Does Project Based Learning Does Project Based Learning Help Foster Communities of Help Foster Communities of Learners in Small US High Learners in Small US High Schools? Schools?

European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction.

Amsterdam, NL

Jason RavitzResearch Director

Buck Institute for Education

jason@bie.org www.bie.org

What is Project Based Learning What is Project Based Learning (PBL)? (PBL)?

PBL is an approach to instruction that organizes learning around projects, defined as “complex tasks, based on challenging questions or problems, that involve students in design, problem-solving, decision making, or investigative activities; give students the opportunity to work relatively autonomously over extended periods of time; and culminate in realistic products or presentations.”

(Thomas, 2000)

What the Literature Says about What the Literature Says about PBL EffectivenessPBL EffectivenessResearch notes that effective use of PBL can help:  Increase academic achievement (including test

scores) and retention of knowledgeFacilitate knowledge application and deep

understanding of contentPrepare students for future learning and mastery of

21st-century skills. Increase student motivation, positive attitudes

toward subject matter, and engagement in learning.  

Be especially effective with lower-achieving students.

What the Literature Says about What the Literature Says about Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

Ann Brown (1997): effective learning communities focus on creating classrooms that support instructional practices (like reciprocal teaching) in which children “learn to think deeply about serious matters”

Perin (2003): changing instructional practice toward a more project oriented, interdisciplinary, and student centered approach can help foster the presence of successful learning communities

Felner, et al., (2007) : The central focus must be “the creation of conditions that engage students, support learning, and enhance development” (pp. 209-210). In effective LCs, student learning is interpersonal and takes place between students and teachers, and among peers.◦ Such an interpersonal approach is embedded within the PBL model

What the Literature Says about What the Literature Says about Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

Leonard and Leonard (2001): “moral communities that are democratic, professional, collaborative, learning communities” are built around “purposive relationship based on a need or desire to solve a problem, create, or discover something” (Leonard & Leonard, 2001)

Harada, Kirio, and Yamamoto (2008): PBL contributes significantly to teacher collaboration because project-focused teaching encourages multi-disciplinary approaches to learning.

Supovitz & Christman (2005): Improved student learning requires a focus on the core relationships between teacher, student and content

Our “Theory”- An Instructional Our “Theory”- An Instructional Focus is KeyFocus is Key

Often, “learning communities” literature only minimally focuses on actual instructional practices. Some definitions of learning community are void of the word instruction (e.g., DuFour and Eaker, 1998)

Instructional reform is consistently a weak link in the small school reform movement

Instruction should to be integrated in the definition of learning communities

PBL instruction is compatible with the goals of learning communities Learning communities often involve aspects of PBL, like:

◦ relationship building and group collaboration in the classroom (between and among teachers and students)

◦ students to play the roles of “a critical thinker, a teacher, a learner, a peacemaker, a supporter, a facilitator, and a documenter” (Felner, et al., 2007)

National Survey PopulationNational Survey PopulationPublic high school

teachers in US

Of “core” academic subjects ◦ math, science, social

studies or English

Invested in PBL◦ through BIE materials or

workshops…OR…◦ in a schools that invested

in PBL E.g., via partner

organizations, bulk handbook purchases, or school-wide workshops

School types:“reform models”“start-ups”“conversions”“large comprehensives”

Measures - PBLMeasures - PBLPBL: For the purposes of the survey, PBL* was defined

as an approach to instruction involving• extended student investigation, • in-depth inquiry into a topic, • some degree of student self-direction or choice,• presentation of findings, results or conclusions.

Time spent using PBL: In the academic course with the most PBL “For a typical student in this course, how much of their overall TIME was spent on project based learning?” ◦ 1 = none or almost none, 2 = less than ¼, 3 = about ¼, 4 = about

½, 5 = about ¾, 6 = all or almost all).

