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Core practices for project-based learning, you are here, what is project-based learning, project-based learning (or pbl) is an approach to teaching and learning that has students take on real-world problems in authentic ways. it engages students in authentic roles like that of a scientist, historian, or mathematician to work on authentic problems, whether it be in their classrooms, communities, or societies, and to produce real solutions that have real impacts on real audiences., in doing so, students learn not only rich academic skills but also social-emotional skills, leadership, collaboration, and how to problem-solve with others to take on pressing challenges or opportunities..

While significant efforts have focused on building and researching curriculum materials for PBL, very little work has focused on how to prepare teachers to enact these curricula. This is where PennPBL comes in—the PennPBL program focuses on the important work of cultivating teachers’ capacity to enact the core practices of project-based teaching.

  • WHAT IS PROJECT-BASED LEARNING?
  • THE PENNPBL FRAMEWORK
  • DISCIPLINARY LEARNING
  • AUTHENTIC LEARNING
  • COLLABORATION
  • JUSTICE IMPERATIVE
  • ABOUT THE PENNPBL TEAM
  • RESEARCH BY THE TEAM

The PennPBL Framework

PBL is a remarkably powerful approach to teaching and learning, but it is also remarkably challenging to do it well. Teachers must draw on extensive knowledge and many skills in order to facilitate PBL effectively. And so at Penn GSE, we’ve studied the teaching practices that support the ambitious learning objectives of PBL and identified four driving goals of PBL that focus on what students learn, as well as ten core teaching practices that focus on what teachers do to support it.

The four driving goals of PBL include Disciplinary Learning , Authentic Work, Collaboration, and Iteration . These goals are what teachers hope students will achieve  through project-based instruction.

In order to support teachers’ pursuit of these four goals in their daily instruction, we have identified core practices associated with each of these goals that can be enacted across disciplines and contexts .

Read on to learn more about each of these four core practices, as well as view guiding questions, example instructional moves and strategies, and resources for implementing these practices into your own context.

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Disciplinary Learning

A core goal of PBL is that students explore and deepen their understanding of the core content, questions, and practices within the disciplines. In other words, what are the big ideas and the tools and strategies of history or mathematics or science? In PBL, rather than asking students to learn about history, we actually engage them in doing historical inquiry. Students are not learning about science, they are actually creating and engaging in scientific inquiry to construct knowledge on their own.

Consider the following questions as you plan a project and as you reflect on your own teaching, and consider the changes and modifications you can make to create more opportunities and provide more support for students to engage in rich disciplinary learning.

Engage Students in Disciplinary Practices

Teachers  support students to do the kinds of work that practitioners actually do.

Ask Yourself...

  • How am I encouraging all students to think, talk, and act like historians, scientists, mathematicians, civically-minded individuals, etc.?
  • Is what all students are doing right now a thing that a scientist, historian, mathematician, legislator, or other professional would actually do in the course of their work?

Try This...

  • Engage students in tasks that are open-ended, require different approaches and skills in order to be completed successfully, and which require students to engage in several different disciplinary practices.
  • Disrupt common perceptions of “intelligence” or “competence” by conducting a “Multiple Abilities Status Treatment” at the onset of the project.
  • Name the different skills and abilities that will be necessary to complete the activity by referring to the disciplinary practices that will be required.
  • Convince students that the task relies on multiple abilities, and that every student will bring value and different abilities to their team —no one will have all of the abilities but everyone will have some.

Elicit Higher-Order Thinking

To elicit higher-order thinking, teachers support students to evaluate, analyze, test, or critique information.

  • How will I hold all students to high expectations, and support each student to reach them?
  • What question, prompt, or problem can I share with each student to push their thinking?
  • How can I encourage all students to synthesize, evaluate, justify, or defend?
  • Engage students in projects, tasks, and activities that are inherently open-ended and uncertain, such that there is no one right answer and their process and choices decide the direction of their group product.
  • Engage students in multiple-ability projects, tasks, and activities that require students to engage several different abilities in order to be successful.
  • Encourage students to justify their arguments, explore alternative solutions, and examine issues from different perspectives.

Orient Students to Subject-Area Content

Teachers continually center core disciplinary understandings, key concepts, or big ideas of their academic subject or discipline. Content and learning goals remain the focus, while students pursue answers to authentic questions of an academic discipline. 

  • How can I help all students connect their work on the project with core ideas, skills, or content of the subject area?
  • Is what we’re doing right now intimately connected to core ideas, skills, or content in my subject area? Is what we are grappling with important and meaningful ?
  • Engage students in projects, tasks, and activities that deal with a central concept or big idea of the discipline.
  • Provide specific evaluation criteria for the group product with clear connections between the activity and the central concept.

Authentic Learning

PBL engages students in exploring questions and problems that are relevant to themselves as individuals, their communities, and the world. This means that students have opportunities to draw on their own insights, interests, experiences, knowledge, perspectives, and skills to explore and make sense of what they’re learning about. They also have opportunities to draw connections between what they’re learning about in school and problems that exist in the broader community.

Consider the following questions as you plan a project and as you reflect on your own teaching, and consider the changes and modifications you can make to create more opportunities and provide more support for students to engage in rich authentic learning.

Support Students to Build Personal Connections to the Work

To support students to build personal connections to their work, we can ask students to share their personal opinions about the work in which they’re engaged. And students are asked to consider: what does the work mean to me?

Ask Yourself…

  • Why is this work important or meaningful to my students?
  • How can I support all students to build deeper connections between themselves and their work?
  • Which of my students appear most engaged? Which of my students should I learn more about? How will I be curious about my students?
  • Spend time getting to know your students through one-on-one conversations and empathy interviews.
  • Consider if and how your students’ identities are represented in the topics and content that you’re covering.
  • Create opportunities for students to consider what they're learning in light of their own experiences, beliefs, values, or interests.

Support Students to Make a Contribution to the World

Create opportunities for students to take on real-world roles as they work on authentic problems and create products that have a meaningful impact on themselves or their communities.

  • Is this work addressing a real question, problem, or need?
  • Are all of my students taking on real-world roles as they engage in this work?
  • Are my students working with materials, data, or text that are also used outside of school?
  • Will the product of my students’ work contribute to someone or some community?
  • Consider how all of these authentic elements come together in your project.
  • Hook students with an intriguing artifact or experience , such as a newspaper article, field trip, demonstration, or data set, and have them generate questions based on their own curiosities.

Collaboration

Most authentic problems require people to work together to solve them. PBL creates opportunities for students to practice and develop their skills at working with others on meaningful and complex questions and challenges.

Consider the following questions as you plan a project and as you reflect on your own teaching, and consider the changes and modifications you can make to create more opportunities and provide more support that enhance collaboration for students.

Support Students to Make Choices

Resist making all of the choices yourself throughout the project. Instead, offer students support for making big and small decisions that will affect their processes and their products.  

  • Where am I giving all students opportunities to make real and consequential choices ?
  • What support am I providing so that all students develop as thoughtful decision-makers ?
  • Ask students to choose between a set of predetermined options, and provide a justification for their decision.
  • Create predictable routines that allow students to lower their level of stress and “collect themselves."
  • Consider asking a question rather than making a correction.

Support Students to Collaborate

Actively support student collaboration by defining student roles and responsibilities, designing and managing group processes, and supporting students to reflect on, and refine, their collaborative efforts. Scaffold collaboration and closely monitor participation, communication, and teamwork throughout collaboration. Intervene when necessary to support students’ capacity to work effectively together.

  • What opportunities am I providing for all students to work together on meaningful and interdependent work?
  • How am I monitoring student participation within groups, and what supports am I providing to encourage equitable participation ?
  • What status issues am I seeing within groups? How will I disrupt harmful or unproductive patterns of talk and participation?  Read more about equity in cooperative classrooms here .

Design a task, project, or activity that is appropriate for collaboration.

  • Require both a group and individual product.
  • Design a task, project, or activity that requires positive interdependence, where students must depend on each other to be successful.

Support students to collaborate effectively.

  • Support students with collaboration protocols.
  • Determine which roles will best support student collaboration and learning , and support students to play those roles effectively.
  • Establish clear behavior expectations, including the supportive behaviors you expect to see.
  • Create space for students to reflect on their groups’ process and effectiveness; for example, by conducting an after-action review.

Monitor groups and intervene when necessary.

  • Reinforce productive decisions by acknowledging when students attempt to make healthy connections with others or regulate their behavior.
  • Observe groups for several minutes and take notes on interactions. Afterwards, discuss the quality of the group interactions using the observed evidence.

In many classrooms, one of the goals of PBL is to position students as active and iterative designers and creators. Whether it’s ideas, arguments, or proposals, they’re constantly  iterating and improving their work.

Consider the following questions as you plan a project and as you reflect on your own teaching, and consider the changes and modifications you can make to create more opportunities and provide more support to make learning iterative for students.

Track Student Progress and Provide Feedback

Provide feedback on student work throughout a given unit or project, rather than solely at its completion. Keep in mind that student feedback is not rationale for a grade; instead, it’s useful suggestions that students are expected to use to improve their thinking and work.

  • What intentional opportunities am I giving all students to review each other’s work and provide feedback?
  • What supports do all students need to give and receive high-quality feedback?
  • Provide clear evaluation criteria that reflects multiple abilities
  • Co-create rubrics with students and support them as they track their growth

Support Students to Give and Receive Feedback

Give students the opportunity to see and critique each other’s in-progress work. Support students to learn the skills of giving and receiving feedback.

  • How am I assessing or tracking the progress of each student ? What data am I gathering about where each student is?
  • How am I using that data to support each student ?
  • How can I support all students to engage in self-assessment or self-tracking?
  • Determine and communicate a specific feedback protocol. This may include modeling respectful communication and establishing clear behavior expectations, including the supportive behaviors you expect to see.
  • Ask students to select a specific target area and ask their peers for feedback.
  • Create several cycles of feedback.

Support Students to Reflect and Revise

Teachers dedicate time and provide ample support for students to reflect on their progress and to revise their plans, thinking, and work. 

  • What intentional opportunities am I creating for all students to reflect on their work?
  • How am I supporting all students as they use their reflections to revise and improve their work?
  • Provide clear evaluation criteria that incorporate a broad set of learning goals.
  • Ensure that students have several opportunities to receive feedback, and that those opportunities are timely and ongoing.
  • Give students opportunities and support to revise their work after receiving feedback.

Black and white photo of people high-fiving around a table of stacked cups

Justice Imperative

PBL can be a powerful tool to disrupt inequitable patterns in who has access to a meaningful and fulfilling education. When done thoughtfully, PBL has the capacity to create learning environments that are rich in (inter)disciplinary learning, authentic to students and their communities, collaborative, and iterative. However, like many approaches to teaching and learning, when done without high levels of intention and skill, PBL can serve to reinforce inequitable, unjust, and problematic realities.

The PennPBL program is committed to helping teachers build their capacity to pursue the four driving goals of PBL through the high-quality and equitable enactment of the ten core teaching practices of PBL in ways that support all students to grow, develop, and flourish.

About the PennPBL Team

A lot of work has been done around curriculum design of projects, but we know that curriculum doesn’t teach itself. While PBL requires a strong project idea, it also requires thoughtful and skilled teaching in order for students to fully realize the potential of the project. The PennPBL project at Penn GSE has focused on the knowledge, skills, and mindsets that teachers need to enact PBL and how teachers develop as PBL educators.

Christopher P. Dean Headshot

Christopher P. Dean Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Sarah S. Kavanagh Headshot

Sarah Schneider Kavanagh Ph.D., University of Washington

Pam Grossman Headshot

Pam Grossman Ph.D., Stanford University

Zachary Herrmann Headshot

Zachary Herrmann Ed.L.D., Harvard University

Research by the Team

You can read more about project-based learning and teaching here:

Core Practices for Project-Based Learning, A Guide for Teachers and Leaders

Preparing Teachers for Project-Based Teaching

Exploring Relationships between Professional Development and Teachers’ Enactments of Project-Based Learning

Professional Learning Opportunities

Several people build a structure out of sticks and marshmallows top of a table

Project-Based Learning

The Project-Based Learning certificate program is designed for current educators who strive to create rich, meaningful, and rigorous learning experiences through student-centered approaches to teaching and learning. Developed in collaboration with the Science Leadership Academy, the Workshop School, Inquiry Schools, and EL Education, the program leverages the educational expertise of Penn GSE's faculty and some of the most skilled and experienced student-centered learning practitioners from across the country.

Several people shovel dirt

Project-Based Learning for Global Climate Justice

The Project-Based Learning for Global Climate Justice program equips educators with the knowledge and skills they need to design projects that engage students in this important environmental justice work. Learn about PBL for Global Climate Justice and how to engage your students in authentic, action-oriented, and meaningful learning experiences. The time to take action on global climate change is now.

  • Our Mission

Starting Small With PBL

A middle school chemistry teacher has three tips for teachers who find project-based learning daunting.

Student creating a subatomic model in chemistry class

This year I embarked on an adventure: implementing project-based learning (PBL) during a middle school chemistry unit. It was intimidating at first, but my experience convinced me that PBL can be successfully implemented in nearly any classroom.

