Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Justin Kastner / Student success in today’s modern, technological world depends on a thorough understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The US has made efforts to promote STEM education in recent years which has raised the international ranking of the United States students in STEM disciplines; however, more work is needed to make the US a leader in STEM education. Many methods have been used to help increase student interest and success in STEM disciplines. An integrated curriculum is one such method to heighten STEM education by using multiple subjects to support the content being taught. Food Science can be used as a tool in integrated curricula to enhance STEM education. The universality, cultural importance, and scientific diversity of food make it a perfect fit to incorporate content from all STEM disciplines. Furthermore, exposing students to the complexity of the food chain, food safety, and food science at a young age sets them up to be informed and educated consumers throughout their lives. The curriculum prototype developed for this report demonstrates the continuing promise of food science to enhance STEM education. This food-centric, project-based integrated curriculum encompasses all the standards required in fifth-grade science and math in the state of Tennessee with the added benefits of incorporating knowledge of food safety and the realities of the food chain. This curriculum is based on the essential question of how to use a community garden to bring nutrition to the people of Southern Asia. Through dissecting this problem, students learn about geographic diversity, plant growing conditions, food harvesting and preservation techniques, and cost implications to complex problems. Furthermore, the content required in 5th grade math and science in Tennessee is incorporated so that students learn the required content while solving a complex, real-world issue. The use of food science in integrated curricula provides students with hands-on experience in STEM subjects in a way that encourages independent learning, student engagement in the content, and real-world learning experiences. For students to have success in the modern world, they need a clear understanding of how the material presented in STEM courses relates to their lives. Food science can be used to enhance STEM education in a way that engages students and highlights important learning principles in science, technology, engineering, and math. Food science can elevate STEM education, increase student interest in STEM, and cultivate an engaged and knowledgeable public.

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether a project-based learning (PBL) academy utilizing the New Tech Network (NTN) model positively shaped the acquisition of 21st century learning skills based on the perceptions of graduates from the academy, and to what extent the graduates of this program were able to successfully use those skills after high school. This phenomenological case study focuses on the former students of a New Tech Network (NTN) academy contained within a larger high school in a rural school division in the southeastern United States. Graduates of the program participated in a survey and interview where they were asked to describe their perceptions about the impact that the NTN program had on their development of six 21st century skills. The data collected found that the NTN program had a positive impact on improving the participants skills in self-reliance, collaboration, communication and self-reflection, while also showing that participants felt they were better prepared to be successful in college and career opportunities after high school. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this research study was to determine whether a project-based learning (PBL) academy utilizing the New Tech Network (NTN) model positively shaped the development of specific work-based skills using the perceptions of graduates from the academy, and to what extent the graduates of this program were able to successfully use those skills after high school. This study focuses on the former students of an NTN academy contained within a larger high school in a rural school division in the southeastern United States. Graduates of the program participated in a survey and interview where they were asked to describe their perceptions about the impact that the NTN program had on their development of six work based skills. The data collected found that the NTN program had a positive impact on improving the participants skills in self-reliance, collaboration, communication and self-reflection, while also showing that participants felt they were better prepared to be successful in college and career opportunities after high school.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Rosemary S. Talab / The goal of this exploratory case study was to answer two questions: 1. How does an exemplary on-campus undergraduate large Introduction to Cultural Anthropology course encompass the PBL learning model characteristics, specifically focusing on the following: 1.1) Driving question, 1.2) Student construction of an artifact, 1.3) Teachers’ role, and 1.4) Assessment? 