Centering student perspectives, this mixed methods study examines a project-based learning (PBL) unit enacted across five inclusive 9th grade English language arts (ELA) classes in one urban high school. We share how this unit offered students opportunities to experience new types of challenging but rewarding assignments in multimodal accessible…

This systematic literature review presents a review of the effects of integrated language arts, science and technology (ILS&T) instruction, with an inquiry- or design-based pedagogy, in elementary schools on student achievement. To this end, an overview of the characteristics of the 19 included studies and their interventions is first…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore teachers' shifts in pedagogy and practice as they implemented a project-based learning (PBL) approach to teaching English Language Arts (ELA) for the first time. Design/methodology/approach: The authors interviewed 10 ninth-grade ELA teachers in three schools after their first year enacting PBL. Initial codes…

This article discusses four exemplary activities to highlight imaginative approaches that encourage critical literacy: building a jackdaw, responding to text through multimodal journaling, engaging in dramatic roleplay, and practicing multi-genre writing. Each activity connects imaginative approaches to critical literacy as learners view the world…

Writing professional learning is often overlooked amidst public-school system demands, which include scarce funding and competing state mandates and priorities (Tooley and Connally, 2016). In addition, writing teachers are often subject to professional learning experiences that are directed by others rather than being tailored to their own needs…

Project-based learning (PBL) is a widely used methodology in the sciences for grades K12. Forward-thinking instructors are also implementing PBL by creating student-led learning opportunities in other subjects. There is, however, a lack of research on teacher perceptions of PBL as a motivational factor in high school. The purpose of this basic…

Historical fiction is a powerful genre for inviting children into meaningful conversations centered on the lived experiences of others. Historical inquiry immerses readers in interdisciplinary research experiences and complements language arts Common Core State Standards that call for a balance of fiction and non-fiction text. Antiracist lenses…

Project-based learning (PBL) in inclusive classrooms has the potential to provide meaningful and collaborative learning experiences that develop students' academic and social-emotional learning skills. This qualitative study focuses on the voices of secondary students with disabilities (SWDs) by examining their perceptions of PBL in English…

Approaching literacy through a human rights lens potentially equips children with the courage and support needed to face sources of human suffering; develop compassion for others; and identify obstacles to their sentience, autonomy, and well-being. A human rights view of literacy pedagogy necessarily involves attending to the moral reasoning of…

School districts choose programs based on limited data, word of mouth, or cost-effectiveness. STEM-based schools often choose project-based learning (PBL) programs to deliver curricula through limited research and word of mouth effectiveness. This study evaluated one PBL program implementation in the context of a suburban Texas middle school by…

Technological advancements continue to present a variety of learning opportunities for students. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study is to seek an understanding about students' experiences with a virtual reality (VR) activity in an Advanced Placement English course. Analyzing the observations and interactions…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of an international book exchange project done with elementary students from a professional development school partnership on the understanding of project-based learning by pre-service teachers. Design/methodology/approach: A collaborative project between a school in Uganda, a…

Frameworks that connect to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in Social Studies, such as the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies States Standards, highlight the need to engage in inquiry-based instruction (NCSS, 2013). Participation in such inquiry requires students to engage in…

This paper explores enabling conditions for scaling high-quality project-based learning (PBL) to understand factors that influence how PBL spreads, whether and how it can be sustained and the extent to which it informs meaningful change in schools. We report on a year-long collaboration across three research projects. Each project team analyzed…

Project-based learning (PBL) grounds instruction in authentic learning experiences where students engage in real-world explorations that culminate in a final product or performance. We report on a mixed methods study with 43 ninth-grade English language arts (ELA) teachers (22 PBL and 21 comparison) and 1,671 students exploring the feasibility of…