581284

Eckhoff, A. (2017). Partners in inquiry: A collaborative life science investigation with preservice teaches and kindergarten students. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45 , 219–227.

Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (1993). The hundred languages of children . Ablex Publishing.

Google Scholar  

Graue, E. (2008). Teaching and learning in a post-DAP world. Early Education and Development, 19 (3), 441–447. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409280802065411

Graue, M. E., Ryan, S., Nocera, A., Northey, K., & Wilinski, B. (2017). Pulling preK into a K-12 orbit: The evolution of preK in the age of standards. Early Years, 37 (1), 108–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2016.1220925

Harris, K. I., & Gleim, L. (2008). The light fantastic: Making learning visible for all children through the Project Approach. Young Exceptional Children, 11 (3), 27–40.

Harte, H. A. (2010). The project approach: A strategy for inclusive classrooms. Young Exceptional Children, 13 (3), 15–27.

Hatch, J. A. (2002). Accountability shovedown: Resisting the standards movement in early childhood education. Phi Delta Kappan, 83 (6), 457–462.

Helm, J. K. (2015). Becoming young thinkers: Deep project work in the classroom. Teachers College Press.

Helm, J. H. & Katz, L. (2016). Young investigators: The project approach in the early years. (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

Hirsch, E. D., & Moats, L. (2001). Overcoming the language gap. American Educator, 25 (2), 4–9.

Katz, L. & Chard, S. (2000). Engaging children's minds: The project approach (2nd ed.). Ablex.

La Paro, K. M. (2016). Field experiences in the preparation of early childhood teachers. In L. J. Couse & S. L. Recchia (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood teacher education (pp. 209–223). Routledge.

Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry . Sage.

Book   Google Scholar  

Maynard, C., La Paro, K. M., & Johnson, A. V. (2014). Before student teaching: How undergraduate students in early childhood teacher preparation programs describe their early classroom-based experience. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 35 (3), 244–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2014.936070

Mitchell, S., Foulger, T. S., Wetzel, K., & Rathkey, C. (2009). The negotiated project approach: Project-based learning without learning the standards behind. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36 , 339–346.

Moran, M. J. (2007). Collaborative action research and project work: Promising practices for developing collaborative inquiry among early childhood preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23 , 418–431.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2019). Professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Author.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2020). Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Author.

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). (2008). Professional standards for the accreditation of teacher preparation institutions . NCATE.

National Research Council (NRC). (2010). Preparing teachers: Building evidence for sound policy . Author.

Spodek, B., & Saracho, O.N. (2003). On the shoulders of giants: Exploring the traditions of early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 31 , 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025176516780

Vandenbroucke, L., Spilt, J., Verschueren, K., Piccinin, C., & Baeyens, D. (2018). The classroom as a developmental context for cognitive development: A meta-analysis on the importance of teacher-student interactions for children’s executive functions. Review of Education Research, 88 (1), 126–164.

Walkington, J. (2005). Mentoring preservice teachers in the preschool setting: Perceptions of the role. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 30 (1), 28–32.

Wastin, E., & Han, H. S. (2014). Action research and project approach: The journey of an early childhood preservice teacher and a teacher educator. Networks, 16 (2), 1–12.

Whitebook, M. & Bellm, D. (2013). Supporting teachers as learners: A guide for mentors and coaches in early care and education. American Federation of Teachers.

Zimiles, H. (1997). Viewing education through a psychological lens: The contributions of Barbara Bilber. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 28 (1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025141018392

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Curriculum & Instruction, Schindler Education Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614, USA

Mary Donegan-Ritter, Betty Zan & Allison Pattee

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Donegan-Ritter .

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Donegan-Ritter, M., Zan, B. & Pattee, A. Reflections on Project Work in Early Childhood Teacher Education. Early Childhood Educ J 51 , 407–418 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01307-4

Download citation

Accepted : 12 January 2022

Published : 03 February 2022

Issue Date : March 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01307-4

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Field experience
• Early childhood education
• Preservice teachers
• Project approach
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

Center for Teaching

Group work: using cooperative learning groups effectively.

Many instructors from disciplines across the university use group work to enhance their students’ learning. Whether the goal is to increase student understanding of content, to build particular transferable skills, or some combination of the two, instructors often turn to small group work to capitalize on the benefits of peer-to-peer instruction. This type of group work is formally termed cooperative learning, and is defined as the instructional use of small groups to promote students working together to maximize their own and each other’s learning (Johnson, et al., 2008).

Cooperative learning is characterized by positive interdependence, where students perceive that better performance by individuals produces better performance by the entire group (Johnson, et al., 2014). It can be formal or informal, but often involves specific instructor intervention to maximize student interaction and learning. It is infinitely adaptable, working in small and large classes and across disciplines, and can be one of the most effective teaching approaches available to college instructors.

What can it look like?

What’s the theoretical underpinning, is there evidence that it works.

• What are approaches that can help make it effective?

Informal cooperative learning groups In informal cooperative learning, small, temporary, ad-hoc groups of two to four students work together for brief periods in a class, typically up to one class period, to answer questions or respond to prompts posed by the instructor.

Additional examples of ways to structure informal group work

Think-pair-share

The instructor asks a discussion question. Students are instructed to think or write about an answer to the question before turning to a peer to discuss their responses. Groups then share their responses with the class.

Peer Instruction

This modification of the think-pair-share involves personal responses devices (e.g. clickers). The question posted is typically a conceptually based multiple-choice question. Students think about their answer and vote on a response before turning to a neighbor to discuss. Students can change their answers after discussion, and “sharing” is accomplished by the instructor revealing the graph of student response and using this as a stimulus for large class discussion. This approach is particularly well-adapted for large classes.

In this approach, groups of students work in a team of four to become experts on one segment of new material, while other “expert teams” in the class work on other segments of new material. The class then rearranges, forming new groups that have one member from each expert team. The members of the new team then take turns teaching each other the material on which they are experts.

Formal cooperative learning groups

In formal cooperative learning students work together for one or more class periods to complete a joint task or assignment (Johnson et al., 2014). There are several features that can help these groups work well:

• The instructor defines the learning objectives for the activity and assigns students to groups.
• The groups are typically heterogeneous, with particular attention to the skills that are needed for success in the task.
• Within the groups, students may be assigned specific roles, with the instructor communicating the criteria for success and the types of social skills that will be needed.
• Importantly, the instructor continues to play an active role during the groups’ work, monitoring the work and evaluating group and individual performance.
• Instructors also encourage groups to reflect on their interactions to identify potential improvements for future group work.

This video shows an example of formal cooperative learning groups in David Matthes’ class at the University of Minnesota:

There are many more specific types of group work that fall under the general descriptions given here, including team-based learning , problem-based learning , and process-oriented guided inquiry learning .

The use of cooperative learning groups in instruction is based on the principle of constructivism, with particular attention to the contribution that social interaction can make. In essence, constructivism rests on the idea that individuals learn through building their own knowledge, connecting new ideas and experiences to existing knowledge and experiences to form new or enhanced understanding (Bransford, et al., 1999). The consideration of the role that groups can play in this process is based in social interdependence theory, which grew out of Kurt Koffka’s and Kurt Lewin’s identification of groups as dynamic entities that could exhibit varied interdependence among members, with group members motivated to achieve common goals. Morton Deutsch conceptualized varied types of interdependence, with positive correlation among group members’ goal achievements promoting cooperation.

Lev Vygotsky extended this work by examining the relationship between cognitive processes and social activities, developing the sociocultural theory of development. The sociocultural theory of development suggests that learning takes place when students solve problems beyond their current developmental level with the support of their instructor or their peers. Thus both the idea of a zone of proximal development, supported by positive group interdependence, is the basis of cooperative learning (Davidson and Major, 2014; Johnson, et al., 2014).