2. How is technology used by the professor, teacher assistants, and students to support project-based learning? To answer these questions, the researcher studied a large Introduction to Cultural Anthropology class, which consisted of the professor, ten teaching assistants (TAs), and 400 students. The students were divided into 20 recitation sections, with 20 students in each section. Each TA was assigned two recitation sections. Observations were conducted on twice-weekly Professor’s lectures and three once-weekly recitation sessions. Additionally, interviews and follow-up interviews were conducted of the professor, three teaching assistants (TA), and nine students. Finally, documents analyzed included the professor’s course materials and course management documents. With respect to Research Question 1, “How does an exemplary on-campus undergraduate large Introduction to Cultural Anthropology course encompass the PBL learning model characteristics, specifically focusing on the following: 1.1) Driving question, 1.2) Student construction of an artifact, 1.3) Teachers’ role, and 1.4) Assessment?”, research findings indicated that all four elements of the PBL model were present in this class and were executed well. Research Question 2, “How is technology used to support PBL,” findings indicated that advanced technologies were used by the professor for course purposes. These technologies included Wetpaint (the wiki course management system) and Facebook. More conventional technologies, such as e-mail, were also used for this purpose. Though students were hesitant to use course technology in the beginning. However, with the help of the professor and TA’s, the students learned to use the course technology and grew to enjoy it. Two additional themes emerged through open coding: Emotional Involvement and Non-Participation. First, the TA’s and students developed emotional ties to the cultures that they created in their recitation sections. Second, some students did not participate in either the lecture or the recitation sessions. The TAs took non-participation seriously, both in terms of class participation, individually, and in terms of student responsibilities to the group recitation session in culture construction.

Consumer Studies is a valuable and multifaceted subject in South African schools, requiring that teachers in the subject are well prepared. Pre-service Consumer Studies teachers need to be prepared to become lifelong learners to cope with the dynamic nature of the subject, as well as to develop various 21st century skills to be able to deal with the demands of these times. Structured guidance, however, could not be uncovered for the preparation of pre-service Consumer Studies teachers to empower them with the requirements for Consumer Studies education. Sett-directed learning is a process that supports the developn1ent of various 21st century skills, including lifelong learning, and could thus contribute to the development of preservice Consumer Studies teachers, if included in their preparation. A suitable teaching-leaming strategy that could be utilised in the preparation module for Consumer Studies teachers, as well as a vehicle to promote self-directed learning as part of such preparation, was identified in the form of project-based learning. A qualitative case study was employed to investigate how project-based learning as a teaching-learning strategy could promote self-directed learning in a pre-service Consumer Studies teacher preparation module. Project-based learning was found to foster the development of various skills as part of the process, including planning and collaboration skills. Subject content, consistent with what is required to be taught in Consumer Studies education on high school level, was developed and self-directed learning was promoted in participants using project-based learning. Recommendations were suggested for the preparation of pre-service Consumer Studies teachers, as well as for the effective structuring of projects and project-based learning in Consumer Studies. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Consumer Studies is a valuable and multifaceted subject in South African schools, requiring that teachers in the subject are well prepared. Pre-service Consumer Studies teachers need to be prepared to become lifelong learners to cope with the dynamic nature of the subject, as well as to develop various 21st century skills to be able to deal with the demands of these times. Structured guidance, however, could not be uncovered for the preparation of pre-service Consumer Studies teachers to empower them with the requirements for Consumer Studies education. Sett-directed learning is a process that supports the developn1ent of various 21st century skills, including lifelong learning, and could thus contribute to the development of preservice Consumer Studies teachers, if included in their preparation. A suitable teaching-leaming strategy that could be utilised in the preparation module for Consumer Studies teachers, as well as a vehicle to promote self-directed learning as part of such preparation, was identified in the form of project-based learning. A qualitative case study was employed to investigate how project-based learning as a teaching-learning strategy could promote self-directed learning in a pre-service Consumer Studies teacher preparation module. Project-based learning was found to foster the development of various skills as part of the process, including planning and collaboration skills. Subject content, consistent with what is required to be taught in Consumer Studies education on high school level, was developed and self-directed learning was promoted in participants using project-based learning. Recommendations were suggested for the preparation of pre-service Consumer Studies teachers, as well as for the effective structuring of projects and project-based learning in Consumer Studies. