The Relationship Between Project-Based Learning and Rigor in STEM-Focused High Schools

Authors

Julie Edmunds, SERVE Center at University of North Carolina at GreensboroFollow
Nina Arshavsky, SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at GreensboroFollow
Elizabeth Glennie, RTI InternationalFollow
Karen Charles, RTI InternationalFollow
Olivia Rice, RTI InternationalFollow

Abstract

Project-based learning (PjBL) is an approach often favored in STEM classrooms, yet some studies have shown that teachers struggle to implement it with academic rigor. This paper explores the relationship between PjBL and rigor in the classrooms of ten STEM-oriented high schools. Utilizing three different data sources reflecting three different perceptions—student surveys, teacher logs, and classroom observations—the study examines the extent to which PjBL and rigor co-occur. Across all three measures, the results show that use of PjBL is associated with higher levels of rigor. However, the study also shows that academic rigor can be present in the absence of PjBL, and that PjBL can be implemented with low levels of rigor. The paper concludes with implications for practice.

Recommended Citation

Edmunds, J. , Arshavsky, N. , Glennie, E. , Charles, K. , & Rice, O. (2017). The Relationship Between Project-Based Learning and Rigor in STEM-Focused High Schools. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 11(1).
Available at: https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1618