An Investigation of the Effect of Project-Based Learning Approach on Children's Achievement and Attitude in Science

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of project-based learning activities on the fifth grade children’s science achievement and their attitudes towards science course for the unit on ‘Sound’, and to compare the effectiveness of project-based learning over more traditional teaching methods. The study was carried out with 44 fifth grade students at a public primary school in the Northwestern part of Turkey, during the spring term of the 2011-2012 academic year. Students were randomly divided into two groups as control group (CG, n=22) and experimental group (EG, n=22). Initially, pre-tests (an achievement test and an attitude scale) were applied to both the CG and EG. Following the four weeks, the EG was taught using the project-based practices, while the CG was taught using more traditional teaching practices. Children in the EG carried out three science projects for the science unit on ‘sound’: Bite and hear, making music with glass bottles, and designing a house with sound insulation. Then, the post-tests were carried out in order to determine the effect of a project-based learning approach on children’s learning. The research findings revealed that children’s science achievement significantly improved with the project-based activities, but their attitudes toward science did not change