My eighth grade class designed a chemistry museum—a series of displays that demonstrated what they had learned. They created a human timeline, dressing up as figures from the history of chemistry; built models of atoms and created demonstrations of reactions; and even produced a periodic table made entirely of cupcakes. On the day of the museum, they acted as tour guides for other classes, taking their peers through the displays and explaining the chemistry.

My students designed every inch of the museum themselves. I built tasks that took them through what they needed to know, but they chose what to display. I answered questions and moderated a few group arguments, and then got out of their way. The entire project took us around two months, and I didn’t stand in front of the room lecturing for a single day of that.

And my students came to understand chemistry at a level that I had never seen from previous classes because they found all of the answers to their questions on their own.

Yes, PBL can be daunting. But even if you’re not ready to fully take the plunge into PBL, there are a few easy ways to try out some of the ideas without completely changing the way you teach.

Dipping Your Toe in the PBL Water

First, integrate student choice into your classroom. With teacher support, students can learn to make good choices for themselves. I allowed students to make small choices as well as big ones. For example, when they needed to practice new types of problems, I provided three or four practice options that would help them improve their skills and allowed them to pick which one they wished to complete—a small, low-risk choice for me. And I began to see a huge increase in homework completion and critical thinking.

I also allowed them to make bigger choices. They decided which stations they would have in their museum based on the standards they needed to cover—and they came up with ideas that were better than the ones I would have provided. Plus, they learned how to make decisions together as a group. By the end of the unit, they were leading their own class discussions, voting on what they wanted to do, and assigning roles to each other.

They got all the tasks done, and they took ownership of the tasks because they were the ones who wanted to do them. There wasn’t any whining or blaming the teacher when they fell short—they worked through their problems because it was, really and truly, their project.

Second, don’t focus on grades. The reason the chemistry museum worked was because my students were motivated by a meaningful project. The grades followed naturally—the more they cared about the project, the better their grades got. In the museum, they were sharing their learning with the entire school. They made sure they knew what they were doing so that they could tell other students about chemistry.

If you aren’t ready to pull the entire school into your project, there are lots of ways to make a project meaningful. Invite a guest to watch your students share their work, or have them create a public product such as a website or display for your school. Give them a reason to complete the work besides getting a good grade.

Finally, give your students space to fail safely. The day our museum opened was a stressful one for us. To start, my students forgot the eggs they needed for their periodic table cupcakes. I could have driven to the store and solved the problem for them, but I was dedicated to the idea that it was their museum, so I stepped back and let them figure it out. They realized that another teacher bakes in her class often and were able to borrow a few eggs.

When they hit a wall, I gave suggestions and gently assisted them with ideas, but I didn’t decide for them. For example, they wanted to do some demonstration experiments for museum visitors. Two of the experiments they planned didn’t work correctly. One was supposed to make an ice-like product and the other was a simple baking soda volcano. They started panicking, so I asked them what had gone wrong and what they would do to fix the experiments—and what backup plan would work if they couldn’t fix them.

For the first experiment, they realized that they needed more of one ingredient and were able to get it working. The baking soda volcano never did work—they think it was because the baking soda was out of date—so they replaced it with a similar one that they had ingredients for.

They learned how to solve a problem without a grown-up stepping in and fixing it for them, and isn’t that what school is all about?

Project-based learning and student choice are scary, but the results make trying these strategies worthwhile. Some degree of student choice, meaningful stakes, and opportunities to fail safely will create more student buy-in, as well as an educational environment in which students can excel.

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Chemistry Project Ideas That Reinforce STEAM Learning

The science of chemistry is much more than observing reactions when combining two or more different types of chemicals. Our understanding of the universe, our planet, and humans as electrochemical beings is fundamentally based on understanding the principles of chemistry. This makes learning about chemical processes through experimentation vital to the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) . Student exposure to the fascinating world of chemistry is imperative to cultivating tomorrow’s doctors, physicists, researchers, and scientists. Here are some chemistry project ideas to foster students’ curiosity.

Elementary classroom chemistry projects

Invisible ink.

Sympathetic ink substances disappear and then reappear when heated.

Ink types: milk, lemon juice, vinegar, grapefruit juice, Windex, and cobalt chloride

Dip a paintbrush or Q-tip in lemon juice. Write something on a small piece of white paper. Let the “ink” dry before holding the paper over a toaster. Heat will magically cause the secret writing to appear.

Instructions for this project here .

Fizz inflator for balloons

Mixing vinegar and baking soda causes a reaction that creates carbon dioxide.

Supplies needed:

  • Small balloon
  • Empty plastic water or soda bottle
  • 1/2 cup of vinegar
  • Baking soda

Lava flowing in the classroom

Oil floats in water because it is less dense than water. However, salt sinks in water with oil because salt is more dense than oil.

  • Food coloring
  • One tsp of salt
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • Transparent drinking glass

Make ice cream from scratch

This experiment shows an endothermic chemical process that allows ice cream to form out of the following ingredients:

  • A bag of ice
  • 4 oz of vitamin D milk
  • 4 oz of cream
  • 4 tsp of white sugar
  • 1/4 tsp of vanilla flavoring
  • 1/2 cup of rock salt
  • Small and large Ziploc freezer bags

Fun with slime

This chemical experiment shows the unique quality of this compound to be both a liquid and a solid.

  • Two disposable cups
  • Elmer’s or white craft glue
  • Borax powder
  • Tablespoon and plastic tsp for measuring and stirring

Heat-producing chemical reactions

How common household items produce heat when combined.

  • One thermometer
  • One medium-sized bowl
  • Stirring stick
  • 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide
  • One tsp of yeast

Middle school classroom chemistry projects

Growing crystals.

Chemical reactions needed to create crystals involve making a solution that cause solute particles to coalesce and build a nucleus.

  • A flower with a strong stem

Never-ending lava lamp

A heat source causes oil to expand faster than alcohol and then cool, demonstrating changes in density caused by thermal expansion.

  • Glass container that can be sealed
  • Baby or mineral oil
  • 70% and 90% alcohol
  • Incandescent light bulb

Separating salt and sand

This experiment investigates the concepts of solubility and insolubility.

  • 8 oz canning jars
  • Magnifying glass
  • Graduated cylinder
  • Coffee filter

Explore exothermic chemical reactions, crystallization, and the science behind supercooling.

  • 4 Tbl of baking soda
  • One liter of clear vinegar

Mini lemon volcano

Explore chemical reactions involving baking soda and citric acid. Stirring baking soda and citric acid increases frothiness.

  • Two lemons to make one volcano
  • Craft sticks
  • Spoons and cups
  • Medium-sized tray

Fizzing bath bombs

Students can explore the chemical concept of neutralization while doing this experiment.

  • Kitchen scales
  • Spray bottle
  • Citric acid
  • Bicarbonate of soda
  • Lavender oil
  • Tennis ball (optional)

High school classroom chemistry projects

Luminescent chemical reaction.

How a specific chemical reaction produces light energy without creating heat.

  • Anhydrous sodium carbonate
  • Sodium bicarbonate
  • Ammonium carbonate monohydrate
  • 3% hydrogen peroxide
  • Copper sulfate
  • Funnel, flask, and spiral condenser

How to make a pH indicator

Understand what a pH scale is and why it is an essential part of learning about chemistry by having students make their own pH indicator.

  • Two cups of chopped red cabbage
  • One cup of water

Magic trick: Burning a one-dollar bill (not really!)

Explore the chemical reactions among paper money, alcohol, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.

  • One $1 bill
  • Lighter or matches
  • Salt to make colored flames
  • Solution of 50% water and 50% alcohol

POP! goes the nitrogen triiodide

When iodine crystals react with concentrated ammonia, it creates nitrogen triiodide and a loud popping sound.

  • At least one gram of iodine
  • Concentrated aqueous ammonia
  • Paper towels or other filter papers
  • Long stick with a feather attached to it

Splitting water molecules: Electrolysis of water

This project allows students to explore the concept of battery energy used to induce chemical reactions that do not occur spontaneously.

  • 9-volt battery
  • Metal thumbtacks
  • Clean, clear plastic water bottle
  • Plastic cup or beaker
  • Black permanent marker
  • Modeling clay or paper towels

Revealing different pigment chemicals in leaves

Students learn about chromatography and the chemical concept of solubility.

  • Fresh, green leaves or fresh spinach leaves
  • Food processor or mortar and pestle
  • Ceramic or glass cup
  • Coffee filters
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Straw or pencil

For further information about teaching the concepts of STEAM, visit our STEAM Teaching resource page for more fascinating and fun activity ideas.

You may also like to read

  • 10 Creative STEAM Classroom Project Ideas for the Holidays
  • Three Websites For Project-Based Learning
  • Teaching Algebra Using Project-Based Learning
  • An Introduction to Project-Based Learning
  • Math Project Ideas for the Ninth Grade
  • Get Your Students More Involved With Project-Based Learning

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

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Chemistry Solutions

September 2022 | Nuts & Bolts

Teaching with Project-Based Learning in the High School Chemistry Classroom

By Barbara Nelson

Instructional Strategies , NGSS

Why use Project-Based Learning?

When children are very young, they have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They spend their entire day trying to walk, talk, and be like their parents. But in my experience, by the time they reach high school, many have lost interest in learning, and desire only to earn good grades.

How can a teacher rekindle that desire to learn? How can we teach students to learn simply because they want to gain knowledge? As described in a post on Edutopia , one way to help students overcome apathy is to build bridges between a student’s interests and the content you wish to teach. 

My solution to building such bridges has been Project-Based Learning (PBL). According to the home page of PBL Works , “Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.”

PBL is different from simply doing a fun project at the end of a unit, or on the day before break. PBL uses authentic projects that require students to use the information that we want them to learn. Ideally, this means that they involve student choice and an actual, real-world audience. Projects are not just assignments that are turned in and thrown away as soon as they are graded.

Traditional projects versus PBL

A big difference between PBL and the types of projects that I assigned earlier in my career is how students view the projects.

Early in my career, I taught each unit in a traditional manner, then had students complete a related project at the end of the unit. I have heard this type of learning activity called a “dessert project,” because it is a fun application of the material students have just learned. For example, I used to do an end-of-unit project that required students to complete a qualitative analysis lab as their semester final exam.

In contrast, a PBL approach introduces students to a problem-based project at the beginning of the unit, and students then learn the material as they work on the project. In the process, we show them they actually need to learn the material in order to complete the project. For example, in one PBL project I’ve used, students were introduced to the water quality issues that recently occurred in Flint, Michigan. Then they worked through analyzing a water sample, and finally created a news article or newscast about what occurred, and how the problem was analyzed.

Another difference between a PBL project and a traditional project is authenticity . A PBL project should be centered around a problem that allows students to easily see how a similar problem might occur in their life, such as water quality testing. In that particular example, the way I used to present the project lacked this component, and instead was simply a high-stakes, stressful lab experience. Students turned in their data and identification of an unknown; but after grading the paper, I tossed it — effectively throwing away days of their work. Looking back, it seems clear that this would not encourage students to work for anything except a grade. However, when students create a product that is real to them, and they know will be viewed by others, I’ve seen that they become motivated to create something in which they can take pride.  

My journey to PBL

After the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were developed in 2013, many states, including Idaho where I live, began to adopt similar standards. The NGSS standards are written to emphasize teaching students to use information rather than merely memorize facts. For my recertification credits, I began taking classes offered by our state on the new standards, which led me to PBL. PBL not only seemed to emphasize using information, but also designing and refining experiments.

Initially, I could see the value of teaching students using PBL, but I struggled with how to implement it. I loved what I was learning and wanted that sort of experience for my students, but authentic projects in high school chemistry were hard to find.

While I was attempting to incorporate PBL into my teaching, I also decided to change schools, and began teaching in a large school whose entire science department was focused on PBL and mastery learning. All of our science teachers are working to implement PBL, but I am the only chemistry teacher among them, so I am able to experiment in my teaching strategies.

My new chemistry teaching job happened to come with an astronomy class assignment. Since I had never taught astronomy before, I started tackling this task by looking up the standards. There weren’t many, so I decided to include Engineering and Design standards as well. I took advantage of having few required standards, and used the time savings to implement projects to support a PBL approach.

From the beginning, teaching this class was amazing. Students came in each day excited to work on their projects, voluntarily worked on them at home, and wanted to take them home afterward to show their parents. With this success, I became determined to implement PBL in my chemistry classes as well. 

From then on, every spare minute was spent scouring the internet, looking for authentic project ideas. In the past, I had found it easy to find traditional project ideas. But often they were either not authentic, or did not require students to learn the content that was necessary in a high school chemistry class. I developed PBL units that taught standards and featured moderately authentic projects, and began to implement them.

I am continuing to work on improving the authenticity of the projects. Not all projects are as relevant as I might like, and I would like to have more students present their projects to an audience of experts (such as members of the community related to the project topic). Another struggle that I have encountered is finding projects that can be introduced at the beginning of the unit. Sometimes I’m in a non-ideal situation, when I have information that has to be presented to students before I can introduce the project.