Cooperative learning follows this idea as groups work together to learn or solve a problem, with each individual responsible for understanding all aspects. The small groups are essential to this process because students are able to both be heard and to hear their peers, while in a traditional classroom setting students may spend more time listening to what the instructor says.

Cooperative learning uses both goal interdependence and resource interdependence to ensure interaction and communication among group members. Changing the role of the instructor from lecturing to facilitating the groups helps foster this social environment for students to learn through interaction.

David Johnson, Roger Johnson, and Karl Smith performed a meta-analysis of 168 studies comparing cooperative learning to competitive learning and individualistic learning in college students (Johnson et al., 2006). They found that cooperative learning produced greater academic achievement than both competitive learning and individualistic learning across the studies, exhibiting a mean weighted effect size of 0.54 when comparing cooperation and competition and 0.51 when comparing cooperation and individualistic learning. In essence, these results indicate that cooperative learning increases student academic performance by approximately one-half of a standard deviation when compared to non-cooperative learning models, an effect that is considered moderate. Importantly, the academic achievement measures were defined in each study, and ranged from lower-level cognitive tasks (e.g., knowledge acquisition and retention) to higher level cognitive activity (e.g., creative problem solving), and from verbal tasks to mathematical tasks to procedural tasks. The meta-analysis also showed substantial effects on other metrics, including self-esteem and positive attitudes about learning. George Kuh and colleagues also conclude that cooperative group learning promotes student engagement and academic performance (Kuh et al., 2007).

Springer, Stanne, and Donovan (1999) confirmed these results in their meta-analysis of 39 studies in university STEM classrooms. They found that students who participated in various types of small-group learning, ranging from extended formal interactions to brief informal interactions, had greater academic achievement, exhibited more favorable attitudes towards learning, and had increased persistence through STEM courses than students who did not participate in STEM small-group learning.

The box below summarizes three individual studies examining the effects of cooperative learning groups.

What are approaches that can help make group work effective?

Preparation

Articulate your goals for the group work, including both the academic objectives you want the students to achieve and the social skills you want them to develop.

Determine the group conformation that will help meet your goals.

• In informal group learning, groups often form ad hoc from near neighbors in a class.
• In formal group learning, it is helpful for the instructor to form groups that are heterogeneous with regard to particular skills or abilities relevant to group tasks. For example, groups may be heterogeneous with regard to academic skill in the discipline or with regard to other skills related to the group task (e.g., design capabilities, programming skills, writing skills, organizational skills) (Johnson et al, 2006).
• Groups from 2-6 are generally recommended, with groups that consist of three members exhibiting the best performance in some problem-solving tasks (Johnson et al., 2006; Heller and Hollabaugh, 1992).
• To avoid common problems in group work, such as dominance by a single student or conflict avoidance, it can be useful to assign roles to group members (e.g., manager, skeptic, educator, conciliator) and to rotate them on a regular basis (Heller and Hollabaugh, 1992). Assigning these roles is not necessary in well-functioning groups, but can be useful for students who are unfamiliar with or unskilled at group work.

Choose an assessment method that will promote positive group interdependence as well as individual accountability.

• In team-based learning, two approaches promote positive interdependence and individual accountability. First, students take an individual readiness assessment test, and then immediately take the same test again as a group. Their grade is a composite of the two scores. Second, students complete a group project together, and receive a group score on the project. They also, however, distribute points among their group partners, allowing student assessment of members’ contributions to contribute to the final score.
• Heller and Hollabaugh (1992) describe an approach in which they incorporated group problem-solving into a class. Students regularly solved problems in small groups, turning in a single solution. In addition, tests were structured such that 25% of the points derived from a group problem, where only those individuals who attended the group problem-solving sessions could participate in the group test problem.  This approach can help prevent the “free rider” problem that can plague group work.
• The University of New South Wales describes a variety of ways to assess group work , ranging from shared group grades, to grades that are averages of individual grades, to strictly individual grades, to a combination of these. They also suggest ways to assess not only the product of the group work but also the process.  Again, having a portion of a grade that derives from individual contribution helps combat the free rider problem.

Helping groups get started

Explain the group’s task, including your goals for their academic achievement and social interaction.

Explain how the task involves both positive interdependence and individual accountability, and how you will be assessing each.

Assign group roles or give groups prompts to help them articulate effective ways for interaction. The University of New South Wales provides a valuable set of tools to help groups establish good practices when first meeting. The site also provides some exercises for building group dynamics; these may be particularly valuable for groups that will be working on larger projects.

Monitoring group work

Regularly observe group interactions and progress , either by circulating during group work, collecting in-process documents, or both. When you observe problems, intervene to help students move forward on the task and work together effectively. The University of New South Wales provides handouts that instructors can use to promote effective group interactions, such as a handout to help students listen reflectively or give constructive feedback , or to help groups identify particular problems that they may be encountering.

Assessing and reflecting

In addition to providing feedback on group and individual performance (link to preparation section above), it is also useful to provide a structure for groups to reflect on what worked well in their group and what could be improved. Graham Gibbs (1994) suggests using the checklists shown below.

The University of New South Wales provides other reflective activities that may help students identify effective group practices and avoid ineffective practices in future cooperative learning experiences.

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., and Cocking, R.R. (Eds.) (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school . Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Bruffee, K. A. (1993). Collaborative learning: Higher education, interdependence, and the authority of knowledge. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Cabrera, A. F., Crissman, J. L., Bernal, E. M., Nora, A., Terenzini, P. T., & Pascarella, E. T. (2002). Collaborative learning: Its impact on college students’ development and diversity. Journal of College Student Development, 43 (1), 20-34.

Davidson, N., & Major, C. H. (2014). Boundary crossing: Cooperative learning, collaborative learning, and problem-based learning. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25 (3&4), 7-55.

Dees, R. L. (1991). The role of cooperative leaning in increasing problem-solving ability in a college remedial course. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22 (5), 409-21.

Gokhale, A. A. (1995). Collaborative Learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7 (1).

Heller, P., and Hollabaugh, M. (1992) Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups. American Journal of Physics 60, 637-644.

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., and Smith, K.A. (2006). Active learning: Cooperation in the university classroom (3 rd edition). Edina, MN: Interaction.

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., and Holubec, E.J. (2008). Cooperation in the classroom (8 th edition). Edina, MN: Interaction.

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., and Smith, K.A. (2014). Cooperative learning: Improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journl on Excellence in College Teaching 25, 85-118.

Jones, D. J., & Brickner, D. (1996). Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics course. American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference Proceedings.

Kuh, G.D., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J., Bridges, B., and Hayek, J.C. (2007). Piecing together the student success puzzle: Research, propositions, and recommendations (ASHE Higher Education Report, No. 32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Love, A. G., Dietrich, A., Fitzgerald, J., & Gordon, D. (2014). Integrating collaborative learning inside and outside the classroom. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25 (3&4), 177-196.

Smith, M. E., Hinckley, C. C., & Volk, G. L. (1991). Cooperative learning in the undergraduate laboratory. Journal of Chemical Education 68 (5), 413-415.

Springer, L., Stanne, M. E., & Donovan, S. S. (1999). Effects of small-group learning on undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 96 (1), 21-51.

Uribe, D., Klein, J. D., & Sullivan, H. (2003). The effect of computer-mediated collaborative learning on solving ill-defined problems. Educational Technology Research and Development, 51 (1), 5-19.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Teaching Guides

• Online Course Development Resources
• Principles & Frameworks
• Pedagogies & Strategies
• Reflecting & Assessing
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Populations & Contexts

Quick Links

• Services for Departments and Schools
• Examples of Online Instructional Modules

• Our Mission

Six Steps for Planning a Successful Project

Use these guiding principles to pull together projects with the time and resources you have.

