Examining Unique Links Between Teachers' Project-Based Learning Practices and the Quality of Student Work

• In Event: Connections Between Inquiry-Based Teacher Practices and Student Outcomes

Abstract

Overview

Project based learning (PBL) may have the potential to shift classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered spaces. Such a shift transforms the type of educational experiences offered to students, especially minoritized students who are more likely to be subjected to rote instructional models in which their ways of knowing and devalued (Au & Gourd, 2013). Emerging research has linked PBL with student achievement (Saavedra, 2021), prior research on PBL programs show conflicting results in students’ academic gains (Gijbels et al., 2005). One reason for this discrepancy may be in the lack of research exploring teacher enactment of practices associated with PBL (Author et al., 2019). To address the gap, this research explores the link between teachers’ growth in PBL practices after PD and the quality of students’ work.

As such, we ask the following questions:
Q1. Did teachers increase their implementation of practices related to core PBL domains (i.e., disciplinary, authentic connections, iteration, and collaboration) after undergoing PD?
Q2. Did students’ work evidence increase in quality (i.e., higher-order thinking, conceptual/factual knowledge, and disciplinary problem-solving) after teachers underwent PD?
Q3. Did growth in teacher core PBL practices significantly predict the quality of student work after teachers underwent PD?

Method

Thirteen teachers videotaped classroom instruction from a PBL unit and submitted samples of student work (SW) before and after undergoing practice-based PBL training. Teacher videos (scale of 1=no presence to 4=high support) and SW samples (scale of 0=no presence, 1=presence) were scored using the PBL protocol. Interrater reliability was above .6 kappa across teacher practices and SW. Two video scores, one from the beginning and one from the end of a PBL unit, were averaged for a composite pre- and post- score for each teacher. For student work, three samples from pre- and post-timepoints were randomly chosen, averaged, and quality components summed for a composite pre-post score.

Results

Q1. Growth in Teacher Practices. Paired samples t-tests revealed that teachers significantly grew in their disciplinary, t(11)=3.02, p=.012, and iteration practices, t(11)=3.71, p=.003, but not in their collaboration t(11)=1.14, p=.275, and authentic practices, t(11)=.98, p=.349 (See Table1).
Q2. Growth in Student Quality. To explore increases in the quality of SW, paired samples t-tests revealed significant increases in high-level thinking processes, t(12)=2.93, p=.013, and disciplinary problem-solving, t(12)=3.53, p=.004 (See Table1).
Q3. Links between Teacher Practices and Quality of Student Work. Growth scores were used for SW quality and teacher practices. OLS regression analyses revealed that teachers’ growth in their disciplinary practices, 𝛃=.85, p=.007, predicted growth in student’s quality of work. Iteration, 𝛃=.75, p=.059, and authentic practices, 𝛃=.78, p=.083, were approaching (See Table2).

Significance and Implications

This research explored links between teachers’ growth in PBL practices and growth in SW quality. Teacher improvement in disciplinary, authentic, and iteration practices seem to indicate an improvement in the quality of students’ work. Thus, PBL practices may provide students opportunities to deepen learning in meaningful ways. Future PD may want to target these practices, in particular, as leverage to advance student academic achievement.

Authors

• JeanMarie Farrow, Fairleigh Dickinson University

• Sarah Schneider Kavanagh, University of Pennsylvania

• Pam Grossman, Stanford University

• Preeti Ganesh Samudra, SUNY - College at Plattsburgh

• Christopher G. Pupik Dean, University of Pennsylvania

• Zachary Herrmann, University of Pennsylvania