Some examples of PBL Units

(Including NGSS Performance Expectations that relate to the content in each unit)

  • Something Funny in Flint, Michigan ( HS-PS1-5 , HS-PS1-6 ) This unit is introduced with a video clip of a news story on the problem of lead in the drinking water in Flint. I collect water from a local river and contaminate the sample in order to represent a variety of water samples (for example, using acids, aluminum, but not lead due to its hazardous properties). Students analyze the water to determine what it is contaminated with. This activity involves solubility, equilibrium, and pH standards. We do conventional and conductimetric titrations to determine the amount of acid in the water. We also check for nitrates, phosphates, and coliform bacteria. As a final task, students create a newspaper article or newscast to explain what they found in terms of water quality.
  • Tanker Car Implosion ( HS-PS3-2 ) This unit covers the gas laws, and is introduced with a MythBusters video in which a tanker car is imploded by filling it with steam, capping it, and spraying it with cold water. Students conduct a series of inquiry labs to understand the gas laws. As a culminating activity, students create particle diagrams showing what is happening inside the tanker car before capping, as the car is cooling down, and after the implosion.
  • Is Biodiesel a Solution to the World’s Energy Problems? ( HS-PS3-1 , HS-PS3-3 ) To engage students in this unit, I start by sharing energy statistics. I also invite a guest speaker from a car dealership that sells vehicles that run on biodiesel (a video clip could work here as well). Students research a recipe for the synthesis of biodiesel and synthesize it. Then they compare it to conventional diesel in terms of soot and carbon dioxide production, energy per mole, and gelling in cold temperatures. Students design their own experiments to test these parameters. As a culminating activity, students create a trifold brochure answering the question based on their data. This meets standards of energy calculations and designing an experiment to analyze changes in energy.
  • Alcohol Detective ( HS-PS1-3 ) This unit focuses on the concepts of intermolecular forces and polarity, as well as the processes of distillation and gas chromatography. Students are engaged in a scenario involving the seizure of bootleg alcohol. There are two suspects, both of whom have stills — and, using gas chromatography, students attempt to identify which still produced the seized alcohol, based on contaminants found in the sample. Note: It has required several grants to purchase gas chromatographs and organic kits for use in this unit.

Where we are now

Students love the PBL units! As our science department has been implementing PBL, we have seen large enrollment growth in our advanced science classes, and increases in average AP test scores. In addition to content knowledge, students are learning to use technology, present data, and work with other students. These are skills that my students were not previously learning through traditional teaching. What’s more, the problem-solving skills they are learning will continue to benefit them, whether or not they end up pursuing chemistry.

I still don’t feel like I am “there” yet. Some units could have better introductions or a more authentic final project. Sometimes the projects don’t flow as well as I would like them to, and I am trying to provide more choices to students. Though I know this will take time, I’m trying to add and improve each year, by picking the unit that I feel is the weakest and redesigning or fine-tuning it. I am also developing a network of community scientists who can be speakers and audiences, and also in helping to improve the projects.

Even with these difficulties, I feel that PBL is the solution to many problems that teachers face. Here are some of the benefits of PBL that I’ve experienced:

  • Students come to class excited to learn every day. I never hear, “Why do we have to learn this?” I have a goal that if someone were to walk in my room and ask a student why they were doing a particular activity, the students could answer with a reasonable explanation.
  • Class time is less stressful with PBL. The work of teaching PBL is in the development of the projects. Once the project begins, I am just a resource for the students, and each day is a joy. I have time to interact with students, and can help them learn at their own pace rather than forcing everyone to learn exactly the same material in the same way.
  • Classroom management is easier than I experienced previously. Because the students are engaged, they want to learn and do their projects. As a result, nearly every student completes their project.
  • Projects can allow for student choice in the nature of the activity, which increases engagement. Some examples of choices are creating an opening argument in a court case (for either the defense or prosecution), creating a news article or newscast, or choosing a variable to manipulate and test. When a project allows students to choose how they will demonstrate learning, and also has a less intimidating assessment piece, they are more willing to put in the effort to show me what they have learned. 
  • When students know that their project will be displayed or in some way presented to others, they are more concerned with creating a quality project.
  • Projects are easily differentiated for students with special needs. I can modify the extent of the project or aspects of the quality that I require for submission.
  • While students are working on projects, I am available to talk to them. I can give feedback on their work while getting to know them as a person so that they understand that they are more than “just a number.” Through their choice of a final project, I also get to know what they enjoy doing and where their interests and talents lie. I am also able to conference with students to help them set goals for getting caught up and planning for their future.
  • Cheating is eliminated. The projects have enough variation that it is not possible to look up the answer on the internet. For example, the biodiesel brochures contain pictures of the analysis procedures, which are different for each group. The water quality project has students creating videos or news articles that are unique to each student. When we do science fair projects, I do not even need to have student names on the projects, because I have watched their progress and can identify each project by sight.

Gauging success

Once the projects are finished, I grade the final project using a rubric for what our state calls the Competencies . These represent a set of knowledge, skill and attributes that prepare graduates for life after high school. This allows me to grade students on their readiness.

It’s worth noting that my biggest barrier wasn’t my willingness to learn PBL, but rather, developing the project ideas. I spend a lot of time looking for ideas that I can modify to meet my needs and those of my students. The American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) has been a helpful resource in my planning, as well as TeachEngineering . During my searches, I also look for dessert projects that I can modify to be the basis for a unit. Many times, I’ll find a project idea that is appealing, but just needs a little adjustment in order to work as a PBL. Examples include removing step-by-step guidance for students, and instead tasking students with designing their own procedures, or changing the final product to increase its relevance or authenticity. I’ve found this to be a manageable way to make successful progress on my PBL journey.  

I constantly keep my eyes open for ideas, events, and occurrences that can be the premise of a new PBL opportunity. I discuss ideas with colleagues, approach business leaders for topic input, and try to take every class about PBL that crosses my path. I’ve found that this process has been both addictive and rewarding for myself and my students! I’m eager to continue to move forward and learn more. I encourage you to get involved as well, and bring the excitement of PBL to your own classroom!  

Photo credit: (article cover) Bigsto ckphoto.com/mkabakov

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3 ways to do nothing when you are working, 11 stylish ways to wear a short scarf, 3 ways to get to know your boyfriend better, how to write a marriage contract, 3 ways to fix brassy hair color, 3 ways to encourage your senior dog to play, 7 ways to change your windows computer screen saver, 5 ways to force refresh in your internet browser, 3 ways to find telegram channels on iphone or ipad, 14 project-based learning activities for the science classroom.

chemistry project based learning

One of the most popular methods of facilitating deep learning in K-12 schools in problem-based learning. It starts, as the name suggests, with a problem. In this model, students are presented with an open-ended problem. Students must search through a variety of resources, called trigger material, to help them understand the problem from all angles. What would project-based learning look like in a subject like science? That’s what I plan to explore in this piece. Below you will find a list of 14 project-based learning activities for the K-12 science classroom.

  • Student Farm. Students will learn lessons about science, social studies, math, and economics through planting their organic farm. They can begin by researching the crops they want, figure out what kind of care is needed, and then use a budget to determine what materials they must purchase. They can even sell food from their farm to contribute to a cause or fundraiser.
  • Bridge Building. Students begin by studying the engineering of bridge building, comparing the construction of famous bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge or Tower Bridge in London. Then they work in teams to construct bridges out of Popsicle sticks. The challenge is to get their bridge to hold five pounds (for younger students) or twenty pounds (for more advanced students).
  • Shrinking Potato Chip Bags in the Microwave. Students can learn about polymers through hands-on activities using some of their favorite products, like shoes and sporting equipment. As a culminating activity, they can put a wrapper from their favorite chips or candy bar into the microwave for five seconds to learn about how polymers return to their natural state when exposed to the heat.
  • Design an App. Students love using the newest apps and games, so take it to the next level by having them design their own! With Apple developer tools, kids can learn how to create an app or online game. They can learn about technology and problem-solving skills while engaged in what they love.
  • Gummy Bear: Shrink or Grow? For a project-based lesson on osmosis and solubility, you will just need gummi bears and different liquids and solutions (water, salt water, vinegar, etc.). Children will place a gummi bear in each solution overnight and then measure the results.
  • The Old Egg in a Bottle Trick . This old trick is an impressive PBL activity for kids to learn about the correlation between temperature and pressure,. Using just eggs, a wide mouth glass bottle, matches, and strips of paper, children will be able to make an egg “magically” fit through the bottle’s opening.
  • Cabbage Acid-Base Indicator . Children will love this hands-on approach to learning how to identify an acid or a base just using purple cabbage and seeing colors change.
  • Carnation Color Wonders . An uncomplicated way to teach the importance of the various parts of the flower, the carnation color experiment shows kids how stems provide nourishment to the whole plant.
  • Polymers & Pampers . If your middle school scientist has a younger sibling at home in diapers, this is a great PBL activity to teach how polymers are essential for products like diapers.
  • Make a Battery Using… Anytime a kid can turn produce into a battery, it is fun! So, why not compare a lemon battery to a potato battery to see which one works better?
  • Helmet Drop Test . The helmet drop test is a practical PBL project to teach kids the importance of safety helmets. Simply gather different types of helmets and a several melons. Strap the helmets to the melons and drop each from the same height and measure the results.
  • How Much Sugar is in that Soda? . Health-conscious parents will love this PBL activity because it teaches kids how much sugar is in their soft drinks. If you have soft drinks, sugar, and measuring cups, you can do this experiment in your kitchen.
  • Ways to Clean a Penny . To teach children how acid reacts with salt works to remove the dullness of pennies, kids can do a simple PBL activity using salt and vinegar. They can also test other acids to compare results.
  • Oranges: Float or Sink? . To teach kids about density, all you need are oranges and a bowl of water. You can add to this experiment by testing other fruits with peels.

Did we miss any. Please share your favorite project-based learning activities in the comments below.

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Why consider trying project based learning?

PBL

When I applied to college more than ten years ago, I wrote about my desire to be a political science major. Well, clearly that didn’t happen since I’m writing for ChemEdX. After my first organic chemistry course, I was hooked on the power that understanding the world through chemistry could provide. As an undergrad, I was given an opportunity work on a few different research projects in the realm of organic materials, and fell in love with the beauty of chemistry. While my classes were great, this immersion into research allowed me to ask authentic questions, garner a ton of experience with instrumentation, and, after a lot of failure along the way, even publish findings. I fell into chemistry by accident - how might the world change if people were more intentional at a younger age? I felt so strongly about this that after finishing my chemistry degree, I decided to teach high school chemistry.

Given my experience doing research as an undergrad, I was intrigued with inquiry style teaching and learning and wanted to share that type of experience with my own students as I began teaching. However, I really struggled to give my students authentic scenarios to dive into during those first few years. (Safety issues? Not enough content knowledge required?). After my third year of teaching chemistry, I participated in a Project Based Learning training through the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (based on Buck Institute pedagogy), and haven’t looked back since.

From the training, I realized that I held the misconception that to use PBL in the classroom, it must be the only teaching strategy I used. I thought that I needed to skip the other rich experiences I felt like I was giving my students. Something that helped me see a larger picture on what inquiry and PBL can look like in the classroom can be found here - in a nutshell, PBL really incorporates guided and open inquiry.

So how does PBL look in my classroom now? My students engage in a really big project once (and only once) a semester - it’s about as much as my students and I can emotionally handle. The majority of the time, my students are engaged in structured inquiry or a more traditional confirmation/verification format (many models exist - I use a lot of POGIL ).

These tenets set PBL (the big once-per-semester projects) apart from day to day activities and inquiry:

PBL poses an authentic problem with multiple solutions.

PBL requires core subject knowledge to propose solutions to a problem to an authentic audience .

Some days, I just want my students to be able to tell me how to calculate the molar mass of methane or explain on a nanoscopic level why the pressure of a closed system increases when the temperature increases. Students are held accountable for this content on a state and local level, so they need to learn it (and I think they need to learn it too, for that matter).

At least once per semester, I want to give my students the same rich experiences I had doing research in the lab. I give my students an authentic task that drives the whole unit from beginning to end. In future posts, I’ll dive into this in more detail.

First semester, students need to identify two white powders from a crime scene, which leads them on a journey from ionic bonding, nomenclature, flame tests, and then a big picture perspective on the relationships between atomic interactions and macroscopic properties. Second semester, students are presented with a challenge from a local pharmaceutical company to make 2.00 g of an aqueous nutrient for IV bags. My students then tell me that they must become proficient in stoichiometry to tackle this (ok, they don’t use those words, but that’s the heart of them telling me what they need to know).

Let me dive a little deeper into the second semester challenge. The first day of our stoichiometry unit, before they even know what that word even means, where students learn how to use mole ratios, determine limiting reactant and percent yield, my students watch a short video of Tera. Tera works for a local pharmaceutical company, and her team focuses on providing nutrients via IV bag. Specifically, they must provide 2.00 g of a nutrient to their patients. There is a problem though - while the IV bags must be prepared immediately before use, they can not avoid making a precipitate that can not get through a filter. Tera then asks my students for help - can they make sure that 85% of the precipitate gets captured by the filter paper? And that they can confirm 90% of the nutrient is actually produced?