Sure, King Middle School has some amazing projects, but the Portland school has been refining its expeditionary learning projects for nearly two decades. David Grant, who guides the school's technology integration and curriculum development, has put together a six-step rubric for designing a project. He says Fading Footprints , which became a model for King and Expeditionary Learning Schools, doesn't take an entire school, or even a team of twelve, to plan and carry out; one or two teachers can tailor this one to fit their time and resources.

Six Steps to Planning a Project

The Fading Footsteps project is a twelve-week interdisciplinary ecology unit centered around the guiding question: How does diversity strengthen an ecosystem? Using this project as an example, see how King Middle School creates an action plan around each step.

Step 1: Develop a compelling topic that covers state standards, has an authentic connection to the local community, and provides opportunities for every student to do meaningful, independent research.

• When it came time to study ecology as part of the science and technology standard, King Middle School teachers agreed that a compelling topic seemed to flow naturally from their local environment. They decided to study indigenous animals that are endangered and threatened, focusing on the animals' habitats and why the animals are in danger.
• A number of local experts visited the school to help kick-off the project; other wildlife experts took the students on an outdoor expedition to see firsthand how living things depend on one another and on non-living aspects of the environment.
• It was a powerful subject that engaged the students in doing something with a real world value. Students selected the animal they wanted to study, researched its life cycle and habitat, learned why it was in danger, and identified possible steps that could reverse the animal's decline.

Step 2: Develop or design a comprehensive final product that each student will have a role in creating, and could be used by local residents or professionals in the field.

• The 1-to-1 laptop program was a bonus when it came to creating a comprehensive final product. Each student used a variety of media to report his or her findings, including writing, producing scientifically accurate field guide illustrations, taking digital photos, shooting video, and working on websites. After each individual project was completed, all students worked together to produce a single CD-ROM representing the entire ecology curriculum. The CD-ROM and their individual work were posted on line on the school website, along with additional resources, including a glossary of terms.
• Students were motivated to produce a professional quality CD-ROM because the teachers had arranged to have the discs placed in Portland's elementary school libraries and to be on sale at the Children's Museum of Portland. In addition, the students' artwork went on display at the museum and at the Maine Audubon Society. In addition, students analyzed professionally published field guides.
• Teacher teams designed and built an exemplar model themselves before assigning it to the kids to make sure it was possible to do in the time frame allotted and with the number of students involved.

Step 3: Involve professional organizations and professionals from the community to connect the academic study with the real world, and have students assume these professional roles during the expedition so they get a sense of what it would mean to be professionally engaged in meaningful work.

• Recruiting professionals began early on with teachers reaching out to various organizations and researchers for assistance and resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided information about the Endangered Species Act, pollution, habitat management and restoration. An expert from the Maine Department of Wildlife visited the school to talk with students. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife provided information on state species populations. The Allied Whale Program at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, hosted a class trip.
• Once they heard and saw how the experts do their work, the students assumed those professional roles for the duration of the project. They became investigators, researchers, artists, and policy advisers. One part of the project had students caring for salmon eggs with the goal of releasing the fish into the river after they hatched.

Step 4: Identify and organize the major learning resources for the expedition, and make sure they're available. (This one is critical and is often left out by schools).

• Well before all the pre-planning is done, teachers have to shop around so they know that there are enough developmentally appropriate resources to go around so every student has a chance to do meaningful research. If those things don't exist, you can be two, three or four weeks down the road on a project and discover there aren't enough learning resources for the students.
• King Middle School avoided what could have been a frustrating experience when teachers started to map out a project to examine the effects of ship wrecks off the coast on the local marine life. They found out that there weren't enough sunken boats in safe locations for each student to conduct meaningful indpendent research.

Step 5: Coordinate calendars. (This may be the hardest piece of all.) Expeditions are interdisciplinary and require a lot of planning to ensure that each piece flows smoothly from one to the next. They require enough time for each component to be done well, for students to get time in the field, for experts to come in at the appropriate place, and for the final product to be high quality.

• Fading Footprints was a twelve-week unit. The final product was very complex; students couldn't be developing tech skills at the same time they were processing content information. The project was broken down roughly into three digestible, meaningful, month-long chunks.
• The first month was dedicated to developing comprehension via direct instruction, reading and research, field trips to the Maine Audubon Society and the College of the Atlantic, and presentations from guest lecturers. All students received formative assessment during this time through journal checks, quizzes and tests, as well as interviews with teachers.
• During the second month, students conducted independent species research and produced a prototype product.
• In the third month, students worked on and refined their final projects. They also critiqued each other's work.
• Tech learning was scaffolded out so students weren't learning the technology at the same time they were creating their individual final products and the CD-ROM.

Step 6: Plan a final experience or culminating event. Showcase student work to the public or outside of school.

• All students received a copy of the CD at the culminating event at the Children's Museum of Portland before their parents, community members, and experts. The CD is available in Portland's elementary school libraries, and was sold at the Maine Audubon Society and the Children's Museum in Portland. In addition, all of the original artwork in the CD was displayed at the Children's Museum.

Adapted from an article in SEED Packet: Spreading Educator to Educator Developments , by King Middle School teacher David Grant, based on King's six-step rubric .

(For more information on the Fading Footprints project, check out our article, "Laptops on Expedition: Embracing Expeditionary Learning." )

What do you think of Schools that Work? Tweet your answer to @edutopia or post your comment below.

Government agencies communicate via .gov.sg website (e.g. go.gov.sg/open). Trusted websites

• SchoolFinder
• CourseFinder
• Academic calendar
• Quick links
• My shortlisted (0)

Last Updated: 18 February 2022

Project Work

Interdisciplinary Project Work is a learning experience that provides primary and secondary school students with the opportunity to synthesise knowledge from various areas of learning and apply it to real-life situations. Students collaborate with their peers and communicate their ideas effectively to achieve a common objective. Learn more about it.

What is Project Work?

Project Work provides a learning experience in which students have the opportunity to synthesise knowledge from various areas of learning, and apply it critically and creatively to real-life situations. Working in groups, students enhance their knowledge and gain important skills to prepare them for future learning and challenges.

Learning outcomes

The key focus and desired outcomes for Project Work are:

Can't Find Your EDUCATION Project Topic?

For quick help chat with us now, +234 813 292 6373, +233 55 397 8005, search for your education project topic, how to get your complete education project instantly.

• Select 3 EDUCATION Project Topics of your choice from the list above
• Submit the 3 topics to your Supervisor for Approval.
• Call Our Instant Help Desk on +234 813 292 6373 and Get Your Complete Project Material Instantly.
• All project materials on this website are well researched by professionals with high level of professionalism.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here's what our amazing customers are saying.