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This diploma thesis deals with the inclusion of project days in Natural history lessons at elementary schools in Most and nearby villages. The diploma thesis is divided into three parts. The theoretical part is devoted to origin and history of project-based learning in the world and in czech schools, theoretical concepts that are directly related to project-based learning, and also the incusion of project-based learning into present educational proces, advantages and disadvantages of project-based learning. The research part of the thesis and the main research problem focuses on using the project-based learning at primary school. The research part is the result of a questionnaire survey that I realized at selected elementary schools. In the process of researching was used a questionnaire method, which i sone of the most common tools for data collection. Teachers from these schools took care of completing the statistical data. The questionnaire was created and distributed electronically. In the practical part I present the project day "Tree Day" which I realized at lower secondery school Obránců míru in Most. KEY WORDS Project-based learning, project day, science teaching

São muitas as pesquisas nos dias de hoje que buscam por métodos e ferramentas para aumentar a autonomia do aluno na condução dos processos de aprendizagem, uma vez que os métodos tradicionais de ensino nem sempre se mostram eficazes na formação de estudantes com capacidade crítica, coerente com as necessidades do mundo atual. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar de que modo uma atividade de Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos (ABPr), apoiada por um ambiente tecnológico desenvolvido para este fim, pode contribuir no desenvolvimento de projetos por meio de recursos de recomendação de conteúdo e ferramentas de colaboração entre pares. Para isto é utilizado uma abordagem ativa de aprendizagem, a ABPr, definida como um método de aprendizagem centrado no aluno e que enfatiza atividades para o desenvolvimento de projetos. Durante este processo os alunos podem tomar suas próprias decisões e agir sozinhos ou em grupos. Para a aplicação do método proposto foi estruturada uma atividade educacional, que consiste no desenvolvimento de um projeto a partir das investigações dos alunos em relação a um tema proposto pelo professor. O desenvolvimento deste projeto se inicia e termina em sala de aula, entretanto as fases intermediárias podem ocorrer em outros locais. Para a execução da atividade foi desenvolvida uma ferramenta que incentiva a colaboração entre os alunos. Isto permite uma maior interação entre os participantes e também a possibilidade dos alunos colaborarem nos projetos uns dos outros. Durante o desenvolvimento de seus projetos, a ferramenta sugere materiais complementares relacionados ao assunto tratado, como forma auxiliar os alunos em seus processos investigativos. Para a avaliação do trabalho proposto foi estruturada uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, na modalidade estudo de caso, com coleta de dados por meio da análise de projetos, registro de atividades, questionários e entrevistas. Os resultados obtidos através dos experimentos realizados demonstraram que a atividade educacional proposta por este trabalho contribuiu de forma significativa para o desenvolvimento de projetos e para uma maior interação entre os alunos. / Many research works focus on the development of methods and tools to increase student autonomy in the conduct of learning processes, as traditional teaching methods are not always effective in training students with critical skills, in accordance with the needs of today's world. This study aims to investigate how a Project-based Learning (PBL) activity, supported by a technological environment developed for this purpose, can contribute to the development of projects by means of content recommendation resources and collaboration tools among peers. For this reason, an active learning approach is used, PBL, defined as a student-centered learning method that emphasizes activities for project development. During this process students can make their own decisions and act alone or in groups. For the application of the proposed method an educational activity was structured consisting in the development of a project based on students' investigations related to a topic proposed by the teacher. The development of this project starts and ends in the classroom, but the intermediate stages can occur in other places. For the execution of the activity, a tool was developed for fostering collaboration between students. This allows a higher interaction between participants and the possibility of students to collaborate on each other's projects. During the development of their projects, the tool suggests additional materials related to the subject at hand, as a way to assist students in their research processes. For the evaluation of the proposed work a quali-quantitative study was structured, with data collection performed from project analysis, activity logging, questionnaires and interviews. Results from the experiments performed showed that the educational activity proposed by this work contributed significantly to the development of projects and for a higher interaction among students.