Immediately after the short video, students read a more formal letter from Tera. Then, in a class shared google doc, they ask questions about the task (What is our reaction? What is our nutrient? How do I know if I got 85% yield? How do I figure out how to make 2.00 g of a nutrient? ). In the words of a friend, I’ve “lovingly manipulated” my students into wanting and needing to learn what I already planned for them to do anyways. The rest of the three week unit of study, we weave back and forth between the overarching task at hand and lessons on stoichiometry, limiting reactant, and percent yield (they had learned to predict products in a previous unit). This overarching task is a powerful motivator, and throughout this back and forth between learning new content and applying it to the project, students make connections to real world applicability.

While this sounds really fancy, I want to impress upon you that I have normal students. I’m not teaching at a magnet school or private school. I have students with IEPs and others that are academically gifted in the same classroom. Facilitating students through these tasks have been the most rewarding and challenging parts of my career. Teenagers (well, most people actually) get nervous when they care and the stakes are higher than normal. Community panelists will do that. There have been tears (and not just from students). I’ve had to go and take a step back to fix things in the thick of a project.

I’ve also seen the most unexpected things out of my students. That student who’s been content with a C - who could have known how he’d show leadership within his group and ask for extra help on the content? Or - that other student who’s never really been challenged by the content (try as I might to push) - who would have expected him to think critically about multiple variables that might influence whether or not a reaction should be used for IV nutrition? It’s so cool. And I wouldn’t have seen those highlights without providing these opportunities for students.

The best part is that my students get to share their findings with panelists from the community. Over the last few years, the community panelists have never left disappointed. On presentation day, while I grade content, they grade presentation skills and overall message. They are so impressed with the students! It is more than just their presentations. Just like in real life, students are expected to answer a question “on the fly” as part of their grade. After a few class periods, I’ve had panelists engage in asking these “on the fly” questions. There have been some powerful moments, because many of them are about mistakes that aren’t caught in the peer review process (“Why do you think that didn’t work in the lab? Why might that item labeled “dependent variable” actually be an “independent variable”? How might you edit your nanoscopic representation to show how water would interact with that cation?). Students have to face failure and move on with life. That’s what adults do every day, right? (Check out biology teachers and their thoughts on student struggle here in the Washington Post).

why-consider-trying-project-based-learning.png

Why consider trying PBL

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PBL lesson 2

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PBL lesson 3

“While I'm sad that I didn't get an A in your class, I would like to say that I have definitely learned a lot more in your class than in any of my other classes!”

I hope to write again about some of the more specific lessons learned the last few years using PBL in my classroom - I’ve highlighted a lot of the successes here, but I want to be transparent that there have been times I’ve gone home and cried, too. I am not a “wonder teacher” - I’m just a teacher who is trying to get continually better, just like you.

That being said, it’s summer - relax and rejuvenate. I hope that my story energizes you to try something new this upcoming school year. What ideas do you have? Are you more experienced using PBL than I am? I would love to hear your comments, suggestions and/or stories.

All comments must abide by the ChemEd X Comment Policy , are subject to review, and may be edited. Please allow one business day for your comment to be posted, if it is accepted.

Would you be willing to share these projects in more detail?  

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Deanna Cullen's picture

Hi Michelle!

Tracy has shared several activities. You might want to follow her blog:  https://www.chemedx.org/blogs/tracyschloemer to check some of them out.

Tracy Schloemer's picture

Hey Michelle-

Here are a variety of posts I've written on this project. 

Backwards planning a PBL unit

http://www.chemedx.org/article/backwards-planning-your-pbl-unit-%C2%AD-overview-entire-unit

So I wrote this project for my students...now what? Part 1

http://www.chemedx.org/blog/so-i-wrote-project-my-students-now-what-part-1

So I wrote this project for my students... now what? Part 2 (You mean we have to work together???)

http://chemedx.org/blog/so-i-wrote-project-my-students-now-what-part-2-group-contract

What ARE my students actually learning during this long term project (PBL)?

http://chemedx.org/blog/what-are-my-students-actually-learning-during-long-term-project-pbl#comment-form

The First PBL Experience I Facilitated Was a Flop http://chemedx.org/blog/first-pbl-experience-i-facilitated-was-flop

What it's like to develop a PBL experience from scratch...because I think I forgot.

http://chemedx.org/blog/what-its-develop-pbl-experience-scratch-because-i-think-i-forgot

Big Picture - Gen Chem Scope and Sequence

https://www.chemedx.org/blog/big-picture-my-first-year-chemistry-scope-and-sequence

Feel free to contact me at my first name.last name @ gmail.com

First Semester Project

I am finishing up plans for my first PBL to start next week, it is for our chemical bonding unit and involves a crime investigation and identifying substances, I would love to know more about how you tie nomenclature and ionic bonding into your first semester project. That is my goal and I am struggling to make it happen. 

It was great to touch base with you over the phone! 

Hey Readers- Here's a bit what we talked about - the goals of the project were to ID two mystery substances as having ionic or covalent bonding, and to name the ionic compound.

  • "Planting" vocabulary that forces students to ask questions in their knows, need to knows, next step document . Using specific terminology in their tasks, like "you must identify the cation and anion, and name the ionic compound" forces students to ask "What is a cation", etc. Then these topics are not a sidebar - in fact,they are a vital part of the larger task at hand.
  • We also talked about precipitation tests for determination of the anion in the ionic compound. Once students have determined the ionic compound via conductivity testing, and then the cation via flame tests, they can use solubility data and reactions you have written for them. They select what they should react their mystery substance with, and the formation (or non-formation) of a precipitate would signify the precense of one anion.

Good luck to you, Amber, and to all other brave teachers who are embarking on project design and implementation!

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Online project-based learning with integration of STEAM in chemistry: Challenges and opportunities to create 21st century skills

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Corrienna Abdul Talib , Nora Ramin , Shamini Thanga Rajan , Faruku Aliyu , Johari Surif , Nor Hasniza Ibrahim , Chuzairy Hanri; Online project-based learning with integration of STEAM in chemistry: Challenges and opportunities to create 21st century skills. AIP Conf. Proc. 10 November 2022; 2542 (1): 020001. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0103311

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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Malaysian schools to change their learning model from face-to-face learning to online distance learning. This is what chemistry teachers and students cope with and achieve. However, online teaching and learning commonly did not make students pertain to the required 21st century skills. Having this in mind, a new approach with the STEAM integration in teaching chemistry project-based learning was suggested as one of the potential ways to develop 21st century students’ competencies. Hence, this study discusses the prospects and challenges of STEAM incorporation in online project-based learning aimed at the development of 21st century skills in chemistry classrooms. The paper outlined that, there is a prospect for the chemistry students to advance the ability and competencies of various skills such as hard and soft skills in the course of the online learning process. Skills are expected to be developed for the search for the real problem. It was however revealed that the students’ challenges faced relating to the steps had become a serious issue in this learning approach while establishing connections concerning subjects and general real-world implementation. Since it is impossible to predict when the pandemic will end, this is a challenge and an opportunity, and online chemistry learning can be considered from time to time.

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Engage Students with Science: 5 Project-Based Learning Activities

Learning about alternate teaching strategies is always exciting, especially when they can demonstrate proven results to engage students better.

After the excitement wanes, the challenge is figuring out how to integrate this strategy into your existing curriculum and/or rewrite it completely.

For those who have gotten a glimpse of project-based learning and want to try it, you don’t have to start with creating a project-based learning curriculum.

Taking a few activities and working them into your class can prove just as effective for those looking for new ways to get students interested in what you're teaching and motivate them to engage.

When it comes to project-based learning activities and science, we’ve compiled some examples of projects to get the ball rolling in your classroom.

What is project-based learning?

Project-based learning is all about creating opportunities to get hands-on with the subject matter.

This collaborative work gives students time to develop skills beyond those needed to learn science. They learn communication skills, time management, and navigating a group dynamic.

Developing skills like these can better prepare students for when they enter a professional career, regardless of what role science plays in their future.

PBL projects also help students retain the science they need to know.

Why should you use PBL? 

A PBL project is hands-on group work, making motivating students to contribute to the group and become active learners easier.

The level of engagement during group work can far exceed that of a lecture or even a classroom discussion.

Giving students the time they need to really work through project-based learning activities can help build their knowledge base and help them grow as a person.

Most PBL projects are also rooted in the real world. This creates an extra connection for students to the subject matter, making what they’re learning more relevant to them.

Students are more likely to stay engaged with the material when they understand why they should learn something.

They’re also more likely to retain what they learned.

Key characteristics of project-based learning ideas

Project-based learning activities must start with a project, but you can define how that project works.

Will you assign roles for each team member to take? Will you have a list of requirements each group must meet to complete the project?

You can step things out as much or as little as you want to guide students in the right direction and get the most out of each PBL activity.

Other characteristics of your project to consider include the following:

  • Length of the project — in PBL, projects are usually longer, taking place over a few weeks to a month to give students time to really dig into the material.
  • Level of tie-in to what’s currently being taught — is it a direct line to the material being covered or more indirect?
  • Connection to the real world — add real-world elements whenever possible to bring the content you’re teaching into the day-to-day lives of your students. It ups the impact significantly.
  • Presentation of results — think about how groups will showcase what they’ve learned and their conclusions. Will you allow other students to offer up feedback?
  • Incorporating other disciplines — keeping science at the forefront, working on adding relevant information from other areas; it only enhances the project for students. 

Remember, PBL projects require students to complete a process. They should have to research, design and produce a shareable finished product.

They should also be encouraged to look inside and outside the classroom for usable information.

5 project-based learning activities your students will love

Whether you’re creating an entire project-based learning curriculum or just want to add a few PBL projects throughout the year, these five activities make motivating and engaging your students in science easier. 

1. Produce a video report

Like a book report, this project-based learning idea requires students to select a topic, read up on it and create a presentation. The difference is that this report is completed as a group, so collaboration is necessary.

Break the class into groups of 4-5 and ask them to pick a topic. This can be an animal if they’re studying biology, an element on the periodic table in chemistry, an invention, a scientific formula…anything. Just make sure there’s an overarching theme.

Students then assign responsibilities within the group, work together to collect information, write a script, and produce their own video report.

Have a viewing day where the videos are shown (keep them under five minutes), and let the students offer feedback.

2. Create a model / build something

Already a staple activity in many physics classes, building that bridge out of Popsicle sticks has been a PBL project in disguise for decades.

This collaborative assignment requires trial and error, grit, determination, and physics. It’s all about problem-solving, working together, and understanding the properties of physics.

The physics bridge is just one example of how asking students to model or build in science can activate their imaginations and really bring them into science ready to work.

These activities are always fun, especially when they culminate in a challenge, like which bridge holds the most weight or which “net” catches the egg without breaking.

3. Solve a real-world problem

Thinking about where our energy comes from, global warming, pollution, and so many other issues in the world, it’s often the fresh eyes that can truly think outside the box to hypothesize a solution.

Asking your students to take a real issue and postulate a solution makes that real problem relevant to them and actively engages them in the world today.  Their solution may not actually work, but project-based learning ideas like these allow students to collaborate, collect information, and look at the world around them to tackle a real issue.

Trial-and-error will also come into play, along with healthy group discussions, as each team works toward agreeing on a solution to present to the class.

4. Ask a hypothetical question

Sometimes, grabbing students' attention is easiest when you center a project around a hypothetical question.

Although this is sort of like tackling a real-world issue, it’s also one of those scenarios where you can really think unfettered by many restraints.

For example, ask students to create a plan to survive on a desert island. What would you do if you were stuck there for five days or a month? Give them different time frames to address, thinking about food, shelter, and strategies for rescue.

Put the island in a specific location so students can research natural resources they can utilize.

There are many great questions to use with this PBL activity, and many are all about science.

Examples include:

  • What would the planet be like today if dinosaurs had lived?
  • What if Earth was twice as large as it is now?
  • What if we never had a moon?
  • What would happen if we did discover an alien species (and what would they look/act like)?

Finding answers to questions like these is so fun that students may not even realize they’re researching accurate data to create their group’s response. It’s also an ideal framework for collaboration since there’s really no right answer, and often the seam of reality can be stretched.

5. Take PBL outside

There are so many examples of project-based learning activities that take students out of the classroom. If the weather is nice and you have the resources available, consider outdoor-based projects like:

  • Planting and maintaining a small garden
  • Creating a pollinator garden
  • Attacking the issue of litter in and around the school’s propertyDesigning a better playground that’s safe, but more fun for students
  • Building a solar oven and cooking in it

If you have existing nature trails or outdoor spots on school property, see if you can assign a project that improves those areas or strategize on what could be done.

Engagement happens with project-based learning ideas

Any time you can get your students working with each other, your likelihood of engagement goes up.

Engagement goes up whenever you can give your students more autonomy regarding how they problem-solve and collect information.

PBL projects put the responsibility into the hands of your students, but it also creates a strategy that makes it easy for you to infuse the real world into science.

It connects students to the material they need to know while allowing them to build essential skills that will help them throughout the rest of their lives.

To top it all off, project-based learning is fun.