Department Category

• ACCOUNTING 3693
• ACCOUNTING EDUCATION 6
• ADULT EDUCATION 7
• ACTUARIAL SCIENCE 6
• AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 187
• ARCHITECTURE 41
• AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE 294
• ANIMAL SCIENCE 49
• AFRICAN LANGUAGES 7
• BANKING AND FINANCE 1200
• BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 1300
• BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 23
• BUSINESS EDUCATION 16
• BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGY 36
• BIOCHEMISTRY 173
• BREWING SCIENCE 5
• BUILDING AND TECHNOLOGY 114
• COMPUTER SCIENCE 1588
• CHEMISTRY 36
• COMMERCE 25
• COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION 19
• CURRICULUM STUDIES 4
• CIVIL ENGINEERING 84
• CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 211
• ECONOMICS 1229
• EDUCATION 4023
• ENGLISH 368
• ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS 231
• ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 272
• ESTATE MANAGEMENT 213
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP 179
• FOOD SCIENCE & TECH. 137
• FINE & APPLIED ARTS 42
• FISHERY & AQUACULTURE 62
• FORESTRY & WILDLIFE 5
• GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING 197
• GEOGRAPHY 60
• HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 317
• HEALTH & SEX EDUCATION 23
• HOME ECONOMICS 50
• HUMAN KINETICS 25
• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 34
• INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY 36
• INSURANCE 141
• INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 117
• ISLAMIC & ARABIC STUDIES 4
• LIBRARY SCIENCE 214
• MARKETING 998
• MASS COMMUNICATION 1473
• MATHEMATICS EDUCATION 9
• MICRO BIOLOGY 162
• MARINE AND TRANSPORT 6
• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 152
• NURSING 115
• OFFICE TECHNOLOGY 301
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 983
• POLITICAL SCIENCE 590
• PSYCHOLOGY 91
• PHILOSOPHY 164
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT 11
• PHARMACY 21
• PURCHASING & SUPPLY 300
• PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS MGT. 22
• PETROLEUM ENGINEERING 51
• QUANTITY & SURVEYING 74
• RELIGIOUS & CULTURAL STUDIES 19
• SOCIAL STUDIES 10
• SCIENCE LABOURATORY 253
• SOIL SCIENCE 12
• SOCIOLOGY 284
• STATISTICS 126
• THEATRE ARTS 15
• TOURISM & HOSPITALITY 34
• URBAN & REGIONAL PLANING 64
• VOCATIONAL STUDIES 43
• VETERINARY 2
• EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 5
• APPLIED SCIENCE 15
• CRIMINOLOGY 70
• COMPUTER ENGINEERING 51
• HISTORY 124
• INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS & PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 150
• PHYSIOLOGY 28
• MEDICINE 131
• SECRETARIAL STUDIES 131
• PUBLIC HEALTH 99
• NEW PROJECT TOPICS 25
• Click Here For More Departments

Modal title

If you are yet to make payment, see the account details below and make payment immediately to get your complete project now.

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB)

Account Name: PRIMEDGE TECHNOLOGY

Account Number: 0116577831

Account Type: Current Account

Bank: Access Bank

Account Number: 1433892679

Bank: First Bank

Account Number: 3135995490

Account Type: Savings Account

Bank: Zenith Bank

Account Number: 1014849427

Account Number: 2115220494

Bank: Ghana MTN MOMO

Account Name: DOUGLAS OSABUTEY

Account Number: 0553978005

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education – General Curriculum

Within my courses, candidates are provided many opportunities to engage in the actual practice of teaching while receiving the feedback necessary to gain fluency and confidence in their practice.

Kristin Sayeski

Associate Professor

Financial Aid

Application deadlines, news & events, contact information, request information.

The M.Ed. in Special Education is for students seeking a Master’s degree who have completed undergraduate training in a teacher education field and who have a teaching certificate. This advanced program includes the study of research methods and findings that allow students to become informed consumers of research and skilled practitioners. What makes the M.Ed. experience unique is the formal research conducted as part of the applied project.

The minimum 33 hours of coursework includes required courses and applied research individualized to the student’s career objectives. This allows students to gain advanced knowledge and skills in various special education topic areas and across the lifespan.

Master’s students are required to complete an applied project rather than a typical thesis. These projects consist of extensive research and writing a proposal while enrolled in an independent study course the semester prior to the project’s anticipated start.

Once the proposal is approved by the student’s advisor, it is implemented the following semester. The project is completed in the field with real students and actual strategies gleaned from the research. Completed works are presented to a graduate committee and must be approved by a clear majority before the student is allowed to graduate.

In this emphasis, coursework also includes:

• Characteristics of learning disabilities, including dyslexia
• Methods for individualized assessment
• Academic and behavior interventions
• Writing and strategy instruction in the content areas

Accreditations

The University of Georgia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. The University of Georgia also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of the University of Georgia may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website ( www.sacscoc.org ).

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates and student fees can change each year. 

Based on 2022 credit hour cost, a person completing this program at the recommended pace would have paid $13,761 in tuition for a Georgia Resident and $34,650 in tuition for an out-of-state student.

Please use the  Estimated Cost Calculator  on the  Bursar’s Office website  to calculate one academic (Fall/Spring) year’s current tuition. 

Online students pay the following fees: Connect UGA, Green, and Technology. The total for those  fees in the fall semester of 2023 was $147  for students enrolled in exclusively online courses. 

Additional costs may include:

• Exam proctoring fees
• Technology upgrades 

Visit the  Office of Student Financial Aid  for information about financial assistance.

University System of Georgia Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The purpose of TAP is to foster the professional growth and development of eligible employees. For more information, see  Tuition Assistance  (refer to the Distance Learning section). 

Military Assistance

Active duty military, veterans, and military families should visit  Veterans Educational Benefits  to take full advantage of available financial assistance and educational benefits.

Admission Requirements

Professional preparation: Earned, or will have earned, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before the date of enrollment at the University of Georgia.

GPA: Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken.

The state requires that all candidates have a minimum 2.5 GPA on undergraduate or previous graduate work. Go to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission website for details.

Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education – General Curriculum Application Checklist

• Application – Submit the Graduate School Admissions online.  Application fee: $75 Domestic/$100 International.
• Select Campus – Online 
• Select Degree Level – Masters
• Select Intended Program – (TBD)
• Select Intended Term –  Summer
• Résumé or curriculum vita – Submit online to the Graduate School.
• Statement of Purpose – Submit a one-two page statement of purpose online to the Graduate School. The statement of intent should clarify the candidate’s relevant background, interests, and goals in relation to the program.
• Transcripts – Submit unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended as part of the online application. Send official transcripts after you are offered admission.
• Letters of Recommendation  – Submit three letters of recommendation online to graduate school. Letters should be from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s scholarly ability and potential for success in a graduate program.

Domestic Applicants

• Summer: April 1

International Applicants

• Summer: February 15

TOEFL: Foreign applicants will also need to score a minimum of 20 points each on the Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL with an overall minimum score of 80. Test scores must be within 5 years from the date of application.

33 Credit hours

Comprehensive exam.

 All students will take the Comprehensive Exam during their final semester in the program.

Program Handbook

Kelly J. Williams Professor

Kristin Sayeski Associate Professor

Bethany Hamilton-Jones Clinical Professor and Department Head

US News Ranks UGA Online Programs Among Nation’s Best

U.S. News & World Report released their 2024 Best Online Programs rankings with several of the University of Georgia online programs in the top 10.

Contact us using the request for information form or call 706-452-7945 .

Request Info

By submitting this form, you authorize the University of Georgia (UGA) to store the information you have provided on this form. You also authorize UGA to contact you by text message or phone call regarding your inquiry, including by automated texting or calling using the information you have provided on this form. If you provide additional phone numbers including wireless phone numbers to UGA, you also authorize UGA to use those numbers to contact you via any of the aforementioned methods. If you do not want your information stored, please email [email protected].

This site uses cookies.

If you have any questions please email us at [email protected] ..

Take a look inside University of Oregon's $90M overhaul of University and Villard halls

A massive construction project at the University of Oregon's two oldest halls is well underway and on track to be completed by the summer of 2025.

The remodels are meant to retain their historic late-1800s exteriors but with new classroom technology, air systems and communal spaces. The totality of the Heritage Renovation Project, including interior redesign and exterior rehabilitation, will cost $93 million, a project that started off costing an estimated $60 million in 2021 .

Here's what differences community members can expect from the project.

History of the buildings

The 26,000-square-foot University Hall, formerly known as Deady Hall, was built in 1876. It was the first building on UO's campus.

Villard Hall was built in 1885, slightly larger at 32,000 square feet, but with a similar look.

The Heritage Project site is one of only 17 National Historic Landmarks in Oregon.

