Abstract
The purpose this study was to explore how a veteran first-grade teacher collaboratively negotiated the implementation of a project with her students while, at the same time, addressed grade-level standards. Researchers investigated the teacher’s strategies for integrating the district’s standards into project topics, investigative activities, and final presentations. They also examined the teacher’s strategies for promoting students’ participation in project planning and independent problem-solving. Data sources included field notes, teacher interviews, videotaped observations, and transcribed teacher, and student interviews. As an extension to teacher-directed approaches to implementing the project approach, the results of this study revealed a collaborative approach to implementing projects that allowed the teacher and the students to work together for project planning and learning. The teacher felt successful with meeting grade level learning needs, and the students were given the opportunity to fuel their learning by expressing their natural interests and curiosities, and become problem solvers.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borko, H., & Putnam, R. (1996). Learning to teach. In D. Berliner & R. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 673–708). New York: Macmillan.
Brown, A. L., & Campione, J. C. (1996). Psychological theory and the design of innovative learning environments: On procedures, principles, and systems. In L. Schauble & R. Glaser (Eds.), Innovation in learning: New environments for education (pp. 289–325). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Buck Institute of Education. http://www.bie.org/index.php/site/PBL/pbl_handbook_introduction/. Retrieved 8 Oct 2007.
Clark A. (2006). Changing classroom practice to include the Project approach. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 8(2). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/clark.html. Retrieved 8 Oct 2007.
Dev, P. C. (1997). Intrinsic motivation and academic achievement: What does their relationship imply for the classroom teacher? Remedial Special Education, 18(1), 12–19.
Dresden, J., & Lee, K. (2007). The effects of project work in a first-grade classroom: A little goes a long way. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 9(1). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v9n1/dresden.html. Retrieved 8 Oct 2007.
Helm, J. H., & Beneke, S. (2003). The power of projects: Meeting contemporary challenges in early childhood classrooms—strategies and solutions. New York: Teachers College Press.
Jones, S. R. (2002). (Re)writing the word: Methodoligical strategies and issues in qualitative research. Journal of College Student Development, 43, 461–473.
Katz, L. (1994). The project approach. ERIC digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. http://ceep.crd.uiuc/eecearchive/digests/1994/lk-pro94.html. Retrieved 8 Oct 2007.
Katz, L., & Chard, S. C. (2000). The project approach: An overview. In J. L. Roopnarine & J. E. Johnson (Eds.), Approaches to early childhood education (pp. 175–190). Columbus, OH: Merrill.
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985a). Naturalistic inquiry. New York: Sage.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. (1985b). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Lumsden, L. S. (1994). Student motivation to learn (ERIC Digest No. 92). Eugene, OR: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management. ERIC Document Reprod Serv No. ED 370:200.
Peterson, R., & Eeds, M. (1990). Grand conversations: Literature groups in action. New York: Scholastic.project approach n.d.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1991). Higher levels of agency for children in knowledge building: A challenge for the design of new knowledge media. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 1, 37–68. doi:10.1207/s15327809jls0101_3.
Worsley, M. S. (2003). The pizza project. In J. H. Helm & S. Beneke (Eds.), The power of projects: Meeting contemporary challenges in early childhood classrooms—strategies and solutions (pp. 86–96). New York: Teachers College Press.
Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mitchell, S., Foulger, T.S., Wetzel, K. et al. The Negotiated Project Approach: Project-Based Learning without Leaving the Standards Behind. Early Childhood Educ J 36, 339–346 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-008-0295-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-008-0295-7