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Welcome to the Chemistry Problem-Based Learning (PBL) site hosted by the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).  This site is made possible by a Learning and Education Advancement Impact Grant from the University of Toronto.  It features PBL projects designed by UTM students participating in the Research Opportunity Program and CPS401 - Research and Development in Science Education.  The projects are intended for students in Grades 11 and 12 as well as those in first-year university. Problems with an experimental component have been indicated on their respective pages by (EXP). Additional notes and suggested solutions to the problems are available to instructors upon request to [email protected] .  We welcome your feedback on these materials.  

PBL Defined

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What is PBL?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

In Project Based Learning, teachers make learning come alive for students.

Students work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week up to a semester – that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation for a real audience.

As a result, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Project Based Learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers.

And in case you were looking for a more formal definition...

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.

Watch Project Based Learning in Action

These 7-10 minute videos show the Gold Standard PBL model in action, capturing the nuts and bolts of a PBL unit from beginning to end.

Teacher explaining PBL project

VIDEO: The Water Quality Project

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VIDEO: March Through Nashville

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VIDEO: The Tiny House Project

How does pbl differ from “doing a project”.

PBL is becoming widely used in schools and other educational settings, with different varieties being practiced. However, there are key characteristics that differentiate "doing a project" from engaging in rigorous Project Based Learning.

We find it helpful to distinguish a "dessert project" -  a short, intellectually-light project served up after the teacher covers the content of a unit in the usual way - from a "main course" project, in which the project is the unit. In Project Based Learning, the project is the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills student need to learn. The project contains and frames curriculum and instruction.

In contrast to dessert projects, PBL requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of communication. To answer a driving question and create high-quality work, students need to do much more than remember information. They need to use higher-order thinking skills and learn to work as a team.

Learn more about "dessert" projects vs PBL

The gold standard for high-quality PBL

To help ensure your students are getting the main course and are engaging in quality Project Based Learning, PBLWorks promotes a research-informed model for “Gold Standard PBL.” 

The Gold Standard PBL model encompasses two useful guides for educators: 

1)  Seven Essential Project Design Elements  provide a framework for developing high quality projects for your classroom, and

2)  Seven Project Based Teaching Practices   help teachers, schools, and organizations improve, calibrate, and assess their practice.

Gold Standard PBL. Seven Essential Project Design Elements. Wheel illustration has icons for each of the elements, as outlined below. At center of wheel is Learning Goals – Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills.

The Gold Standard PBL model aligns with the High Quality PBL Framework . This framework describes what students should be doing, learning, and experiencing in a good project. Learn more at HQPBL.org .

Yes, we provide PBL training for educators! PBLWorks offers a variety of workshops, courses and services for teachers, school and district leaders, and instructional coaches to get started and advance their practice with Project Based Learning. Learn more

A glimpse into our Project Library.

See Sample Projects

Explore our expanding library of project ideas, with over 80 projects that are standards-aligned, and cover a range of grade levels and subject areas.

MIT BLOSSOMS PROJECT-BASED LEARNING UNITS

This new MIT BLOSSOMS Project-Based Learning site is designed for high school teachers who want to give PBL a try, but are not sure just how to get started. Each BLOSSOMS PBL unit is developed to provide a teacher with all the resources and scaffolding needed to conduct a three to five-week classroom project. Every BLOSSOMS unit kicks off with a BLOSSOMS video lesson, thus providing the anchoring content and direction for a follow-on project. Teachers new to PBL will also find on this site many answers to questions they may have, as well as invaluable advice on how to successfully lead a PBL unit. While we understand that most teachers won’t be able to devote three weeks completely to a Project-Based Learning unit, the units provided here can be presented on non-consecutive days, for example, two days per week. It is our hope that these units will be valuable stepping stones as teachers grow in confidence about developing their own PBL units! We encourage teachers new to PBL to visit the following resource on this site: Teacher Questions on PBL. To take a Video Tour of this BLOSSOMS PBL site, click here.

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CHEMISTRY PROJECT-BASED LEARNING FOR SECONDARY METABOLITE COURSE WITH ETHNO-STEM APPROACH TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ CONSERVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL CHARACTER IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Received June 20 2 2

Accepted August 20 2 2

This research aims to develop chemistry project-based learning with an Integrated Ethnoscience Approach in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Ethno-STEM) to improve students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character. The research method refers to the Research and Development (R&D) model with the Four D. The research samples are chemistry education students from Universitas Negeri Semarang. The model effectiveness test was conducted in secondary metabolite lectures at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia. Data collection techniques used expert validation sheets to assess the feasibility of the model and observation sheets and questionnaires to measure students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character. Based on the results of research, it was concluded that a chemical project-based learning model for the secondary metabolites course on essential oils and terpenes and learning tools with an Ethno-STEM approach was feasible and effective for improving students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character with moderate and high criteria based on the N-gain score. Entrepreneurial characters, which include persistence, discipline, and creativity, have been developed so that students can produce attractive and worthy chemical batik products for sale.

Keywords – Ethno-STEM, C haracter, C onservation, E ntrepreneur .

To cite this article:

1. I ntroduction

Higher education policies in Indonesia are implementing the Merdeka Belajar - Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program to face the 21st century, which emphasizes several competencies and higher-order thinking skills, such as creative, critical, collaborative, and communicative thinking. 21st-century competencies and skills can be developed through Ethno-STEM integrated project lear ning (Sudarmin, Sumarni, Endang &  Susilogati , 2019; Sumarni, Sudarmin, Sumarti & Kadarwati , 2022). On the other hand, the vision of higher education in Indonesia is not only to make graduates of i nternational reputation but also to be oriented towards cultural conservation, local wisdom, and the nation’s cultural values. This research aims to develop Ethno-STEM integrated project learning as an innovative product from research that will contribute to the development of 21st-century education science and technology.

The problem is that higher education in Indonesia has not fully prepared graduates to face the challenges of the 21st century and realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research is also in line with the vision of higher education to realize quality education and increase learning opportunities for everyone (Lisa, Rusmiati & Kesuma , 2021). Quality education is essential to produce quality human resources, so good conservation and entrepreneurial character education can realize quality education according to the SDGs. Sustainable development also means the protection of the contents of the environment and social life to preserve culture as a treasure trove of local wisdom (Anggorowati, Shinta, Nafi’ah & Lathif , 2020; Fakhriyah, Yeyendra & Marianti , 2021). Conservational and entrepreneurial character in the 21st century is a critical concern for education in Indonesia because quality education is essential to produce quality human resources, and good character education can realize quality education under the SDGs.

Based on the policy and vision of higher education in Indonesia, Universitas Negeri Semarang has a vision as a conservation-oriented university with an international reputation and aspires to become an entrepreneurial university (Renstra, 2019). To realize its vision and mission, challenging and actual work is needed for the academic community at UNNES. The problem is that the concern and commitment to realizing the vision and mission of UNNES have not been formed (Sudarmin, 2015). T his problem was found when an assessor of the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) was conducting accreditation activities in a study program at UNNES. Not all lecturers have developed conservation and entrepreneurial characters in their learning (Sudarmin, Sumarni & Susilogati , 2018). The results of interviews with several chemistry-education students found that most lecturers are still oriented toward mastering concept s (Sudarmin, Sumarni & Mursiti , 2019). Fr om these findings, it was identified that, for now, a facility is needed by lecturers to develop students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character.

A solution for developing students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character is the importance of implementing learning policies for each subject that integrates conservation character for all lecturers and downstream of research results to develop students’ entrepreneurial character (Re nstra, 2019; Sudarmin et al. , 2018). In addition, at this time, learning at UNNES must fol low the needs of 21st-century education and learning. In this research, the meaning of conservation character includes the character of loving the environment, caring for the environment, being responsible, and preserving the environment while still upholding the established cultural values to develop in the community (Hardati, Setyowati, Wilonoyudho, Martuti & Utomo , 2016). Meanwhile, the value of entrepreneurial character includes being persistent, creative, innovative, disciplined, and ready to face 21st-century challenges (Nancy, 2007 ; Sudarmin et al., 2018). Both characters will be trained and developed through chemistry project-based learning (PjBL) using the Ethno-STEM approach.

This study applies a project-based learning model because this model is under the decision of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology number 56 of 2022 concerning guidelines for implementing the curriculum in the context of learning recovery, including developing independent, creative, collaborative, and critical characters per 21st-century skills and entrepreneurial character. The ethnoscience approach was chosen for this research because Indonesia has various cultures with local wisdom as a science learning source (Suastra, 2010; Winarto, Sarwi, Cahyono & Sumarni , 2022; Winarto, Cahyono, Sumarni, Sulhadi, Wahyuni & Sarwi , 2022). The ethnoscience approach has developed a conservation carácter (Patton & Robin, 2012; Zakiyah & Sudarmin, 202 2 ). The ethnoscience approach can also develop students’ scientific and chemical literacy, thinking skills, and entrepreneurial nature (Sudarmin, Mastur & Parmin , 2017; Sumarni 2018; Tresnawati 2018).

One suitable local wisdom for instilling students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character in secondary metabolite lectures is the traditional technology of essential oil distillation by essential oil artisans in Cepogo, Boyolali, Central Java. This critical oil industry has been going on for generations and uses traditional technology. The situations are exciting to introduce to students. In the traditional essential oil refining process, apart from containing valuable scientific knowledge as a source of learning for secondary metabolites, students can also teach entrepreneurship to artisans about how the distillation technology is carried out, how the engineering is carried out to obtain essential oils with good yields, and how the artisans estimate the results of the oil yield mathematically. Thus, in this study, students can examine aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics based on Ethnoscience ( Sudarmin, Diliarosta, Pujiastuti, Jumini & Prasetya, 2020 ).

The research problem is how to develop and pro duce learning chemistry projects with an appropriate and effective Ethno-STEM approach to improve students’ conservation and entrepren eurial character. The Ethno-STEM approach developed in this research refers to the theoretical framework from Sudarmin, Sumarni, Endang and Susilogati (2019) . The Ethno-STEM approach was patented by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia. The STEM approa ch was chosen because it has been developed in several countries globally (Bybee, 2013; Reeve, 2013; Li, 2018), including Indonesia, and has been able to create human resources and thinking skills for students (Lam, Doverspike, Zhao, Zhe & Menzemer , 2008; Urban & Falvo, 2015; Firman, 2015; National STEM Education Center, 2014). In this research, chemistry project-based learning is applied to secondary metabolite courses.

It is integrated with Ethnoscience and STEM, called Ethno-STEM integrated chemistry project-based learning. A scientific study of culture in science learning is called Ethnoscience (Werner & Fenton 1970). Thus, the essence of ethnoscience is a study of community science related to cultural activities in daily life, which is passed down from generation to generation as local wisdom and contains scientific knowledge (Ahimsa-Putra, 1985; Suastra, 2010; Sumarni, Sudarmin, Wiyanto & Supartono , 2016). The Ethno-STEM approach has been proven to suit the needs of the 21st century and can develop critical, creative, innovative, and collaborative thinking skills (Reeve, 2013; National STEM Education Center, 201 4; Zakiyah & Sudarmin, 2022 ).

In this research, the scientific study material that is the focus of research is the study of secondary metabolites for Essential Oils and Terpenes according to the books by Satrohamidjojo (2004) and Saifudin ( 2012). The main study’s analysis results, the essential oil material in STEM and Ethnoscience, then Sudarmin et al., (2018) r econstructed the study material. The following are results of the reconstruction of the content: the nature of essential oils and terpene chemistry, traditional essential oil refining techniques and laboratories, various structures of important oil secondary metabolites, conventional essential oil production techniques and processes, ways to produce high yields essential oils, transformation components of terpene compounds into their derivatives so that they are more valuable, and a project to create a chemical motif batik design with a component structure of essential oils and other secondary metabolites. Thus, in this study, in addition to students taking secondary metabolites lectures, they were also given a project to conduct observations in the local batik industry, Zie Batik, in Malongan, Semarang, to practice making batik products with chemical structure motifs of secondary metabolites on canvas.

1.1. Ethno-STEM Integrated Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning models can equip 21st-century learning and develop conservational and entrepreneurial character s (Sudarmin, Sumarni, & Mursiti, 2019; Sumarni, Sudarmin, Sumarti & Kadarwati, 2022 ). In PjBL with the STEM approach (PjBL-STEM), students are given a project to solve problems based on STEM aspects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) (Patton & Robin, 2012; Uziak, 2016; Murphy, MacDonald, Danaia & Wang , 2019). Through the Ethno-STEM project learning, students can develop the conservation and entrepreneurial character needed in this 21st-century era (Ba ran, Karakoyun & Maskan , 2021). PjBL is widely applied in learning science and organic chemistry with natural materials, which is innovative and can develop critical, creative, and innovative thinking skills to solve projects or problems.

Stanley (2021) states that project learning requires students to be responsible, creative, and collaboratively involved in preparing and implementing project designs to solve problems given by the teacher. Students are required to think creatively in solving problems in everyday life. PjBL is an innovative learning practice that builds learning based on challenges in tasks or problems that lead students to design, investigate, conclude, and finally make decisions with a product . (Stanley, 2021). Based on the literature review, the PjBL learning model can be integrated with SETS (Sudarmin, Sumarni, & Mursiti, 2019; Sumarni, Sudarmin, Sumarti & Kadarwati, 2022), STEM (B aran et al., 2021), and Ethno-STEM (Ariyatun, 2021; Reffiane, Sudarmin, Wiyanto & Saptono , 2021) to equip students with 21st-century skills. This research applies secondary metabolite learning with the Ethno-STEM PjBL approach because it can equip students with skills needed in the 21st century and conservational character.

