Teaching research methods is a challenging endeavor in any discipline. Approaches that offer beneficial and rewarding learning opportunities to students can improve their experiences of methods courses. This article describes research psychology students' and urban planning students' experiences of an approach that combines experiential and interdisciplinary scholarship in a university-science council research collaboration. Qualitative data from a focus group discussion and in-depth interviews generated three themes: learning about research in the real world, experiences of multidisciplinary teamwork, and professional and personal development of emerging researchers. These themes underline the importance of offering opportunities for learning about research in real-world settings, particularly when it is possible to involve external partners. We present implications of and recommendations for the implementation of the interdisciplinary project-based learning (IPjBL) strategy for teaching research methods.
In recent years, the significance of learner-centered approaches has been widely recognized in foreign language education, emphasizing teacher roles in promoting meaningful learning and 21st-century skills. Project-based learning (PjBL) has long been a constructivist approach involving learners' participation in authentic, real-world issues and meaningful content. This study investigates whether Gold-Standard PjBL is relevant and applicable in Kazakhstani English-medium schools and explores the attitudes of school administration toward EFL teachers implementing PjBL and their support for it. Qualitative and quantitative data involving 103 EFL teachers reveal that teachers are aware of the PjBL essentials and acknowledge the support of their school administration. However, their teaching practices fail to comply with the essential principles of a Gold-Standard, requiring further encouragement and promotion.
This study investigated the effect of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach on the problem-solving skills of middle school students as they learned about probability, a content area of eighth-grade curriculum. The research was carried out in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study group consisted of 39 eighth-grade students (14 female and 25 male students) studying at a middle school located in a province in the northern part of the Black Sea Region of T & uuml;rkiye. Data collection tools included the equivalence test (ET), the problem-solving test (PST), the Semi-Structured Interview Form (SSIF), and scenarios and activities prepared for the experimental group (EG). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples and the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that the problem-solving skills of the EG students, who were taught using the PBL approach, were better than those of the control group (CG) students, who were taught using traditional expository teaching. Therefore, in mathematics teaching, PBL is the recommended approach to support students' problem-solving process in the mathematics curriculum.
The ideas of project-based language learning (PBLL) align well with the action-oriented approach, which is currently seen as the most promising approach in language education (Piccardo & North, 2019). In this study, we carried out the scoping review of empirical research articles describing the implementation of PBLL in higher education during the last 10 years (2011-2021), to answer these research questions: How are project-based language learning experiences designed and implemented in higher education? What are the characteristics of effective language learning projects that could be offered to university students? The results reveal that PBLL can be implemented in creative and varied ways in language education. The reviewed cases provide various solutions for topics, questions, or problems of projects; ways of designing the authentic learning environment; measures for ensuring student choice and voice; ideas for students’ reflection, critique, revision, and assessment; as well as a range of public products that students could create as outcomes of projects, which may be beneficial for language educators and curriculum designers in higher education.
This paper reports on a study of a graduate-level interdisciplinary problem-based learning (iPBL) course focused on equity in local educational policy. The course combined principles of problem-based learning, project-based learning, and interdisciplinary learning by enabling students to collaborate across disciplines while navigating a complex problem and implementing a practical solution. Students participating in the course reported that they learned about social context and policy, developed interdisciplinary and collaboration skills, and considered new methodological approaches. This learning was spurred by the need to navigate interdisciplinary and methodological differences in a co-created course structure where the instructors served as interdisciplinary role models. Students found navigating diverse disciplinary perspectives challenging and struggled to put a plan into action within a short timeframe. Despite these limitations, the experience fostered the development of knowing-practice specific to the needs of graduate students who are committed to making an impact on policy. The case illustrates the power of iPBL in developing learners who are better prepared to address complex issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
K-12 educators are increasingly implementing inquiry-based learning as a way to foster problem-solving within their learning contexts. However, the literature suggests that they adapt instruction on a number of contextual characteristics, which suggests it may be unclear how to define and implement inquiry-based learning. It is also important to address this issue for administrators and policymakers who wish to support teachers. To address this gap, this study employed a Delphi study to determine the shared consensus among K-12 teachers (N=15) on different characteristics of inquiry-based learning. The initial agreement focused on items related to the classtime teacher-student: collaboration, student inquiry, and teacher facilitation. However, teachers did not reach consensus on characteristics related to case design, problem complexity, and debriefing/reflection. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Problem framing is an essential yet under-explored aspect of problem-based historical inquiry. This study investigated how tenth-grade students in one AP US History class framed an ill-structured historical causal reasoning problem. Data included students’ written brainstorms, students’ responses to open-ended interview questions, and researcher-created causal diagrams. The analysis, grounded in both empirical data and existing literature on historiography and problem-solving, reveals three key dimensions for researching and teaching problem framing: (a) establishing the scale of the problem space, (b) identifying relevant agents and structures, and (c) establishing causal interactions. The findings underscore the importance of metacognition, particularly the need to weigh the affordances and constraints of alternative framings. The study concludes by offering relevant instructional interventions, such as explicitly teaching problem framing concepts, designing tasks to elicit problem framing, and using prompts and visualizations to help students reflect on their problem framing.
