Project-based learning is used in K-12 schools to foster student agency, engagement, autonomy, and motivation. Constructivist and motivation theories support project-based learning in the classroom. Project-based learning approaches in education use the essential standards of project-based learning to establish in-person learning or online…

Background/Context: In the last two decades, high-stakes testing policies have proliferated exponentially, radically altering the broader educational landscape in the United States. Although these policies continue to dominate educational reform agendas, researchers argue that they have not improved educational outcomes for youth and have…

Bachelor thesis supervision involves a supporting goal and an assessment goal, requiring more guidance versus more autonomy and freedom for students, respectively. This paper tests the hypotheses that the final grade of undergraduate bachelor thesis is positively related to a supervisor's (a) guidance given to and (b) affiliation with the bachelor…

Contribution: This article shares the learning ecosystem of a project-based embedded systems course, identifying course elements that support self-directed learning and how assignments guide students toward becoming adaptive experts. Background: The technology advances while the fundamentals of electrical engineering remain static. Educators can…

The effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) on language learning outcomes is welldocumented in the literature. However, research on using projects to supplement direct instruction is scarce. This study, thus, is aimed at examining the effects of integrating project work into English skills courses for pre-service teacher training courses in…

Students acting as co-creators of academic material is growing in popularity as a pedagogical approach in higher education. With student engagement and persistence consistently being emphasized for student and institution well-being, educational praxis must foster engaged, high-retention student cohorts. This exploratory research uses a…

This study explores the effectiveness of podcasting as an approach to project-based and experiential learning implemented in an intermediate Italian studies unit at an Australian university. In the project, students are asked to write and record a podcast script on a topic related to their experience as university students or to events concerning…

As college faculty who prepare future teachers, we strive to teach our students through instruction and modeling best practices in teaching. We constantly evaluate our teaching and make adjustments to include updated knowledge about effective instruction. The evaluation and adjustments made to our courses lend themselves to action research. We…

Research on the advantages and disadvantages of project-based learning (PBL) among gifted pupils studying physics is scarce. This mixed-methods study investigates engagement, experiences, and learning outcomes among gifted Finnish upper-secondary-level students learning physics through PBL. A six-lesson PBL module on basic Newtonian mechanics was…

Personalized learning refers to a collection of practices designed to place student interests and needs at the heart of schooling. Schools that implement personalized learning need leaders that support educators and students in redesigning the core practices of teaching and learning in K-12 schools. To answer the question of how leaders support…

Scholars have suggested that civic engagement in the United States is declining and some have argued that institutions of higher education are responsible for the fostering of civic engagement through efforts such as service learning. These opportunities may be created either through a top-down approach with student assignment to specific groups…

The purpose of this study was to explore and evaluate learning in an undergraduate leadership course in a kinesiology faculty. The research question driving this study was: What do students feel influences learning in this evidence-informed leadership course? We collected and analyzed 12 students' perspectives on their learning experiences over…

Self-regulated learning (SRL) -- autonomously planning, self-monitoring and self-reflecting on learning -- is a strong predictor of academic success. Mastery of the strategies needed to become a self-regulated learner does not develop automatically in all students; thus, the classroom environment, including pedagogy and modes of assessment, plays…

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory case study into the relationship between student autonomy and motivation in project based learning, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to frame the investigation. The case study explores how different forms of motivation affect the students' response to challenges and their intention to…

In this article, we address the question of why computing students choose to learn computing topics on their own. A better understanding of why some students choose to learn on their own may help us to motivate other students to develop this important skill. In addition, it may help in curriculum design; if we need to leave some topics out of our…