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Research Relevant to the Project Approach
By Sylvia Chard
May 29 2010 01:14 PM
It is hard to find research on the Project Approach. However, it is not so hard to find research on related topics. Here are examples of pages which review research that could be helpful to graduate students working on research proposals in this area of education.
1. Research on the Responsive Classroom
The relevance here is that the project approach has many of the features of responsiveness to the learner that are cited in the list of principles guiding teaching that is responsive to students http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/about/aboutrc.html.
2. The Edutopia web site occasionally offers reviews of relevant research such as this page: http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-research
While the research may not be on the Project Approach specifically there are many factors shared by the classrooms involved in this research.
If you know of useful reviews of research please leave us a comment after this blog.
Comments:
Suzanne DiCarlo says:
March 9 2010 08:10 PM
I am a graduate student at ASU doing my final paper on how to implement the project approach in my classroom. I agree that there is not a lot of research out there. We have a garden for our preschool. The children became so interested in it that a garden project emerged. I was trying to find out if anyone else had done a garden project. I found the one that Cadwell references but it is not even similar as they were more concerned with growing tables. Has anyone ever published a garden project? Thanks Suzanne Di Carlo
Kyleen Flynn says:
June 15 2010 10:28 AM
You may want to contact Heather Duhamel in Burlington, VT. She is a child development specialist and has done alot of work in "children and the natural world"
Sylvia Chard says:
March 19 2010 05:40 PM
Thank you, Cherlyn, for this comment. I have not done so and will look into your suggestion. There are several possibilities for integration and that work is still to be done... probably by other people in the field who recognize the possibilities.
Cherlyn Glanville says:
March 15 2010 06:17 AM
With the project approach and the emphasis on discovery learning and inquiry, have you done much with integrating this with similar work going on in library schools? I am especially thinking of Carol Kuhlthau's Guided Inquiry at Rutger's University?
Maria Lucia Amorocho says:
March 26 2010 10:59 AM
I had a nursery school in Bogota, Colombia for over 15 years where I worked on approach project continously. I would be very glad to share my experience with you. For Suzanne DiCarlo, some of my 4 years developed a garden project at least during two semesters. We had a small spot at the nursery school house where they planted fruits and vegetables, and next to it they searched on the agricultural bases to understand the planting and growing processes. We had trips to nearby farms where they experimented on real gardens and farm growing and had trips to botany parks. I have not published these experiences but gladly will share them with all of you