People are required to master several skills due to the demands of the 21st century, and so are students. Learning with a STEM approach has improved 21st-century skills (Triana, Anggraito & Ridlo , 2020; Reffiane et al., 2021). While STEM education, which includes courses that examine teaching and knowledge transfer between two or more subject matters, is a set of connected disciplines that involve mathematics for data processing and technology and engineering as science applications (Afriana, Permanasari & Fitriani , 2016; Bahrum, Wahid & Ibrahim , 2017). STEM education is being applied in a variety of methods around the world, especially in Asia. Various learning methodologies or models are blended and contrasted with STEM applications (Chung, Lin & Lou , 2018; Kuo, Tseng & Yang , 2019; Wahono, Lin & Chang , 2020). In many countries around the world, improving student skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is crucial for future economic and technological growth (Morrison, Frost, Gotch, McDuffie, Austin & French , 2021; Wilson, 2021; Bahrum et al., 2017).

In this research, PjBL is integrated with Ethno-STEM because ethnoscience can increase students’ awareness by presenting local knowledge values and incorporating them into the learning process. It has become one of Indonesia’s most important learning disciplines today (Dewi, Erna, Martini, Haris & Kundera , 2021). Integrating the Ethno-STEM approach with synergistic learning models such as project‑based learning (Ethno-STEM PjBL) will solve existing problems. This model involves project-based learning combined with four STEM areas based on local culture to develop critical, creative, innovative, and collaborative thinking skills. In addition, community-specific knowledge (Ethnoscience) is also fundamental to developing student character (Sumarni & Kadarwati, 2020) . T he success of learning with the STEM approach is demonstrated by several research findings. Different innovative learning strategies can be employed to facilitate the adoption of STEM integration. The integration of Ethno-STEM with the PjBL model can develop entrepreneur ial character (Sudarmin, Sumarni, Endang & Susilogati, 2019) and students’ critical, creative, inno vative, and collaborative thinking skills and understanding of concepts.

The Ethno-STEM integrated PjBL model contains integration between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics with ethnoscience. This Ethno-STEM integrated learning prepares to learn in the era of the industrial revolution 4.0, also known as the disruptive innovation phenomenon, which emphasizes that students must have technological literacy skills, are multicultural, learn and innovate, are skilled in social and cultural life, collaborate, think critically, and effective in communication (Sumarni & Kadarwati, 2020). The educational design framework for integrating Ethno-STEM in science learning is presented in Figure 1.

Ethno-STEM integrated project-based learning starts from exploring culture or local wisdom, which is proven related to the science material studied after being reconstructed. Studies related to technology and engineering as a form of science application and mathematics as data processing aids and the representation of symbols are also integrated into learning. So far, PjBL research has not been integrated with Ethno-STEM and has not been widely developed. The novelty of this research is between Ethnoscience with STEM and PjBL with Ethno-STEM so that three integrated models are formed.

Figure 1. PjBL-Ethno-STEM Model

1.2. Conservation Character

Character education must be established as early as possible to prepare children for increasingly complex future issues, such as their lack of responsibility, attention to the world around them, and lack of confidence. Honesty, discipline, responsibility, patriotism, respect, and care are values taught in character education and meant to be embraced, lived, and used in daily life in the classroom, home, society, and the state. Character education coaches students to become fully human beings with character in heart, mind, body, taste, and intentions.

As a conservation-oriented university, Graduates from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) should possess conservation characters. The following are the conservation characters: inspirational, humanist, caring, innovative, creative, sporty, honest, and fair. In this study, the UNNES conservational characters provided to students are caring, innovative, and creative characters in conserving the environment, especially related to secondary metabolites. Caring character in this study is the ability to pay attention and a persistent attempt to stop environmental damage and ecological repair damage are qualities associated with caring value. Innovative character is the ability to apply thinking and imagination to create novel items (updates) defines innovative value, and creative character is an ability to reason through or take action to intelligently solve problems is what creativity value is.

This conservational character is realized through Ethno-STEM PjBL learning through the assignment of projects to make Ethno-STEM chemical batik motifs. These characters were assessed through observation and questionnaires. Caring, innovative, and creative conservation character raises conservational soft skills to love, care and be responsible for the environment (Hardati, Setyowati, Wilonoyudho & Martuti , 2015) . Nevertheless, if we rely solely on secondary metabolites course to shape students’ conservation characters, UNNES’ vision and mission as a conservation-focused university will take ages to realize. Ecological beliefs present and the relationship between humans and the environment (Bilir & Özbas, 2017; Halilović, Mešić, Hasović & Vidak , 2022). Conservation is an endeavor to protect and maintain cultural values and human behavior when engaging with the environment. Future environmental stability can be preserved by a conservation carácter (Khusniati, Parmin & Sudarmin , 2017).

1.3. Entrepreneurial Character

An entrepreneur is someone who creates a business by making products in the form of goods or services by looking at the availability and utilization opportunities (Sampurnaningsih, Andriani, Zainudin, Sunarsi & Sunanto , 2020). An entrepreneur can perceive opportunities and create organizations to pursue them. Meanwhile, entrepreneurship education is focused on developing students’ competencies and preparing them to be entrepreneurs. The competencies in question are skills or entrepreneurial character traits be mastered from the educational process. Therefore, entrepreneurship education aims to equip students in various activities with the skills, and even the entrepreneurial character, to be self-reliant and exceptional individuals.

The following is the entrepreneurial character assessed in this study which refers to Nancy (2007): (1) persistent, exhibited by their consistent efforts to produce essential oils despite limited facilities, finance, materials, and fluctuating prices; (2) discipline, evidenced by their production target and their diligence in watering and adding fuel; (3) creativity, indicated by their creative way to boost output and recycle waste as compost or fuel to sell it to local farmers. When learning organic chemistry with natural materials, the three main characters were conveyed to the students. In this study, local wisdom as an ethnoscience study material is a local plant that produces essential oils because essential oils contain secondary metabolites with interesting structures and can be used as Ethno-STEM chemical batik motifs.

2.1. Research Type

This research is Research and Development (R&D) type with 4D stages (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate) (Thiagarajan, Semmel & Semmel , 1974). This research reaches the development stage. The results are in learning models and tools based on chemistry projects with an Ethno-STEM approach for secondary metabolites courses to improve students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character.

2.2. Research Procedures

The procedures refer to the research objective of designing and producing learning models and tools based on chemistry projects for secondary metabolites with an Ethno-STEM approach. In the initial or Define stage, a needs analysis and determination process is carried out regarding learning outcomes for the secondary metabolites of essential oils and terpene chemistry, and the characteristics of chemistry project-based learning are determined. In the next stage, a chemistry project-based learning design was carried out for essential oils and terpene chemistry using the Ethno-STEM approach. Experts validated the draft, and the results are applied to test the feasibility and effectiveness of students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character development. To develop students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character, the chemistry project assigns students to observe batik products in the Zie Batik, traditional batik industry in Malongan, Semarang, Indonesia. In addition, students were also assigned a group project to design the motifs of secondary metabolites’ chemical structure, followed by the practice of batik on canvas. The research team assesses the results of batik motif creations on canvas as a product of student entrepreneurship.

2.3. Location, Subjects, and Research Instruments

This research is located at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science of Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) and the Traditional Essential Oil Distillation Center in Cepogo, Central Java, Indonesia. The research subjects were chemistry students of Universitas Negeri Semarang who took secondary metabolites courses. The research instruments are observation sheets, questionnaires, and tests. The suitability between Semester Learning Plans (RPS) and their application in learning is determined using observation sheets. It also assesses various batik products on canvas and students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character. This research refers to the criteria from UNNES to measure the conservation character (Hardati et al., 2016): love for the environment, care for the environment, and responsibility for handling waste. While students’ entrepreneurial character refers to Nancy (2007): the ability to be creative, work hard, and never give up on producing chemical batik products with attractive motifs, creative in designing batik motifs and processes, as well as choosing contrasting batik colors, as well as originality.

2.4. Data Analysis

In this research, data on the feasibility of the resulting learning tools were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. At the same time, the effectiveness of chemistry projects with the Ethno-STEM approach for the secondary metabolites was taken during the learning process and outcomes and the batik on the canvas production process. The data from research instruments are then analyzed to answer the formulated problems. Research data from aspects of conservation and entrepreneurial character use the N-gain formula (Hake, 1999) as follows:

It is in the high category if the N-gain score is ≥ 0,7. If the N-gain score is 0,7 > g ≥ 0,3, it is in the average category and a low category if the N-gain is <0,3.

3.1. Results of Gap Analysis and Current Secondary Metabolite Learning Problems

Before carrying out a chemistry project-based learning design at the beginning of the study, the research team analyzed the syllabus, lesson plans, and learning tools. The results of the analysis found that secondary metabolites learning so far have not been contextual, and chemistry project-based learning has not linked community knowledge, uses the STEM approach, is still oriented to mastery of concepts, and has not developed students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character (Sudarmin et al., 2018; Sudarmin et al. , 2020). The analysis results are used to design and build chemistry project-based learning with the Ethno-STEM approach and link essential oil scientific knowledge and community knowledge in an Ethno-STEM context. To gain a public understanding of essential oils, the research team conducted observations in the Traditional Essential Oil Industry in Cepogo, Boyolali. The analysis results of the observational data were then carried out with a Scientific Knowledge Reconstruction through a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) between the research team and students, and the results are presented in Table 1.

The reconstruction of scientific knowledge in the Ethno-STEM context is conceptualized according to Suastra, (2010) by verification and reduction of community knowledge data, followed by conceptualization and integration in chemistry project-based learning tools and models. Experts validated chemistry project-based learning tools and models, and then documentation was made in teaching materials for Essential Oils and Terpenes. The t opics refer to the secondary metabolites course syllabus and the textbooks of Satrohamidjojo (2004) and Achmad (1986) . The validation of the device and the learning model related to the content, syntax, and stages of chemistry project-based learning and the lesson plans designed by the research team are excellent and feasible to be implemented.

In this research for the learning design and referring to the results of the analysis of several references and discussions with the research team, the following are the learning characters of chemistry projects with the Ethno-STEM approach for secondary metabolites courses:

1. The learning model developed makes reference to Patton & Robin (2012) which is learning aimed at students designing, planning, and making products (batik of chemical structures).  

2. Students are required to make collaborative decisions and are in charge of handling information to select intriguing batik motifs. Students must create batik motifs of secondary metabolites structures for this study.  

3. The process of making batik is continuously evaluated by the lecturer.  

4. Lecturers and students periodically reflect on the activities in the batik project.  

5. The lecturer assesses the final product of the batik project with the designed instruments qualitatively and quantitatively.  

6. The chemistry project-based learning model with an Ethno-STEM approach is tolerant of change and increases students’ creativity and innovation.  

Table 1. Community Knowledge-Based Scientific Knowledge Reconstruction Results related to Essential Oils with an Ethno-STEM Approach

Table 2. presents the design results from the implementation of the Ethno-STEM integrated PjBL with activities using the stages from Sudarmin et al., (2020). The syntax for implementing Ethno-STEM integrated PjBL is as follows: 1) Lecturer assigns a project to make Ethno-STEM chemical batik from secondary metabolites; 2) Students in groups conduct discussions to understand the secondary metabolite material and determine the secondary metabolite compounds that will be used as batik motifs; 3) Each group discusses the chemical batik design; 4) Each group submits a chemical batik design from discussion to the lecturer and or batik expert; 5) Students and lecturers arrange schedules, tools, materials, and project implementation; 6) Each group strengthens the design of the batik project through a visit to make batik in Zie Semarang; During the visit, students conduct interviews about the meaning, manufacturing process, tools and materials, and the practice of batik-making; 7) Each group implements the experience they have gained at the batik-making site in Zie Semarang; 8) Each group presented the results of the batik making project to be assessed by the lecturers and other groups from the aspect of color, originality, and creativity as an outcome of students’ entrepreneurial character.

Table 2. Syntax of secondary metabolite learning model with Ethno-STEM approach on the topic of essential oils

3.2. Characteristics of Integrated Chemistry Project-Based Learning With Ethno-STEM Approach

The design and characteristics of chemical project-based learning for the secondary metabolite course on essential oils in this study, based on the results of discussions with the research team, an integrated pattern for the Ethno-STEM approach was designed as in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Ethno-STEM Approach Integrated Design Model for Essential Oil Topic

In this model, Ethnoscience and STEM are discussed separately based on the field of Ethnoscience about Indigenous Science and Secondary Metabolite Science, the topic of Essential Oils as scientific knowledge in STEM studies. Its application in the content and context of Ethnoscience and STEM is discussed together or integrated. Students have explained the meaning, types of principal components, and various essential oils in this approach. In the next lesson, we continued with isolation and identification techniques and transformation reactions of the main compounds in essential oils and assigned a chemistry project task in groups to design batik with a chemical structure motif and learn to make batik at Zie Batik Semarang. Students individually or in groups carry out projects by creating chemical batik motifs in the content and context of Ethno-STEM. Thus, the Ethno-STEM Integration section discusses projects related to observing the process and design of batik products with the main structure of various secondary metabolites, how to produce the best batik, understanding the character of the entrepreneurial spirit, conservation, and innovative and creative ideas from batik business people.