Incorporating design thinking in project-based learning (PBL) can generate a new praxis to epitomise an ecology of active-learner approach and embrace the authenticity of collaborative problem-based learning. Design-oriented disciplines in higher education are expanding their teaching and research objectives to prepare future designers to confront the increasingly complex problems arising in the new normal. This paper discusses the learning outcomes of two joint collaborative PBL projects by higher education institutes in Hong Kong and Australia to explore the application of the theoretical structure of design thinking to multidisciplinary design projects where students partner with community stakeholders and professionals to construct new social innovation. The paper explains how empathic design can encourage transdisciplinary student engagement, enhance learners’ motivation and generate a sustainable impact on society.
This research aims to increase our understanding about active learning effects, applying PBL methodologies, students’ to increase the motivation in various class groups of a Graphic Engineering subject. The measurement instruments were a cross-sectional survey carried out (n = 269) during the years 2015 to 2019 through triangulation of data analysis. A quantitative comparison of the students' evaluations has also been carried out. This research aims to provide new evidence to improve learning using active learning methodologies. The development of these teaching activities, in addition to promoting creative and innovative thinking in students, has contributed to the improvement in the visualization of geometric models and the understanding of statements and solutions.
We are pleased to introduce this special issue of the International Journal of Problem-Based Learning (IJPBL), titled “Designing for Equity within Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning.” In this issue, we focus on designing intentionally for equity within Project-based and Problem-based Learning to foster educational equity, advance justice, and promote deeper, more meaningful learning experiences for all students.
Project-based learning (PjBL) is an inquiry-based approach that aims to engage students in active, meaningful, and challenging experiences connected to the world outside the classroom. However, PjBL’s student-centered approach has not always explicitly focused on educational equity. The goal of this paper is to provide a PjBL curriculum design framework that goes beyond creating engaging curriculum to providing experiences that are equitable, relevant, and meaningful to all students, while also supporting students’ learning and identity development. To do so, we examined recent PjBL curricula and related literature to identify the PjBL design features leading to impactful and equitable yearlong K-12 curriculum. We present cross-cutting PjBL curriculum design principles and lenses to interpret those design principles.
Project-based learning (PjBL) is an inquiry-based approach that aims to engage students in active, meaningful, and challenging experiences connected to the world outside the classroom. However, PjBL's student-centered approach has not always explicitly focused on educational equity. The goal of this paper is to provide a PjBL curriculum design framework that goes beyond creating engaging curriculum to providing experiences that are equitable, relevant, and meaningful to all students, while also supporting students' learning and identity development. To do so, we examined recent PjBL curricula and related literature to identify the PjBL design features leading to impactful and equitable yearlong K-12 curriculum. We present cross-cutting PjBL curriculum design principles and lenses to interpret those design principles.
This study explores the integration of culturally responsive mathematical modeling (CRMM) in primary grades to promote racial justice and critical consciousness. The research focuses on how CRMM can support problem-based learning (PBL) by engaging students in analyzing real-world issues through mathematics. CRMM leverages students' cultural knowledge, identities, and experiences to critically examine and address social justice issues, such as racial representation in classroom libraries. The study utilizes a case study approach to investigate the supports and challenges faced by two primary grade teachers in designing and implementing a CRMM task, the Library Diversity Project. This project aimed to evaluate and improve the fairness of classroom library collections by analyzing the representation of different racial and cultural groups in children's books. The research highlights the importance of collegial support, critical reflection, and the use of specific pedagogical tools, such as decision matrices and graphical representations, in facilitating CRMM. Key findings indicate that CRMM tasks can cultivate critical awareness and empathy among students, enabling them to take action to address inequities. The study also unveils the complexity of implementing CRMM, particularly in navigating political, contextual, and mathematical challenges. Teachers' critical reflexivity and collaboration were essential in addressing these challenges and fostering a learning environment that allowed students to use mathematics to analyze an issue and take action. The research contributes to the literature on equity-focused mathematics education by providing empirical evidence of the potential of CRMM to promote social justice in the primary grades. It emphasizes the need for ongoing professional development and support for teachers to effectively integrate CRMM into their practice. The study concludes with recommendations for future research and practice in culturally responsive mathematics teaching.
