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Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

Gerlach, Darla Lee

URN

etd-05092008-114934

Title

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AS A FACILITATOR OF SELF-REGULATION IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Degree

Doctor of Education

Program

Instruction and Learning

School

School of Education

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Dr. Kathryn S. Atman	Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Maureen Porter	Committee Co-Chair
Dr. John Myers	Committee Member
Dr. Mary Kay Stein	Committee Member

Keywords

time management
goal setting
learning strategy
middle school students
project-based learning
self-regulation
self-efficacy
self-reflection
metacognition
qualitative data
quantitative data

Date of Defense

2007-04-20

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

This study examined 56 middle school students' self-reflections and self-regulatory behavioral development in a project-based learning experience. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected providing a more comprehensive evaluation of 1) students' perceptions of their self-regulatory behaviors in the project-based learning experience and 2) both the teacher's and students' perceptions of what aspects of the project-based learning experience were beneficial in facilitating students' self-regulatory behaviors.

The overall findings in this study suggest that students had success in using metacognitive processes to self-monitor the development of their self-regulatory skills. The self-monitoring process was a deliberate approach used to teach students to self-identify their weaknesses and strengths in terms of three self-regulatory skills: learning strategy use, goal setting and time management. These skills are instrumental in students' achieving success by independently completing a project. The outcomes of the study imply that students need scaffolding support in project-based learning in order to facilitate the development of self-regulatory skills. As students completed the social studies class project, they required careful guidance to learn to sift through and to synthesize information from a variety of resources. It was important to design a collaborative learning environment where students were encouraged to share in the decision-making process of the project outcomes and the curriculum.

Students used the Student Weekly Reflection Form (SWRF) to engage in self-reflection throughout the project. NUD*IST N6 was used to quantify and analyze the data obtained from the SWRF.
Students' pre- and post-test scores on the Goal Orientation Index (GOI) (Atman, 1986) showed a significant increase in the Reflecting and Planning Subscales at the .01 level of significance using a one-tailed t-test. The Bandura Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning Scale (as cited in Pajares and Urdan, 2006) was used to measure students' perceptions of their self-regulatory abilities to complete goals. There was no significant difference between the students' pre- and post-test scores as measured by a one-tailed t-test.

This study adds to existing social cognitive understanding. In order for students to identify and develop self-regulatory skills in this project, they first had to experience the opportunity to participate as managers in their own learning.

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