"They are both historic landmark buildings, so have historic significance now for the state for the nation," said Gene Mowery, the UO’s owner representative for Villard. "We're bringing the exteriors back to — as close as possible — their initial appearance, that includes you know, all of the decorative elements on the buildings themselves. … The buildings should look almost like new buildings from when they were initially built by the time we get done."

Over the years, the two halls have had a few major renovations and dozens of minor renovations, but this renovation project is the biggest yet.

What's new at UO's University and Villard halls?

The two halls, located on the northwest side of campus, are receiving upgrades through the Heritage Renovation Project , intended to rebuild more sustainable and modern spaces for general studies and the Department of Mathematics in University Hall and the Departments of Theatre Arts and Cinema Studies in Villard Hall.

Mowery said the reconstruction is a deferred maintenance project, meaning these upgrades were very much due.

"These buildings haven't received any upgrades to their building systems, meaning heating, ventilation, cooling, for decades," Mowery said. "If you wanted to get ventilation, you'd have to open the window."

Mowery added the team is working to make the buildings more energy efficient, replacing all building systems, including electrical, plumbing, fire protection, computer network, access controls and security to meet the Oregon Model for Sustainable Development and LEED Gold standards.

The structure of the building will also be enforced to withstand seismic events. Tim Allenbaugh, UO's owner representative for University Hall, said they will be adding 10-inch thick concrete walls and steel rods that will not be seen from the outside, bracing the building at critical points.

"We're looking at ways to configure the interior space in a way to account for that loss of square footage," Allenbaugh said.

Mowery said the two halls each started out with mostly open floor plans, but over time, they were divided into more and more offices, seminar rooms and classrooms. One of the biggest renovations to Villard divided Robinson Theater into two floors in 1949. Now, all many of those walls are down, leaving the construction team to construct a wholly new layout.

The new plans for the University Hall feature six classrooms, personal offices, other shared office spaces and a seminar room. University Hall Villard Hall will mainly consist of theater space, classroom labs and more offices.

On the exterior, the now-primary south entrance of Villard Hall will be renovated and made more accessible. The area between the two halls will also be renovated for pedestrian use. Currently, the area is a loading dock with a few parking spaces.

What's getting preserved at University of Oregon's oldest halls?

The two halls will maintain their distinct grey look, an exterior coating of cementitious parging over the original bricks. The exterior layer has been replaced entirely on University Hall, while Villard is in the process of patching and repairing the coating in vulnerable spots.

The signature grey coating wasn't added to the two buildings until after Villard was built in 1885. Mowery said he imagined it was added to both for aesthetic purposes to make them look more uniform, but it had another benefit, making University more water resistant.

"Because these bricks are fairly soft, made by today's standard … so that part's actually helped protect the bricks," Mowery said.

In University Hall, the stairwells on the east side of the building are being retained. Although Allenbaugh said they weren't actually original to the structure — they were added in 1914.

Allenbaugh added that the construction team is repurposing as much of the original beams as possible, most of which are Douglas fir and in great condition. He said some wood might be reused for interior paneling of benches.

The team also intends to reuse all the original windows and exterior frames. All the windows were removed and taken to Portland for restoration, preserving even the old, slightly distorted original glass, according to a news release.

Uncovering hidden features from the past on UO's campus

After months of demolition, left inside each hall is little more than the skeleton of the building. Nearly 150-year-old bare bricks and beams have been uncovered after years of renovations and updates. Mowery wondered at the original constructors' ability to haul thousands of tons of beams up without the use of a crane.

"Over the years, the interiors have been remodeled so extensively, that there's not much historic material that's left in them," Mowery said. "On the interiors, (we) demolished them down to their studs and floors, so they're completely open spaces in there."

Because the buildings were built so long ago, there were several unexpected discoveries the crews found throughout the demolition process. They no longer have the original blueprints for either building, so some of the structures were, surprisingly, a mystery.

"You make assumptions, and you can base it off later projects and some builds, but you really don't know until you start stripping all the finishes away, and you expose it all," Mowery said.

Mowery and Allenbaugh led media through the two construction sites.

Starting in the basement of University, Mowery pointed to original brick archways that they didn't know existed, having been covered up in previous renovations. Now, Mowery said, they have incorporated those arches into the new building plan.

Allenbaugh said that at University, they also found skylights added in 1914 that had been covered for decades. Those, too, will now be included in the final product.

Allenbaugh compared the build to Lincoln Logs, saying all the pieces fit together, sometimes in unexpected ways. They kept discovering new aspects of the structure that they didn't expect.

"The design team is taking their time to make the correct decisions based on what they find because a lot of it was assumed in the beginning, and now you get into it and go 'Oh, that's that's how they held it up,'" Allenbaugh said.

The next steps for the project include adding the seismic-stabilizing cement layer, then the crew will work on reconstruction over the next year.

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at  [email protected]  or find her on Twitter  @mirandabcyr .

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Take action

• Report an antitrust violation
• File adjudicative documents
• Find banned debt collectors
• View competition guidance
• Competition Matters Blog

New HSR thresholds and filing fees for 2024

View all Competition Matters Blog posts

We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition.

View Policy

Search or browse the Legal Library

Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law.

Browse legal resources

• Find policy statements
• Submit a public comment

Vision and Priorities

Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC.

Technology Blog

Consumer facing applications: a quote book from the tech summit on ai.

View all Technology Blog posts

Advice and Guidance

Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business.

• Report fraud
• Report identity theft
• Register for Do Not Call
• Sign up for consumer alerts
• Get Business Blog updates
• Get your free credit report
• Find refund cases
• Order bulk publications
• Consumer Advice
• Shopping and Donating
• Credit, Loans, and Debt
• Jobs and Making Money
• Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts
• Identity Theft and Online Security
• Business Guidance
• Advertising and Marketing
• Credit and Finance
• Privacy and Security
• By Industry
• For Small Businesses
• Browse Business Guidance Resources
• Business Blog

Servicemembers: Your tool for financial readiness

Visit militaryconsumer.gov

Get consumer protection basics, plain and simple

Visit consumer.gov

Learn how the FTC protects free enterprise and consumers

Visit Competition Counts

Looking for competition guidance?

• Competition Guidance

News and Events

Latest news, williams-sonoma will pay record $3.17 million civil penalty for violating ftc made in usa order.

View News and Events

Upcoming Event

Older adults and fraud: what you need to know.

View more Events

Sign up for the latest news

Follow us on social media

-->   -->   -->   -->   -->  

Playing it Safe: Explore the FTC's Top Video Game Cases

Learn about the FTC's notable video game cases and what our agency is doing to keep the public safe.

Latest Data Visualization

FTC Refunds to Consumers

Explore refund statistics including where refunds were sent and the dollar amounts refunded with this visualization.

About the FTC

Our mission is protecting the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition through law enforcement, advocacy, research, and education.

Learn more about the FTC

Meet the Chair

Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021.

Chair Lina M. Khan

Looking for legal documents or records? Search the Legal Library instead.

• Cases and Proceedings
• Premerger Notification Program
• Merger Review
• Anticompetitive Practices
• Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents
• Warning Letters
• Consumer Sentinel Network
• Criminal Liaison Unit
• FTC Refund Programs
• Notices of Penalty Offenses
• Advocacy and Research
• Advisory Opinions
• Cooperation Agreements
• Federal Register Notices
• Public Comments
• Policy Statements
• International
• Office of Technology Blog
• Military Consumer
• Consumer.gov
• Bulk Publications
• Data and Visualizations
• Stay Connected
• Commissioners and Staff
• Bureaus and Offices
• Budget and Strategy
• Office of Inspector General
• Careers at the FTC

FTC Announces Rule Banning Noncompetes

• Competition
• Office of Policy Planning
• Bureau of Competition

Today, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule to promote competition by banning noncompetes nationwide, protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s final rule to ban noncompetes will ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.”