Education thought leaders highlight the need to expand access to high-quality STEM learning for students historically underrepresented in STEM fields, and project-based learning (PjBL) is often seen as a key strategy. Introducing PjBL to classrooms typically focuses on building teacher capacity, but principals also play a key role in effective implementation. This paper describes findings from an action research study that investigated ways to help school leaders learn to support PjBL in ten mid-high poverty schools as part of a federally funded grant to increase access to STEM for underrepresented students. Findings highlight the need to (a) help principals understand how PjBL can support learning needs by observing implementation with similar student populations, (b) provide principals with a variety of targeted learning opportunities to learn how to support implementation, (c) consider school context when planning PjBL support, and (d) ensure plans for PjBL implementation are aligned with systemwide goals.
While project-based learning (PBL) and asset-based equity pedagogies (ABEPs) have traditionally been studied separately, there is reason to believe that the combination of the two strategies can produce unimaginable. This study examines the relationships between students’ perception of both PBL and ABEPs as it relates to non-academic outcomes such as problem-solving abilities, likelihood to persist, and civic consciousness and engagement. Bivariate regression was used to determine the degree to which exposure to PBL and ABEPs explains the variance in student outcomes. Student focus group data confirms and expands our quantitative findings.
This study reports on the design and implementation of an equity-focused, project-based algebra curriculum in two advanced eighth-grade classrooms. We document with substantial detail a promising approach to capturing how students demonstrate and build robust mathematical understandings in ways that strongly connect to equity issues. We illuminate important avenues through which the proposed framework, design principles, and the Teaching for Robust Understanding framework (Schoenfeld, 2020) can effectively support the design, implementation, and assessment of equity-focused PjBL curricula. The paper concludes by discussing implications for researchers, teachers, curriculum designers, and the broader project-based learning (PjBL) community.
This exploratory study, grounded in critical race, social-cultural, and critical literacy theories, uses children’s literature as a catalyst for engaging preservice teachers (PSTs) in critical conversations about systemic racism and its impact on curricular and instructional decisions. Integrating tenets from both project-based learning (PBL) and antiracist teaching, we focus on three major practice markers for PSTs: (1) acquiring knowledge of experiences and histories of communities marginalized by society; (2) integrating content and pedagogical knowledge with antibias practices to create a culture of caring and curricular restorative justice; and (3) bridging coursework towards authentic calls to action. We share our experiences as teacher educators alongside an exploration of PSTs perceptions and experiences engaging in an antiracist PBL.
The effect of the New Tech Network (NTN) design on several academic measures was tested on ninth graders in four schools in the Southeastern United States. Results suggest that, when implemented with fidelity to the model, there is a significant effect of the NTN treatment on achievement test scores as students in NTN schools scored higher on both the End of Course (EOC) Math and ELA tests compared to students in control schools. This effect remained after controlling for Poverty, Race, and Preexisting Achievement Level. Students in NTN schools also were slightly more likely to earn dual credit compared to students in the control schools. However, there was no effect of the NTN treatment on dropout rate and students in NTN schools were more likely to be retained in their current grade level compared to students in the control schools.
Design -based Research (DBR) focuses on real -world problems, emphasizes studying an educational intervention in its supposed context, uses a cyclical process of design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement, utilizes mixed research methods, stresses reciprocal relationships between theories and practice, and involves a close collaborative relationship between researchers and practitioners. Three iterative DBR research cycles were conducted on a project -based learning (PjBL) implementation in three population health nursing clinical PjBL blocks at a Midwest university. Data were collected at the end of each cycle through surveys, focus group interviews with students, faculty, and clinical agency contacts, as well as student work and performance. The data were analyzed, and revisions and improvements were planned for subsequent blocks and future use in the course.
Bibliometric reviews of research have gained increased popularity since the mid -2010s. Yet, many readers may be uncertain as to the purpose and method of bibliometric reviews. This article provides an introduction to bibliometric reviews, clarifies their purpose, and elaborates on methods of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The latter half of the article is devoted to an illustrative, state -of -the -science, bibliometric review of research on problem -based learning (PBL). In this illustrative review, the author applied descriptive statistics, citation analysis, and co -citation analysis to a database of 5,764 Scopus -indexed documents on problem -based learning published between 2017 and 2022. The analyses found increasing diversity of the PBL knowledge base with respect to geographical sources, subject area origins, and focus of the research compared with findings reported in past reviews. Author co -citation analysis visualized the intellectual structure of the recent PBL literature revealing four dominant schools of thought: Interdisciplinary PBL Theory and Practice, Active Learning, Social and Experiential Learning, and PBL Process. The findings highlight the continuing growth and spread of PBL, as well as a trend of integration with other methods of experiential and active learning.
