The Effect of Project Based Learning on the Academic Achievement of At-Risk Advanced Placement Students

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2016-05-03

Department

Program

Masters of Education

Citation of Original Publication

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether project-based learning would increase academic achievement for at risk students. The null hypothesis was at-risk students in an advanced placement psychology class will not have an increase in academic achievement through the use of the project based learning strategy. The study used a pre-experimental design method. A 10 multiple choice pre-assessment was used to determine a base line for how much students’ know before each lesson started. There were six pre-assessments used in each unit of study; five multiple choice tests and one constructed response. In order to determine whether academic achievement occurred after the intervention was administered. The instrument used was a post-assessment which consisted of 50 multiple choice questions and one constructed response. The study began on February 1st, 2016 and concluded on March 11th, 2016. The results of the study were compared to data gathered from that time period also. There was a significant improvement recorded for the use of project-based learning on the academic achievement of at-risk students in an advanced placement psychology setting. Therefore the null hypothesis that at-risk students in an advanced placement psychology class will not increase academic achievement after the project-based strategy was implemented was rejected. Since the study was only over a month and a half time period. Future research on these areas could involve a much longer time period to obtain more reliable data on the effects of project-based learning increasing academic achievement.