The FTC estimates that the final rule banning noncompetes will lead to new business formation growing by 2.7% per year, resulting in more than 8,500 additional new businesses created each year. The final rule is expected to result in higher earnings for workers, with estimated earnings increasing for the average worker by an additional $524 per year, and it is expected to lower health care costs by up to $194 billion over the next decade. In addition, the final rule is expected to help drive innovation, leading to an estimated average increase of 17,000 to 29,000 more patents each year for the next 10 years under the final rule.

Noncompetes are a widespread and often exploitative practice imposing contractual conditions that prevent workers from taking a new job or starting a new business. Noncompetes often force workers to either stay in a job they want to leave or bear other significant harms and costs, such as being forced to switch to a lower-paying field, being forced to relocate, being forced to leave the workforce altogether, or being forced to defend against expensive litigation. An estimated 30 million workers—nearly one in five Americans—are subject to a noncompete.

Under the FTC’s new rule, existing noncompetes for the vast majority of workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule’s effective date. Existing noncompetes for senior executives - who represent less than 0.75% of workers - can remain in force under the FTC’s final rule, but employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes, even if they involve senior executives. Employers will be required to provide notice to workers other than senior executives who are bound by an existing noncompete that they will not be enforcing any noncompetes against them.

In January 2023, the FTC issued a  proposed rule which was subject to a 90-day public comment period. The FTC received more than 26,000 comments on the proposed rule, with over 25,000 comments in support of the FTC’s proposed ban on noncompetes. The comments informed the FTC’s final rulemaking process, with the FTC carefully reviewing each comment and making changes to the proposed rule in response to the public’s feedback.

In the final rule, the Commission has determined that it is an unfair method of competition, and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers and to enforce certain noncompetes.

The Commission found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in labor markets by inhibiting efficient matching between workers and employers. The Commission also found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in product and service markets, inhibiting new business formation and innovation. There is also evidence that noncompetes lead to increased market concentration and higher prices for consumers.

Alternatives to Noncompetes

The Commission found that employers have several alternatives to noncompetes that still enable firms to protect their investments without having to enforce a noncompete.

Trade secret laws and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) both provide employers with well-established means to protect proprietary and other sensitive information. Researchers estimate that over 95% of workers with a noncompete already have an NDA.

The Commission also finds that instead of using noncompetes to lock in workers, employers that wish to retain employees can compete on the merits for the worker’s labor services by improving wages and working conditions.

Changes from the NPRM

Under the final rule, existing noncompetes for senior executives can remain in force. Employers, however, are prohibited from entering into or enforcing new noncompetes with senior executives. The final rule defines senior executives as workers earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions.

Additionally, the Commission has eliminated a provision in the proposed rule that would have required employers to legally modify existing noncompetes by formally rescinding them. That change will help to streamline compliance.

Instead, under the final rule, employers will simply have to provide notice to workers bound to an existing noncompete that the noncompete agreement will not be enforced against them in the future. To aid employers’ compliance with this requirement, the Commission has included model language in the final rule that employers can use to communicate to workers. 

The Commission vote to approve the issuance of the final rule was 3-2 with Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson voting no. Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter , Alvaro Bedoya , Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson each issued separate statements. Chair Lina M. Khan will issue a separate statement.

The final rule will become effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Once the rule is effective, market participants can report information about a suspected violation of the rule to the Bureau of Competition by emailing  [email protected] . 

The Federal Trade Commission develops policy initiatives on issues that affect competition, consumers, and the U.S. economy. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Follow the  FTC on social media , read  consumer alerts  and the  business blog , and  sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts .

Press Release Reference

Contact information, media contact.

Victoria Graham Office of Public Affairs 415-848-5121

More From Forbes

The story behind the fafsa failure.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

It used to be shocking when classmates passed away. But you can only be shocked so many times; serial shocks give way to sadness, then nostalgia and appreciation. I just learned of the passing of my college classmate Lou Marotti. I wasn’t close to Lou but remember him as a gentle giant who wanted to become a doctor. I knew his roommate better, another aspiring physician, who, after failing to gain admission to a U.S. medical school, headed off to Argentina where, rumor has it, his medical training consisted of giving heart attacks to dogs. (In retrospect, it's hard to fathom how that could be the standard of care for any condition, animal or human.) Lou got himself into a U.S. medical school and became a respected neurosurgeon who bestowed new life by untangling spinal nerves to relieve torturous back pain. Patients conveying condolences to his wife Jill and two young children describe him as an “angel on earth” and “God’s gift to so many people.”

What I learned from Lou’s obituary and the many ensuing tributes is that he seemed to enjoy his limited time. Lou loved racing – “from dirt bikes and Mustangs in his youth to Ducatis and Ferraris” – as well as the finer things in life: an “insane” watch collection, clothing made of “the finest Italian fabric,” wines, spirits, and steaks. “No one knew more about beef than Lou.” One friend recalls marveling as Lou finished a 2½ pound ribeye at Bill Clinton’s favorite steak house. Another writes of Lou’s parties where the menu began and ended with whole roasted pig. “After the kids were in bed,” the obit said, “you could find Lou in the jacuzzi with a cigar, sipping an Islay scotch.” You get the idea.

Lou was also a handsome man. Early in his medical career, his hospital nickname was “Hottie Marotti.” And that could explain this possible blemish. Following his untimely passing, the mother of Lou’s first wife posted the following on Facebook:

He married my daughter in a beautiful wedding… on September 17, 2004. However I am perplexed by the dates in this obituary that state “He met the love of his life, Jill, in 2005,” since he was married. Another passage states “Lou and his wife Jill loved music and rocked out to countless live concerts in their almost 20 years together.”

Really? It is 2024.

There are three takeaways from Lou’s obituary. One, if you want to make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people, become a back surgeon. Two, if you do, you can make scotch-and-cigars-in-a-jacuzzi money. And three, timing matters: timing matters for both major life decisions and their post-mortem recounting.

Timing also matters for federal financial aid. As in getting financial aid offers in April to make enrollment decisions in May. And as in completing a three-year IT project on schedule so as not to risk the financial health of thousands of universities and the education of millions of students.

WhatsApp Brand New iPhone Feature Just Launched That s Much Easier To Use

Apple’s iphone ai plans confirmed with new software release, packers complete safety overhaul with georgia’s javon bullard.

If you’ve been busy enjoying the finer things in life, here’s the state of play. Despite the best efforts of many good people, the Congressionally-mandated simplification of the U.S. Department of Education-administered free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) – reducing the number of questions from 108 to 46 (some applicants will get through with as few as 18 questions) – remains a work in progress. The first delay was access to the form: usually October 1, this year not until January. Since January, an enervating glitch-drip has made it impossible for millions of students to submit, including those whose parents lack Social Security numbers. And submitting is no guarantee of successful completion; up to 30% of submitted forms include calculation errors while 16% have student errors . Colleges can’t issue aid offers until these problems are fixed (up to last month, completion was no guarantee ED would even process applications and send student information to colleges). As of April 12 , submissions are down 25% YoY, completions are down 36%, and aid offers are likely down even more.

Houston, we have a problem

Under pressure from congressmen , senators , and pretty much anyone paying attention, the Department of Education (ED) declared last week a “Week of Action” for FAFSA completion, which echoed in my ears like Trump’s “Infrastructure Week” i.e., attempting to prove too much while not being nearly enough. Meanwhile the standard May 1 deposit deadline is next week, only 34% of colleges have even begun sending financial aid offers to students (54% say they haven’t even started), and Carnegie Mellon may be five months behind its regular process . Although schools like CMU won’t have any difficulty filling seats, the question is whether they’ll be filled with students who wouldn’t be there without financial aid. More important, will less selective schools serving the vast majority of low-income, underrepresented , and first-generation students be able to fill their classes and welcome back returning students? Or will college campuses this fall be even richer and whiter than normal? That would be an awful outcome in any circumstance, but especially cruel since the whole point of FAFSA simplification was to make financial aid more accessible for precisely these students e.g., students with parents without Social Security numbers. Adding insult to injury, FAFSA failure is an awful tech-bookend for a high school class that began its journey at a Zoom-school disadvantage.