3.3. Results of Secondary Metabolite Learning Design with Ethno-STEM Approach to Develop Conservation and Entrepreneurial Character

In instilling conservation and entrepreneurial characters in students, the results of the interviews with the owners and workers were presented. It was found out that the conservation characters of the owners and workers are environmental lovers, caring, and conservation of local plants. Their conservation character is suitable for UNN ES (LPPM UNNES, 2019) . In this Entrepreneurship course, students were informed about the entrepreneurial nature of the owners and workers of the essential oil business in Boyolali based on the results of interviews. The following are entrepreneurial characters of the owners and workers: (1) persistent, exhibited by their consistent efforts to produce essential oils despite limited facilities, finance, materials, and fluctuating prices; (2) discipline, evidenced by their production target and their diligence in watering, adding fuel, and isolating essential oils; (3) creativity, indicated by their creative way to boost output and recycle waste as compost or fuel to sell it to local farmers. In other words, this research has taught students about the conservation character of love for the environment, care, and responsibility.

The assessment results of students’ conservation character are presented in Table 3.

Table 3. N-Gain Score of Conservation Characters of Students

Conservation characters are evaluated through a test that includes concept mastery questions and questions related to environmental love, care, and responsibility about Ethno-STEM content and context.

3.4. Results of the Implementation of Chemistry Project-Based Learning on the Character of Conservation and Student Entrepreneurship

In this research, the application of chemistry project-based learning with the Ethno-STEM approach was carried out on 23 UNNES Chemistry students who took the secondary metabolites course. In this research, the research team taught the students how to make batik and showed them a tutorial video. After that, the research team facilitated the students to learn batik at Zie Batik Semarang to develop creativity and entrepreneurship. The research team and other student groups evaluated the students’ batik results and products. The results are presented in Table 4.

Based on Table 4, the batik motif assessment by the research team found that the motif and originality indicators’ average N-gain scores were considered high. Contrarily, creativity, attractiveness, and color choice fell into the average category.

Table 4. Results of Batik Motif Creativity by students and their descriptions in the Ethno-STEM context

4. Discussion

The following are characteristics of the Ethno-STEM-integrated project-based learning model: 1) The learning model developed refers to Patton and Robin (2012) and the Ministry of Education and Culture, which aims at students to design, plan, and create products which, in this case, are chemical structure batik; 2) Students are required to make collaborative decisions and are in charge of handling information to select intriguing batik motifs. Students must create batik motifs of secondary metabolites structures for this study; 3) The process of making batik is continuously evaluated by the lecturer; 4) Lecturers and students periodically reflect on the activities in the batik project; 5) The lecturer assesses the final product of the batik project with the designed instruments qualitatively and quantitatively; and 6) The chemistry project-based learning model with an Ethno-STEM approach is tolerant of change and increases students’ creativity and innovation.

Students, teachers, classrooms, schools, and systemic problems are all related to factors contributing to high-quality teaching and learning and an effective educational system (Lee, Hung & Teh , 2014). Students must possess 21st-century skills beyond knowledge and encompass solid morals and character (Halilović et al., 2022). Qualified educators are essential for 21st-century learning (Ozsoy, Ozyer, Akdeniz & Alkoc , 2017; Lin, Tang, Lin, Liang & Tsai , 2019; So, Jong & Liu , 2020). Building, adjusting, and applying knowledge to real-world issues are all highlighted in classroom practice. Effective systems must continually adapt to change (Laar, van Deursen, van Dijk & de Haan , 2017). As it evolves from policy to implementation to produce quality learners, the system is cognizant of the context. This issue draws attention to creating policies and strategies to remain relevant today and uncharted territory in the future. This study examines how the education system is influenced by the school context, community demands, interrelated history, and local wisdom. Furthermore, try to understand how the reforms enacted have aligned the education system with the goals of 21st-century education.

Higher education is one of the institutions that can instill values and totality into the traditional order of society to function as a service institution in carrying out social control mechanisms (Liu & Low, 2015). In connection with the conservation process of regional cultural values, it functions as one of the community institutions in maintaining the traditional values of a society. Therefore, educational institutions play a critical role in developing and preserving local wisdom. Local wisdom acquired in the learning process is expected to shape students’ conservation and entrepreneurial characters who think globally and act locally. Because cultural competency will determine the professional value of educational services, teachers must enhance cultural aspects to accommodate cultural diversity in the classroom (Ethnoscience) (Ariyatun, Sudarmin & Triastuti , 2020). As one of the cultural values that live and develop in society, environmental wisdom has made the natural environment sustainable and maintained.

New conservation challenges emerged from the cultural heritage preservation community from the mid‑twentieth century to the present (Chalifoux, 2019). New conservation challenges have arisen when the cultural heritage preservation community from the mid-twentieth century to the present. The 21st century has seen global changes in science and technology (Sudarmin & Sumarni, 2018). The changes that take place have a good effect and an increasing effect on the emergence of new concerns linked to global issues that endanger the survival of the human race. Therefore, learning must go through various activities that show and perform/display their character during education. Through multiple activities in learning with the Ethno-STEM approach, students can actively work hard to unconsciously build positive characters within themselves during the learning process (Isnarto, Utami & Utomo , 2018; Chusna, Rokhman & Zulaeha , 2019).

Conservation character education is an educational effort to develop and sow the values of religion, honesty, intelligence, fairness, responsible, caring, tolerance, democratic, polite, loving the homeland, and challenging students to become healthy, superior, and competitive. The importance of conservation character in learning is also supported by research (Isnarto et al., 2018; Rukayah, Bharoto & Malik , 2018, Masrukhi, Priyanto, Supriyanto & Wahono , 2022). According to the study’s findings, students can acquire conservation-based character qualities by doing basic tasks that take place within an efficient learning process. This is the rationale behind entrepreneurship education activities that prioritize or inspire and develop students’ entrepreneurial characters (Rina, Murtini & Indriayu , 2019; Bakar & Ismail, 2020). Even in schools, it can help students develop the skills and characters necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs.

The success of implementing Ethno-STEM PjBL cannot be separated from the learning process, where the problems presented in PjBL are semi-open, which means that the answers are uncertain. Students are more motivated and interested in engaging in the problem-solving process when real problems are presented and integrated with the local culture. It is also simpler for students to engage with their groups to investigate social facts and phenomena connected to the concepts they study when Ethno-STEM PjBL learning is blended with the local culture (Sumarni, 201 8; Sudarmin, Sumarni, & Mursiti, 2019 ; Ar iyatun, 2021). It also encourages students to use higher order thinking skills, use direct experience methods, and involve various modes of communication to learn to find solutions to solve real problems by creating products.

5. Conclusion

The research concluded that a chemical project-based learning model for the secondary metabolites course on essential oils and terpenes and learning tools with an Ethno-STEM approach was feasible and effective for improving students’ conservation and entrepreneurial character with moderate and high criteria based on the N-gain score. Entrepreneurial characters, which include persistence, discipline, and creativity, have been developed so that students can produce attractive and worthy chemical batik products for sale.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest concerning the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

This research was funded by the Directorate of Research and Community Service (DRPM) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia from the Basic Research Scheme for Higher Education Excellence in 2020/2021, with SPK No. 21.23.3/UN37/PPK.3.1/2020

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  McGee, E. O. (2021). Black, brown, bruised: How racialized STEM education stifles innovation. Harvard Education Press.

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Project-Based Science Instruction for Career Preparation

This course is designed to facilitate the teaching of science in adult education classrooms using a Project-Based Learning (PBL) model. This course makes the connections between science content knowledge and how adults use science in their daily lives, especially in work and career-related contexts. Those that will benefit the most from this course are adult education instructors, trainers, and coordinators, particularly those in Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and STEM Career Technical Education (CTE). By the end of the course, participants will be able to better understand PBL, including identifying characteristics of effective PBL and benefits of it in adult education, use online resources to guide adult learners in exploring careers in the five major STEM subgroups and identify ways that STEM workers use science in their careers, and describe how ABE programs are using PBL in STEM areas and identify at least one topic for a PBL initiative in an ABE classroom.

StatAnalytica

Top 100 Project Based Learning Ideas For Engineering Students

Project based learning ideas for engineering students

Project-Based Learning (PBL) has emerged as a cornerstone in modern education, particularly in fields like engineering where practical skills and real-world applications are paramount. It provides students with the chance to immerse themselves in concepts, apply theoretical understanding to concrete projects, and cultivate crucial skills necessary for thriving in the engineering field. In this exploration, we delve into the significance of Project based learning ideas for engineering students tailored to enhance the learning experience for engineering students.

Benefits of Project-Based Learning for Engineering Students

Table of Contents

  • Hands-on application of theoretical knowledge.
  • Development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Enhanced collaboration and teamwork abilities.
  • Real-world experience and industry relevance.
  • Improved retention of knowledge through contextualized learning.
  • Opportunity for interdisciplinary exploration and integration.
  • Preparation for the collaborative environments of the engineering profession.
  • Fostering creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindset.
  • Engagement with authentic engineering challenges and complexities.
  • Empowerment to take ownership of learning and project outcomes.
  • Design and construct a mini solar-powered car.
  • Build a wind turbine to generate electricity.
  • Develop a sustainable irrigation system for agriculture.
  • Design and prototype a new type of bicycle for urban commuting.
  • Create a smart home automation system using IoT technology.
  • Construct a model bridge and test its load-bearing capacity.
  • Design a water filtration system for purifying contaminated water.
  • Develop a mobile app for monitoring air quality in urban areas.
  • Build a small-scale hydroelectric generator.
  • Design and build a miniature roller coaster to study forces and motion.
  • Develop a prototype for a low-cost prosthetic limb.
  • Create a 3D-printed model of a human heart for educational purposes.
  • Build a weather station to collect and analyze meteorological data.
  • Design and construct a model of a sustainable city.
  • Develop a robotic arm capable of picking and placing objects.
  • Create a virtual reality simulation of a historical engineering marvel.
  • Design and build a miniature greenhouse for urban gardening.
  • Develop a drone for wildlife monitoring and conservation.
  • Build a small-scale model of a water treatment plant.
  • Designed and prototyped a portable solar charger for electronic devices.
  • Develop a system for monitoring and controlling energy consumption in buildings.
  • Build a scale model of a suspension bridge.
  • Design and construct a prototype for a renewable energy-powered water desalination plant.
  • Create a mobile app for real-time traffic management.
  • Develop a wearable device for monitoring and improving posture.
  • Design and build a miniature satellite for space exploration.
  • Construct a model wind farm to study wind energy production.
  • Develop a smart parking system using sensors and IoT technology.
  • Build a scale model of a sustainable transportation network for a city.
  • Design and prototype a low-cost housing solution for disaster-prone areas.
  • Create a simulation software for modeling fluid dynamics.
  • Develop a drone-based delivery system for remote areas.
  • Design and build a prototype for a self-driving car.
  • Construct a model of a wastewater treatment plant.
  • Develop a system for automated crop monitoring and irrigation.
  • Design and prototype a smart wearable for healthcare monitoring.
  • Build a miniature electric train system.
  • Develop a mobile app for identifying and reporting environmental hazards.
  • Design and construct a model of a renewable energy-powered community.
  • Create a simulation software for modeling structural behavior during earthquakes.
  • Build a scale model of a geothermal energy plant.
  • Design and prototype a solar-powered water purification system.
  • Develop a drone-based system for mapping and monitoring forests.
  • Construct a miniature hydroponic garden for urban agriculture.
  • Design and build a prototype for a zero-emission vehicle.
  • Develop a mobile app for disaster preparedness and response.
  • Create a simulation software for modeling traffic flow in urban areas.
  • Design and prototype a modular furniture system for small living spaces.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered island.
  • Develop a system for automated inventory management in warehouses.
  • Design and construct a miniature dam for hydroelectric power generation.
  • Create a mobile app for real-time monitoring of water quality in rivers and lakes.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and controlling forest fires.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring hydration levels.
  • Build a miniature model of a sustainable agriculture ecosystem.
  • Develop a system for automated pest control in agriculture.
  • Design and construct a prototype for a solar-powered desalination plant.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting recycling and waste reduction.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting endangered species.
  • Design and prototype a smart helmet for enhancing safety in construction sites.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered airport.
  • Develop a system for automated maintenance of infrastructure.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable manufacturing facility.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting eco-friendly transportation options.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting coral reefs.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring air pollution exposure.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered amusement park.
  • Develop a system for automated monitoring of air quality in industrial areas.
  • Design and construct a prototype for a solar-powered transportation hub .
  • Create a mobile app for promoting energy conservation in households.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting marine habitats.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring stress levels.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered university campus.
  • Develop a system for automated detection of leaks in pipelines.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable tourist resort.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting sustainable tourism practices.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting wetlands.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring sleep patterns.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered theme park.
  • Develop a system for automated detection of air pollution sources.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable sports complex.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting sustainable fashion choices.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting wildlife corridors.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring UV exposure.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered shopping mall.
  • Develop a system for automated detection of noise pollution sources.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable healthcare facility.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting sustainable eating habits.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting national parks.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring indoor air quality.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered stadium.
  • Develop a system for automated detection of water pollution sources.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable cultural center.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting sustainable consumer choices.
  • Develop a drone-based system for monitoring and protecting archaeological sites.
  • Design and prototype a wearable device for monitoring outdoor air quality.
  • Build a scale model of a renewable energy-powered convention center.
  • Develop a system for automated detection of soil erosion.
  • Design and construct a miniature model of a sustainable entertainment complex.
  • Create a mobile app for promoting sustainable lifestyle choices.

