[Paper Review] Study on the Best Uses of Technology in Support of Project-Based Learning

James Taylor|arXiv (Cornell University)|Dec 16, 2017

Problem and Project Based Learning2 references3 citations

TL;DR

This study identifies the most effective technology tools for supporting Project-Based Learning (PBL) through surveys of teachers and students. It finds that collaboration-focused tools are most impactful, followed by content-development and assessment technologies, with strong alignment between educator and student perceptions on tool effectiveness.

ABSTRACT

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching technique in which authentic, real-world projects are used as the primary vehicle to drive the student's learning experience. This technique has been found to be very effective, but its overall adoption rate is relatively low, in part due to teachers' unfamiliarity with how to best use technology to successfully implement it. This research study involved a comprehensive survey of supportive technology tools, as well as secondary survey research from students and teachers with actual experience in PBL. The goal was to determine which types of technology tools were most supportive of PBL. Overall, the study found that teachers and students are mostly aligned with regards to the importance of technology and the effectiveness of various types of tools. Tools which fostered collaboration amongst teacher and students were ultimately deemed the most effective, but content-development and assessment tools were also found to be particularly helpful.

Motivation & Objective

• To identify technology tools that most effectively support Project-Based Learning (PBL) in real-world educational settings.
• To understand the alignment between teacher and student perceptions regarding the value and effectiveness of various technology tools in PBL.
• To determine which types of technology tools—collaboration, content-development, or assessment—contribute most significantly to successful PBL implementation.
• To provide evidence-based guidance for educators on selecting and integrating technology in PBL environments.

Proposed method

• Conducted a comprehensive survey of technology tools used in PBL environments.
• Collected secondary survey data from both teachers and students with direct experience in PBL.
• Analyzed responses to assess perceived effectiveness and importance of different technology categories.
• Categorized tools into three main types: collaboration, content-development, and assessment tools.
• Used qualitative and quantitative analysis to compare teacher and student perceptions across tool categories.
• Evaluated tool effectiveness based on alignment between user groups and perceived impact on learning outcomes.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Which types of technology tools are most effective in supporting Project-Based Learning according to teachers and students?
• RQ2 How aligned are teacher and student perceptions regarding the importance and effectiveness of specific technology tools in PBL?
• RQ3 Which technology category—collaboration, content-development, or assessment—has the greatest perceived impact on PBL success?
• RQ4 What specific features or functions of technology tools contribute most to effective PBL implementation?

Key findings

• Collaboration-focused tools were deemed the most effective by both teachers and students in supporting PBL.
• Content-development tools were found to be particularly helpful in enabling students to create and refine project outputs.
• Assessment tools were rated highly for their ability to support formative and summative evaluation in PBL contexts.
• There was strong alignment between teachers and students on the importance and effectiveness of key technology tools.
• Technology tools that enhanced communication and teamwork had the highest perceived impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The study identified a clear hierarchy of tool effectiveness, with collaboration tools ranking highest, followed by content-development and assessment tools.