The urgent task is to limit the damage and Lumina's Jamie Merisotis has provided a useful roadmap i.e., extending enrollment deadlines, allowing colleges to use earlier income data to set aid for returning students. But it’s also important to ask why it’s taken so long to modify an online form.

While most of the Sturm und Drang has blown around the continued leadership of Richard Cordray at Federal Student Aid (the Wall Street Journal asserts “if Mr. Cordray were a CEO, he’d have been sacked long ago” – a notable contrast with his official ED bio stating “since his appointment in May 2021, Cordray has overseen significant changes to the federal student aid program, including strong standards for performance, transparency, and accountability” – note: unlike FAFSA, Cordray’s ED bio page does work, but like FAFSA, it may not be error-free), it was only two weeks ago that someone first thought to question the contractor hired to do the work. That someone was Senator Warren , Cordray’s Miss Haversham-like benefactor, and the motive might have been to deflect attention rather than delve into the minutiae of federal contracting. So bear with me while I delve into the minutiae of federal contracting.

The contractor hired by ED is General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a systems integrator subsidiary of the $40B+ defense contractor. I suppose the logic is that if they can make Gulfstreams and nuclear subs , they can fix a website. And to be fair, the FAFSA form consisted of millions of lines of COBOL code written over 40 years ago. But FAFSA simplification’s transmogrification into a politically embarrassing 6+ month slow-motion train wreck that will eventually cost Cordray and Secretary Cardona their jobs while GDIT still hasn’t been sacked evinces a problem of contractor management.

The proximate cause of this problem is that government isn’t a hotbed of technology expertise. This explains, as Glenda Morgan put it in the On EdTech blog , ED’s litany of “positive sounding updates that bear little to no relation to [reality].” It also explains why managers are overly dependent on contractors to answer project questions from their superiors. The result is what one former federal official described to me as “extreme vendor preference”; government contractors almost never get replaced. Contractors who do public sector work are willing to trade some margin for much lower (and usually no) churn. But they probably don’t need to trade much; most government contracts are cost-plus, meaning contractors have little incentive to control time (or perhaps meet deadlines) and government rules require payment regardless of whether work is completed. So while Lou Marotti and the rest of us might worry about timing, federal contractors don’t.

To wit, GDIT has held the master services agreement for FAFSA since 2015 and the FAFSA simplification statement of work for over two years. A decade ago, in the midst of the Obamacare site launch disaster, the COO of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – the office responsible for launching the site – said of the systems integrator contractor “if we could fire them, we would.” Replacing the contractor took a full-blown political crisis, a budget that had swollen from $292M to $2.1B, and more than three months from the site’s failure. Congresswoman Foxx, Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, isn’t always on the mark , but is when she noted of FAFSA “this is not a funding issue. This is a management one.”

ED’s management problem is a talent problem. Healthcare.gov was ultimately fixed by Jeff Zients, now President Biden’s Chief of Staff. So at least one person in the Administration knows how to manage contractors for technology projects (but perhaps not many more than that, and certainly not enough). Government’s talent problem sheds some light on the higher education system FAFSA and federal student prop up; as Angel Perez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling told CNBC’s Squawk Box , “we are overly reliant on student loans to fund higher education.” The fact that the system isn't producing enough people with the skills to oversee tech projects and manage contractors, or graduating qualified tech workers for contractors – colleges may have a point on AI or cybersecurity, but can’t say they haven’t had time to produce COBOL talent – is a metonym for a larger problem.

Between the FAFSA kerfuffle about how to pay for increasingly unaffordable college degrees and the increasingly expensive loan forgiveness kerfuffle about whether students should be required to pay for increasingly unaffordable college degrees (that’s a lot of kerfuffling), we’ve lost sight of the big picture, which is that the market has begun to shift from degrees to faster + cheaper alternatives . The new 2022-23 report from National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) found bachelor and associate degrees awarded fell for the second year in a row (2.8% after a decline of 1.6%) while the number of certificates earned grew for the second year in a row (6.2% after rising 6.5% last year). Certificates awarded to 18-20-year-olds grew a remarkable 11.3% (outside of a pandemic, any double-digit enrollment change is worth attending to). What’s even more remarkable is that NSC only tracks certificates from colleges and universities eligible for Federal Student Aid, thereby excluding thousands of certificates such as the Global Association for Quality Management’s Certified Information Technology Manager program , CompTIA’s Project+ program , and even IBM’s Mainframe Developer Professional Certificate where you could have become proficient in COBOL and helped get FAFSA done.

The assumption underlying our preoccupation with FAFSA and loan forgiveness is that degrees warrant significant subsidies while – in relative terms – training is taxed; federal loans are currently only available for programs lasting at least 300 hours over 10+ weeks while Pell Grants are for programs of 600 hours over 15+ weeks. Despite widespread acknowledgement that we need more skills training, it still costs more to borrow for training than college. Most training programs are paid for with high-interest loans, unsecured credit card debt, or out of pocket. It’s the uncollege penalty.

While we’ve been mesmerized by FAFSA and loan forgiveness, we’ve missed big news in postsecondary education financing. Meritize is the largest lender to skills-training-seeking students, funding over 20,000 trainees at 6,000 different providers in tech, aviation, skilled trades, and high return-on-investment healthcare programs like PrepMD (cardiac device technicians and remote monitoring specialists) and Medical Sales College (orthopedic device sales). (Note: PrepMD and Medical Sales College are University Ventures portfolio companies.) Meritize doesn’t lend based on credit score entirely, but also on what it calls “grit score,” which forecasts likelihood of completion and employment outcome.

Meritize recently completed the first large-scale securitization of training debt. The $130M deal, managed by Goldman Sachs and rated by Morningstar, means Meritize was successful in selling rated pools of loans to investors and is now able to recycle that capital into more loans. It’s also the start of a new asset class that will open the door to far more investment into financing training. And it’s all happening without FAFSA, loan forgiveness, or any government involvement According to Meritize founder and CEO Chris Keaveney, “The signal this deal sends is the piece we’re most excited about. There are millions of good-paying and secure skills-based jobs available today in this country in fields like technology and healthcare. This securitization strengthens our ability to help people – many of whom have not been well-served by the current degree-centric model – to get access to the training they need to land jobs in roles and industries that are thriving and are in sharp demand. We view this as tremendous market validation that there are multiple pathways to a great career and economic stability that don’t involve the route of a traditional college degree.”

Meritize’s success leads one to suspect that by the time Congress finally gets around to passing short-term Pell , the market may have moved on, although even the most innovative financial product will have a hard time competing with free money.

The FAFSA failure demonstrates just how myopic and unsustainable our approach to postsecondary education has become. And while I don’t mean to litigate President Biden’s multi-pronged loan forgiveness efforts here (although perhaps the most brazenly political policy thrust of our lifetimes, it’s for a good and perhaps existential cause), if the purpose extends beyond saving democracy to doing something fruitful for postsecondary education – if we’re going to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt for this – there are more productive uses.

Degree programs may well provide some of the most important skills required to manage and deliver technology projects. And I’m not suggesting that a single < 300 hour training program could forestall FAFSA-like failure. But a degree shouldn’t be the only pathway to managing contractors for a federal agency or moving a 40-year-old COBOL form to the Cloud – and definitely not the only subsidized path – particularly when the whole of government has ostensibly embraced degree-free hiring . Specialized training programs that don’t require four years, six figures, and eye-watering student loan debt – and therefore allow graduates to serve the public on a government salary (because not everyone can become a back surgeon) – merit everyone’s support, including (especially) the Department of Education.

