Project Scope – Peer Review

8203
Dannikea Holtom
1481883
 My Context
• Team Leader and Teacher in the Year 5 & 6, students who are aged 9-10.
(Middle schooling).
• Low socio-economic Community
• Maori and Pasifika Community
• In 2018 we begun backward by design planning for our inquiry which pushed
us into developing a wicked problem for our students. Based on Kath
Murdoch’s Spiral of Inquiry.
 This thesis is about how Project Based Learning can
support students in developing motivation to to be able to
identify challenges to them and their lives. PBL Helps
Students develop skills for living in a knowledge-based,
highly technological society.

WHAT IS MY THESIS QUESTION?

 WHY use PBL?
• The way of teaching and learning is being challenged by the increased
complexity in our lives and societies. Project Based Learning helps to
develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students. It is an
inquiry-based method of learning. Students are given problems as a project
and become active in learning. Students are able to apply knowledge by doing
something. (eLearning Industry, 2017).
• In 2019, my school is moving to visual learning and using choice theory I
wanted to develop and be able to use something that would link with these
and not just be something extra to my students.
 What evidence supports this?
• According to Thomas (2000), research into Project Based Learning has only taken place
within the last ten years and most recently in the last few years. The reason behind this
would be that Project Based Learning is a relatively new concept within the last ten years
to meet the skills needed for future learning.
• Newer research is taking place more often as educators move to more future focused
learning method.
• On the next slide I have included some resources I might be using to help support my
thesis.
• I found that there is not much research around Maori and Pasifika students in middle
schooling. Or research around Maori and Pasifika students in inquiry based learning.
 What evidence supports this?
• I also found this article by Lauren Nicole D'Ambra where she had conducted
a Case Study into project based learning in and elementary school setting.
• Use this as reference base but my main focus will be under a New Zealand
context with a Maori and Pasifika lens.

• D'Ambra, L. N. (2014). A case study of project-based learning in an

elementary school setting.
 RESORCES
• Doing with Understanding: Lessons From Research on Problem and
Project-Based Learning.
• Project-Based Learning
• A Review of Research on Project-Based Learning
• When is PBL More Effective? A Meta-synthesis of Meta-analyses Comparing
PBL to Conventional Classrooms
• Preparing Students for A Project-Based World
 Context, Contemporary & Impact
• Context: This thesis will look into how Maori and Pasifika students can
apply PBL to their context. Learning will be developed around student
background and the community/ society they live in.
• Contemporary Education: Projected based learning falls under the
future-focused learning according to TKI enabling eLearning, (2018).
• Who is impacted by this problem: The problem will focus on students
from low socio-economic backgrounds who fit into the Maori and Pacifika
category. Students who are years 5-6 (aged 9-10)
 Purpose and Objectives
• Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain
how Project Based Learning can improve student
motivation to identify and solve problems.
• PBL to help develop the skills students will need
for future learning.
• Demonstrate increased long-term retention of
content perform as well as, if not better, than
traditional learners in high-stakes tests improve
problem-solving and collaboration skills have a
more positive attitude towards learning. Strobel
and van Barneveld (2009).
• Developing Student agency
• Development of Skills taught through PBL:
• Solving highly complex problems requires that
students have both fundamental skills (reading,
writing, and math) and 21st century skills
(teamwork, problem-solving, research gathering,
time management, information synthesizing,
utilizing high tech tools). With this combination of
skills, students become directors and managers of
their learning process, guided and mentored by a
skilled teacher. (Edutopia. 2018).
• Understanding how Project Based Learning can
support students to be more involved in their
learning.
 Research Questions
• What is Project Based Learning and why should we use it?
• How can I produce evidence to show change has happened?
• How will I know that the skills are being developed?
• How do I identify what skills will be covered and those that won’t be?
• How will I know that Maori and Pasifika students are developing the skills needed for
PBL?
• How can I recognise and address barriers that will hinder students using PBL?
• What will change in students using PBL?
• How are students able to understand or be motivated to fix problems in their community?
 Project
• Case Study will be done to collected evidence. Because students learn better
through experiences case studies will be an effective way to learn in the
classroom. Lathram, (2016), explains that the advantages of a case study is an
opportunity to look at research with an holistic view. It looks at the many
different aspects, examines relationships within the environment.
• Students will be able to develop of 21st Century Skills through PBL
• Culturally Responsive Practice – Maori and Pasifika students
 Assumptions?
• I was reading through the article A case study of project-based learning in an
elementary school setting (D'Ambra, 2014). In this it was brought up that
there have been many studies and research into methodologies like PBL, but
they don’t address the issue of what drives student motivation or what
foundations were set up for PBL to work.
• I feel we are assuming that students see problems in their community are
enough for them to WANT to make or do something about it.
• Assuming that students are going to be motivated to fix these problems.
 References

• 12 Reasons Why Project-Based Learning Is Better Than Traditional Classroom Learning - eLearning Industry. (2017). eLearning Industry.
Retrieved 12 November 2018, from https://elearningindustry.com/project-based-learning-better-traditional-classroom
• D'Ambra, L. N. (2014). A case study of project-based learning in an elementary school setting.
• Lathram, B. (2016). Preparing Students Project-Based, (August).
• Project based learning / Future-focused learning / Teaching / enabling e-Learning - enabling eLearning. (2018). Elearning.tki.org.nz.
Retrieved 12 November 2018, from
http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Future-focused-learning/Project-based-learning#js-tabcontainer-1-tab-1
• Thomas, J. W. (2000). A Review of Research on Project-Based Learning MELHOR NÃO USAR ESTE ARTIGO. Learning, 46.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-009-0302-x
• Strobel, J., & van Barneveld, A. (2009). When is PBL more effective? A meta-synthesis of meta-analyses comparing PBL to conventional
classrooms (Abstract) . The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 3(1).  
•
Why Is Project-Based Learning Important? | Edutopia. (2018). Edutopia. Retrieved 12 November 2018, from
https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-importance