*PBL consistent (replaceable) with inquiry-based or problem-based

Measures - ClimateMeasures - Climate

Teacher Climate was assessed using four items that asked teachers how collaborative their working environment was (e.g., how often they “had regularly scheduled meetings that focused on instructional practices and students’ learning”). The index had a Cronbach’s alpha of .86

Student Climate: seven items about how often students experienced personalized instruction (e.g., formed close mentoring relationships with teachers or met individually to reflect on their progress) or showed pro-learning attitudes (e.g., “encouraged and supported their peers as learners”). The combined index had a Cronbach’s alpha of .88

Items were scored on a 0-4-point scale (0 = “never” 1 =”Rarely”, 2 = “sometimes”, 3 = “frequently”, 4 = “all the time”)

PBL Use by School TypesPBL Use by School Types

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent ofteachers

using PBLmore than¼ of the

time

Reform Network Schools(N=220)

Startup Small Schools(N=63)

Conversion/SLCs(N=102)

Large, ComprehensiveHigh Schools (N=128)

Percent

Correlations of PBL to Student and Correlations of PBL to Student and Teacher Climate, by School TypeTeacher Climate, by School Type

Correlations to amount of PBL use

Teacher climate Index (4 items, alpha=.86)

Student climate Index (7 items, alpha=.88)

-0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6

Reform Network(N=218)

Startup SmallSchools (N=63)

Conversion, non-startup (N=96)

Large,Comprehensive(N=128)

Teacher Culture in Reform Teacher Culture in Reform Models & StartupsModels & Startups

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

TEACHERS had regularlyscheduled meetings thatfocused on instructionalpractices and students'

learning

TEACHERS took a majorrole in shaping the

school’s norms, valuesand practices

TEACHERS hadinstructional coaching or

critical friends visitsbetween teachers

TEACHERS were involvedin school leadership,

setting policies or makingimportant decisions for the

school

ReformNetworkSchools(N=218)

Startup SmallSchools (N=63)

Mean Z-Scores

Student Culture in Student Culture in Reform Models & StartupsReform Models & Startups

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

STUDENTS formed closeacademic advising or

mentoring relationshipswith me or another teacher

STUDENTS had anindividual statement oftheir learning goals that

they periodically reviewedwith me

STUDENTS demonstratedthat they were striving forin-depth knowledge, notjust superficial learning

STUDENTS made their owndecisions about what tolearn or how to learn it

ReformNetworkSchools(N=218)

Startup SmallSchools (N=63)

Mean Z-Scores

PBL Use Correlated to Student and PBL Use Correlated to Student and Teacher Climate, by School TypeTeacher Climate, by School Type

-0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Reform Network(N=218)

Startup SmallSchools (N=63

Conversion,non-startup(N=96)

Large,Comprehensives(N=128)

Correlation with % of time spent on PBL

Teacher climate Index (4 items, alpha=.86)

Student climate Index (7 items, alpha=.88)

Summary of FindingsSummary of FindingsPBL is used more frequently in the

reform model networks and the small school start-ups

Learning community indicators are most frequently reported by teachers in reform model schools, followed by small school startups and then small school conversions

- So, overall PBL and Culture measures were correlated

Summary of FindingsSummary of FindingsTeaching climate is less strongly related to

PBL and easier to change◦E.g., the teacher climate index score was higher

for small school start-ups than for the reform model schools. Correlations to PBL use were about .20

Student climate is more strongly related to PBL and harder to change◦Students giving their best effort, demonstrating a

striving for in-depth knowledge, and making their own decisions about learning were reported more frequently in the reform model schools. Correlations to PBL use were closer to .40

ConclusionsConclusions

PBL thrives when teachers and students experience schools as learning communities

Conversely, teachers and schools who use the most PBL are more likely to realize the goals of learning communities for their students

Examples are provided to show that results may be independent of school type

DiscussionDiscussion• The failure of the reform to infiltrate the overall culture of the school points to the need for an instructional focus that supports the culture of the schools

•For teachers to collaborate they may need something meaningful to work on, that can inspire passion, an opportunity to reflect on and change their instruction.

-An instructional model like PBL can help

•Instructional reforms, like PBL, may be the "next" step to realizing an authentic school-based learning communities