Abstract:

This abstract presents an exploratory case study describing how two novice teachers at a STEM school perceive the effectiveness of a training program designed to promote project-based learning (PBL). The purpose of this study is to identify the design elements of the training that promote teachers’ PBL teaching.

Two novice teachers (one male and one female) had less than two years of teaching experience at the time of this research. Both teachers taught for sixth graders and volunteered to participate in the training designed based on Kali et al.’s (2018) and Van de Pol et al.’s (2010) training design which comprised four phases:
(1) teacher as a learner,
(2) teacher as a designer,
(3) teacher as an enactor,
(4) teacher as an independent designer.

Six categories of data sources were collected over ten weeks, including:
(1) pre-and post- questionnaires,
(2) pre-, mid-, and post-interviews,
(3) observation documents,
(4) verbal reflections,
(5) documents including a lesson plan and evaluation form from the researcher, and
(6) researcher’s reflective journal.

To analyze data, we used two approaches: a deductive coding approach using provisional codes and an inductive coding approach using open codes. Provision codes were identified through the literature review (Saldaña, 2013) and open codes were freely and substantively generated from units of analysis (Glaser, 1998). Codes and categories were identified through three cycles of analysis that were ten days apart. An independent researcher validated the coding process and interpretation of the findings.

The two teachers participated in the training perceived that the training was highly effective. There are three aspects of the finding to be highlighted in this presentation. First, the two teachers rated five out of five on most items in the post-questionnaire regarding the training’s effectiveness. One teacher reported that he understood better about PBL design after his independent design. The other noted the necessity of the implementation phase because she understood better how PBL promoted student learning through the implementation. Second, in relation to the teachers’ perceptions, we found that the progressive four-phase design was the reason for the teachers’ rating on the training’s effectiveness. One teacher noted that “These steps are wonderful. They are seamless.” Third, the teachers also perceived the management documents (e.g., the digital files to organize and present PBL for the teacher and students, which include a graphic organizer of the timeline, Google Doc of group organizer, and others) to be beneficial to organize and manage the project. One teacher noted that he appreciated and learned how to present PBL using the management documents, which increased his confidence because it provided “the right tools” for him. The other teacher emphasized that the timeline was very beneficial for students and the teacher’s time management. To sum up, the two effective design elements of this training were perceived to be the design of progressive four phases and the design and use of the management documents. However, while implanting the training, this study also found several factors affected the training effectiveness. Among the factors, the novice teachers’ classroom management and their belief in PBL were found closely associated with the successful implementation of this training.

Keywords:

Project-based learning, teacher training.