Implementation Strategies for Project-Based Learning

To effectively implement PBL in engineering education, several strategies can be employed:

  • Define clear project goals and objectives: Clearly articulate the purpose, scope, and learning outcomes of each project to guide student efforts and expectations.
  • Provide adequate resources and support: Ensure access to necessary materials, equipment, facilities, and expert guidance to facilitate project implementation and student learning.
  • Facilitate regular progress assessments and feedback sessions: Monitor student progress, provide timely feedback, and offer support and guidance to address challenges and optimize learning outcomes.
  • Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration: Foster collaboration across disciplines, departments, and areas of expertise to enrich project experiences and promote holistic learning.
  • Foster a culture of experimentation and innovation: Encourage creativity, exploration, and risk-taking to inspire innovation and problem-solving among students.

Project-Based Learning offers a transformative approach to engineering education, empowering students to develop practical skills, critical thinking abilities, and real-world experience essential for success in the engineering profession.

By engaging in diverse project based learning ideas for engineering students spanning renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, robotics, biomedical engineering, and environmental engineering, students not only deepen their understanding of engineering principles but also cultivate a mindset of innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning.

As educators continue to embrace and implement PBL in engineering curricula, they play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of innovative engineers poised to tackle the complex challenges of the future.

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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

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

Lu Zhang\n

  • 1 Institute of Computer and Information Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Institute of Smart Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China

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.

Method: 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.

Results: 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.

Discussion: 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:

1. Does project-based learning significantly improve students’ thinking skills, academic performance, and affective attitudes compared to traditional teaching methods?

2. 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 .

www.frontiersin.org

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.

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Figure 2 . 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.

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Table 1 . 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.

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Figure 3 . 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.

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Table 2 . 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.

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Table 3 . 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).

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Table 4 . Results of moderating effects of different moderating variables.

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.

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Figure 4 . 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

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

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).

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.

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.

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Keywords: project-based learning, learning effects, 21st century skills, higher-order thinking, meta-analysis

Citation: Zhang L and Ma Y (2023) A study of the impact of project-based learning on student learning effects: a meta-analysis study. Front. Psychol . 14:1202728. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1202728

Received: 09 April 2023; Accepted: 13 June 2023; Published: 17 July 2023.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2023 Zhang and Ma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Yan Ma, [email protected]

Disclaimer: 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.

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  • 06 February 2024

AI chatbot shows surprising talent for predicting chemical properties and reactions

  • Davide Castelvecchi

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Close-up view of a researcher's hands using a digital tablet in a lab.

Scientists have adapted a ChatGPT-like system to answer questions about chemistry research. Credit: Luis Alvarez/Getty

With only a little fine-tuning, a machine-learning system similar to ChatGPT can become surprisingly adept at answering research questions in chemistry. When predicting the properties of molecules and materials or the yields of reactions, the general-purpose system can match or beat the performance of more specialized models while requiring a smaller amount of tweaking, researchers write today in Nature Machine Intelligence 1 .

These results suggest that chatbots trained in a similar way to ChatGPT could become powerful tools for chemistry laboratories that don’t have the resources to develop or purchase sophisticated machine-learning models. “This greatly reduces the barrier for other chemists to benefit from machine learning in their domains,” says Andrew White, a chemical engineer at the University of Rochester in New York.

Chemical training

Large language models (LLMs) are artificial neural networks trained on huge collections of text. When prompted with a statement or a question, the systems can generate a response by statistically predicting how to follow one sentence with the next.

Computational chemist Kevin Jablonka, now at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany, and his collaborators wanted to see what general-purpose LLMs could do for chemistry. They started with GPT-3, an early iteration of the ‘brain’ behind the ChatGPT chatbot that became a global sensation after OpenAI in San Francisco, California, launched it in late 2022.

chemistry project based learning

This GPT-powered robot chemist designs reactions and makes drugs — on its own

To adapt GPT-3 to answer questions about a chemical compound or material, the researchers first collected information from the literature about similar compounds or materials, and formatted their data to take the form of up to 30 questions and answers. They then sent the data to OpenAI to be added to the LLM’s training set. The fine-tuned system could answer predictive questions about the original compound or material — even though it was not explicitly included in the input data. “What’s remarkable is that it can do things it doesn’t know,” says co-author Berend Smit, a chemical engineer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

For example, the researchers tested the system’s aptitude for answering queries about ‘high entropy’ alloys, which are made of roughly equal amounts of two or more metals. Ordinary alloys such as steel — which contains mostly iron, with small amounts of elements such as carbon mixed throughout its crystal structure — are well understood, but much less is known about high-entropy alloys and how their metals will mix. However, the fine-tuned LLM could guess correctly how the metals in one of these alloys would arrange themselves. (The researchers assessed success by leaving some alloys from the literature out of the training data and then testing whether the LLM could predict those alloys’ properties.)

An LLM for the people

When asking the system to answer questions about an ‘unknown’ material not included in the training data, the team got results comparable in accuracy to those of more specialized machine-learning tools for chemistry, and even to those from computer simulations explicitly programmed to use the physical properties of atoms and molecules. The researchers also demonstrated that they could achieve similar results when they fine-tuned an open-source version of GPT-3, called GPT-J — meaning that labs with small budgets might be able to develop their own version without having to pay or ask for commercial help.

chemistry project based learning

ChatGPT has entered the classroom: how LLMs could transform education

“The ‘democratization’ is perhaps one of the more interesting things about this project, as it indeed makes it way easier to get some predictions of chemical properties,” Jablonka says.

The fact that the technique can get predictions just from the chemical formula for a compound is “very surprising”, White says. He tried the method for himself as soon as he saw Jablonka and colleagues post their findings on the preprint server ChemRxiv a year ago, ahead of peer review. “We have used it in new projects — like designing new catalysts based on fine-tuning LLMs,” says White. “It is the first method we try when working on new projects.”

Although the method requires humans to collect information and prepare the LLM input, Jablonka and his team aim to design future versions that can implement this step automatically by mining text from existing literature.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00347-7

Jablonka, K. M., Schwaller, P., Ortega-Guerrero, A. & Smit, B. Nature Mach. Intell . https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-023-00788-1 (2024).

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    The impact on students' chemical literacy development was assessed through five components: (1) ability to conduct a scientific investigation and draw conclusions (general scientific ideas); (2) ability to explain macroscopic phenomena in terms of microscopic structure of matter (characteristic of chemistry); chemistry in the context of related ...

  9. STEAM Project-Based Learning Activities at the Science Museum as an

    In this work, a project-based learning methodology optimized and experimented in the frame of a pre-service chemistry teachers' course at the University of Pisa (Italy), during the last eight years, involving in total 171 participants, is presented.

  10. Enhancing undergraduate students' chemistry understanding through

    Project-based learning (PBL), which is increasingly supported by information technologies (IT), contributes to fostering student-directed scientific inquiry of problems in a real-world setting. This study investigated the integration of PBL in an IT environment into three undergraduate chemistry courses, each including both experimental and ...

  11. 14 Project-Based Learning Activities for the Science Classroom

    Learn how to use problem-based learning (PBL) to teach science concepts to K-12 students with 14 fun and engaging activities. From planting a farm to designing an app, these activities will help students apply their learning to real-world situations and problems.

  12. Why consider trying project based learning?

    After my third year of teaching chemistry, I participated in a Project Based Learning training through the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (based on Buck Institute pedagogy), and haven't looked back since. From the training, I realized that I held the misconception that to use PBL in the classroom, it must be the only teaching strategy I ...

  13. Online project-based learning with integration of STEAM in chemistry

    Hence, this study discusses the prospects and challenges of STEAM incorporation in online project-based learning aimed at the development of 21st century skills in chemistry classrooms. The paper outlined that, there is a prospect for the chemistry students to advance the ability and competencies of various skills such as hard and soft skills ...

  14. 3.2. Project-Based Learning (PBL) Pedagogy

    3.2.1 Definition of PBL. 3.2.2 PBL Process. Step 1: Defining Essential Skills in a Project. Step 2: Development of a Driving Question. Step 3: Introducing the Project (The Entry Event) Step 4: Student-Centered Learning (Know and Need to Know List) Step 5: Project Implementation. Step 6: Presentation to Public Audience.

  15. Engage Students with Science: 5 Project-Based Learning Activities

    Project-based learning is all about creating opportunities to get hands-on with the subject matter. This collaborative work gives students time to develop skills beyond those needed to learn science. They learn communication skills, time management, and navigating a group dynamic.

  16. Project-Based Learning Packs

    Science A-Z Project-Based Learning Packs provide resources that encourage students to use creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills as they work in teams to investigate an overarching science question or design solutions for an engineering challenge.

  17. Welcome

    Welcome to the Chemistry Problem-Based Learning (PBL) site hosted by the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). This site is made possible by a Learning and Education Advancement Impact Grant from the University of Toronto.

  18. What is Project Based Learning?

    Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. ... NY, with his 11th grade chemistry class. VIDEO: March Through Nashville. This project features Kimberly Head-Trotter of McKissack Middle School, in Nashville, TN, with her 6th grade ELA/History ...

  19. (PDF) Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model in Chemistry Learning

    Abstract. Project Based Learning is one of the learning models that can be chosen by teachers in learning activities. This study aims to determine student perceptions as well as chemistry teachers ...

  20. Chemistry Science Projects

    Chemistry Science Projects (79 results) An experienced chemistry professor used to say that it took about one explosion per week to maintain college students' attention in chemistry lectures. At that rate, we'd get in pretty big trouble with a lot of parents and teachers! Don't worry, we still have lots of bubbles, fizzes, bangs, and color ...

  21. Mit Blossoms Project-based Learning Units

    This new MIT BLOSSOMS Project-Based Learning site is designed for high school teachers who want to give PBL a try, but are not sure just how to get started. Each BLOSSOMS PBL unit is developed to provide a teacher with all the resources and scaffolding needed to conduct a three to five-week classroom project.

  22. Chemistry project-based learning for secondary metabolite ...

    This research aims to develop chemistry project-based learning with an Integrated Ethnoscience Approach in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Ethno-STEM) to improve students' conservative and entrepreneurial character. The research method refers to the Research and Development (R&D) model with the Four D by Thiagarajan (1997).

  23. Project-based Learning (Pbl) in Teaching Chemistry

    PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL) IN TEACHING CHEMISTRY. Published 2019. Chemistry, Education. Vital to Project learners put theory into practice. This can contribute in learner's skills and competencies and determined the benefits and challenges in the utilization of PBL. This is an experimental research which utilized the Quasi design ...

  24. Improving Undergrad Chemistry with Evidence-based Teaching and Digital

    Our new research project, ChemCORE (Chemistry Courseware Outcomes Research and Evaluation), is aimed at understanding how evidence-based teaching practices and digital courseware might lead to widespread transformation of the field. In partnership with educators and innovators this study will focus on the experiences and outcomes of ...

  25. Exploring Data Mining in Chemistry Education: Building a Web-Based

    The integration of learning analytics and artificial intelligence methods into education is part of the latest developments and significantly affects chemistry education (research): researchers might face the challenge of collecting and analyzing content-rich data sets involving interdisciplinary approaches from computer science, chemistry, and chemistry education. Developing a learning ...

  26. Project-Based Science Instruction for Career Preparation

    This course is designed to facilitate the teaching of science in adult education classrooms using a Project-Based Learning (PBL) model. This course makes the connections between science content knowledge and how adults use science in their daily lives, especially in work and career-related contexts. Those that will benefit the most from this course are adult education instructors, trainers ...

  27. Top 100 Project Based Learning Ideas For Engineering Students

    Project-Based Learning (PBL) has emerged as a cornerstone in modern education, particularly in fields like engineering where practical skills and real-world applications are paramount. It provides students with the chance to immerse themselves in concepts, apply theoretical understanding to concrete projects, and cultivate crucial skills ...

  28. A study of the impact of project-based learning on student learning

    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 ...

  29. AI chatbot shows surprising talent for predicting chemical ...

    Credit: Luis Alvarez/Getty. With only a little fine-tuning, a machine-learning system similar to ChatGPT can become surprisingly adept at answering research questions in chemistry. When predicting ...