Lou Marotti may no longer be with us. But if we want to continue to enjoy the finer things in life like scotch, cigars, and online forms that work, it’s essential to recognize that timing matters. So while it’s imperative that we minimize near-term disruptions from this exogenous (but by no means unforeseeable) shock, the time for a FAFSA-loan-forgiveness-degree-only approach to postsecondary education has come and gone.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Community Member

First time visit profile message with url to edit your profile

Choose content type

Create a post from the types below.

Pop art + clips identification project.

This is a fun and engaging for learners activity combining the Pop Art activity with the power of Clips. I chose to create a video that supports learning the look and sound of a musical instrument.

• Select a photo as the centerpiece of the project.
• Follow the Pop Art activity instructions.
• Open Clips.
• Insert the Pop Art activity from Photos.
• Tap Preview and Record.
• Pinch out to zoom in on the image so that it is difficult to discern what it is.
• Slide the Record button up to lock in place.
• Pinch in to zoom in on the subject and reveal it in its entirety.
• (Optional) Add Posters for covers at the beginning and end.
• (Optional) Add fun effects such as filters, Memoji, text, animated stickers, and/or emoji.
• (Optional) Add a soundtrack.
• Export the Clips video and Save Video or Save to Files.

Celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day by creating your identification project!

#WCID #IDProject

You might also like

Pop Art Passion Project

Create Pop Art with iPad

Export Your Motion Graphic

All Comments

Loading page content

Page content loaded

Posted on April 22, 2024

This takes pop art to a whole new level. Love the music with the photo.

• Copy link to this comment

Posted on April 23, 2024

Super activity combing the two mediums! Students will have a lot of fun with this. Love your creativity in taking the pop art one step further!

250032796020

Insert a video

Supported file types: .mov, .mp4, .mpeg. File size: up to 400MB.

Add a still image to display before your video is played. Image dimensions: 1280x720 pixels. File size: up to 5MB.

Make your video more accessible with a closed caption file (.vtt up to 5MB).

Insert an image

Add an image up to 5MB. Supported file types: .gif, .jpg, .png, .bmp, .jpeg, .pjpeg.

Add details about your image to make it more accessible.

Add a caption below your image, up to 220 characters.

This action can’t be undone.

Error message, are you sure you want to continue your changes will not be saved..

Sorry, Something went wrong, please try again

This post contains content from YouTube.

Attach up to 5 files which will be available for other members to download.

You can upload a maximum of five files.

Choose language

Accept the following legal terms to submit your content.

I acknowledge that I have the rights to post the material contained in this comment.

Review the Apple Education Community Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Your comment includes attachments that must be reviewed.

This content won’t be publicly available until it clears moderation. Learn more

Sign in to continue.

Not a member yet? Join for free when you sign in.

This action is unavailable.

Some actions are unavailable in your country or region.

Please complete your registration.

You must complete your registration to perform this action.

This account may not publish.

This account has been restricted from publishing or editing content. If you think this is an error, please contact us.

Some actions are unavailable outside of your Apple Group.

Do you want to stay logged in?

Work scheduled on West 70th Street, Line Avenue

Project expected to be completed by early summer.

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — Work is scheduled to begin May 1 on a $473,454 project to improve sections of West 70th Street (Louisiana Highway 511) and Line Avenue (Louisiana Highway 523) in Shreveport, the state highway department reports.

Progressive Construction Co. LLC will make concrete panel and joint repairs at several locations along the two highways. Repairs on West 70th will be between Linwood Avenue and Mansfield Road and on Line Avenue between Ashley Ridge Drive and East 70th Street.

Intermittent lane closures will be necessary to allow for construction.

[ Check gas prices ]

The project is expected to be completed by early summer, with progress dependent on weather conditions and other factors that can impact construction timelines, said Erin Buchanan, of the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LaDOTD).

“LaDOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment. Area residents should exercise caution when driving, walking or biking near an active construction zone.”

Copyright 2024 KSLA. All rights reserved.

Louisiana Department of Revenue closes Crawfish Tyme

21 Shreveporters indicted in bank fraud case involving USAA Bank, Teleperformance employees

Juveniles playing with a gun led to 1 shot in face on Rasberry Lane

Missing shreveport man last seen leaving addiction center on klug pines road has been found.

Shooting in Nashville, Ark. ends with 1 injured; 2 Ashdown natives arrested

Latest news.

FIRST ALERT TRAFFIC: Road closures/lane shifts in the ArkLaTex

East Texas traffic conditions

First phase of Jimmie Davis Bridge project set to begin in May

2 men injured during major wreck in Bossier involving RV

New traffic signal set to be activated April 25 in Panola County

Technology education program wants to bring out the geniuses in Chicago's young Black men

CHICAGO (CBS) – A national program with roots in Chicago is helping bridge the gap in the technology divide and encourage self-esteem.

Some say there's a hidden genius in all of us. A program, that teaches technology, entrepreneurship and more is helping young Black men in Chicago and around the country find the genius blossoming in them.

It's aptly called The Hidden Genius Project.

The energy was unmistakable. There was genius in the room.

The Hidden Genius Project is helping young men to be their best selves while learning all things tech.

"The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship and leadership skills to transform their lives and their communities," said Eric Steen the Chicago site director for the program. "We have a 15-month immersion program where our young men obtain over 800 hours of computer science training."

"I love coding. I like how to learn about background of how to make websites, and learn more about how to create it," said Samir Donnejour, a high school sophomore. "I really like how this place has given me opportunities to learn more about it."

On the day CBS 2 visited the program, the geniuses were using coding skills they learned over the summer to create real-life games.

"We put them on teams and make them strategize on how to beat the other team," Steen said. "We put them in obstacle races against other teams, and that allows them to kinda start working together."

Even beyond learning how to work together, the exercise is about brotherhood.

"We know it just doesn't end with the Hidden Genius Project," Steen said. "They become brothers for life."

He added, "I think often times, our young men only have the opportunity to really build that brotherhood when they're playing sports. We wanted to make sure they had the opportunity to build it somewhere else, because they wanted to better themselves. They want to create things for the future."

Speaking of creating a future, Yusuf Seward started in the program as an intern. They liked him so much that now, at age 18, he's the project's innovative educator, taking geniuses through leadership and coding exercises.

"It's teaching them how to use tech in their daily lives to better the communities around them," Seward said. He added, "Just from being here in the time that when some of our geniuses started to where they are now, I can see such a huge difference in their personalities, their maturity and what they know."

Take 16-year-old Zuri, who sees coding, computers, and applied chemistry in his future. He's getting a good start on it all at The Hidden Genius Project.

"The feeling of making something that's unique to you is something that I relate to," Yuri said.

Support services manager Candace Kyles' job is to relate to the geniuses. She's their "go-to" for social and emotional support.

"My job is to make sure that if there's any services they need, whether it's tutoring or mental health services, academic services, that they're getting that," Kyles said. "If they know we care, then they'll come and they'll share big moments with us and they'll share small moments with us, but they always know that someone is one their side."

And that caring creates opportunities in tech, an area where Black people are still underrepresented.

"At the end of the day, we want our boys to have an opportunity. We want them to have access to technology and we want them to feel the love that we know that they deserve," said Steen. "We know that each one of them has a genius deep inside of them and we know that it takes a community to help bring that genius out, and we want to provide that community for them so they can reach their ultimate height."

The Hidden Genius Project is part of a national effort and has divisions in Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit, among other cities. There are also programs for girls, men and women. They just ask that participants bring their curiosity.

For more information on The Hidden Genius Project, visit their website, hiddengeniusproject.org .