A utilização de métodos ativos na educação é um dos grandes desafios atuais. A Aprendizagem baseada em Projetos - ABPr é uma das abordagens que guiam os alunos em uma investigação ativa através de uma questão central, resolvendo um problema do mundo real e que, geralmente, requer um resultado final prático. Apesar da existência de novas abordagens pedagógicas, nem sempre é simples a tarefa de envolver os alunos nas atividades propostas pelos professores. Uma perspectiva que promove o engajamento dos alunos é a Gamificação, definida resumidamente como a utilização de elementos de jogos em ambientes não jogos. Ela vem sendo empregada em diversas pesquisas no campo educacional, porém, existe a necessidade de desenvolvimento de estudos mais aprofundados buscando investigar como as mecânicas de jogos podem ser relacionadas com a educação. Esta pesquisa tem objetivo de investigar de que modo um Ambiente Gamificado, para apoio a ABPr, pode contribuir com os processos colaborativos no desenvolvimento dos projetos dos alunos. Na pesquisa elaborou-se um modelo de atividade de ABPr, que serviu de base para concepção do Ambiente Gamificado. A estrutura deste ambiente é composta por mecânicas de jogos como desafios, pontos, níveis, ranking e o quadro de experiência colaborativa dentro do Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem MOODLE. Foi realizado um experimento com duas turmas no curso superior de Administração da Universidade Federal do Maranhão. A pesquisa foi estruturada com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Como análise realizou-se os cruzamentos dos dados a partir dos registros no ambiente, questionário aplicado aos alunos, entrevistas com os professores e análise dos projetos desenvolvidos. Como resultados é possível afirmar que a Gamificação na atividade de ABPr promoveu a colaboração entre os alunos no Ambiente Gamificado e as suas colaborações contribuíram para o desenvolvimento dos projetos dos alunos. / The use of active methods in education is one of the major current challenges. The Project-based Learning - PjBL is one of the approaches that guide students in active inquiry through a central question, solving a real world problem and it generally requires a practical outcome. Despite the existence of new pedagogical approaches, it is not always simple task to engage students in activities proposed by the teachers. A perspective that promotes student engagement is the Gamification, briefly defined as the use of game elements in non-gaming environments. It has been used in several studies in the educational field, however, there is a need to develop further studies seeking to investigate how game mechanics can be related to education. This research aims to investigate why a Gamified Environment, to support PjBL, can contribute with collaborative processes in the development of student projects. In the research elaborated a PjBL activity model, which served as the basis for creation of Gamified Environment. The structure of this environment consists of game mechanics as challenges, points, levels, rankings and collaborative experience board in the MOODLE Learning Management System. An experiment was conducted with two groups in the higher education course in Business Administration at Federal University of Maranhão. The research was structured with quantitative and qualitative approach. As analysis was realized the crossing data from the logs in the environment, questionnaire deployed to the students, interviews with teachers and analysis of projects developed. As a result we can say that the Gamification in PjBL activity promoted the collaboration among students in Gamified Environment and his collaborations contributed to the development of student projects.

Novas metodologias de ensino com enfoque na participação ativa dos alunos vêm sendo experimentadas na Educação Básica com a finalidade melhorar a aprendizagem dos conteúdos programáticos. Dessa forma, neste trabalho investigamos os efeitos motivacionais que uma sequência didática baseada na Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos promoveu em alunos do primeiro ano do Ensino Médio de uma escola pública do interior do estado do Rio de Janeiro. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida com um desenho misto. Qualitativa em primeiro momento para analisar a receptividade e a motivação dos alunos a um novo método de ensino. Em segundo momento, na etapa quantitativa, a amostra foi composta por 72 alunos com delineamento de pesquisa quase experimental com aplicação de pré e pós-teste utilizando grupos de controle e experimental com contrabalanceamento. Para tanto foram desenvolvidas duas propostas de sequências didáticas utilizando a Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos como método de ensino concomitante ao ensino tradicional de Matemática. A primeira sequência didática propôs que os alunos divididos em equipes sugerissem melhorias na infraestrutura predial da escola para tanto dever iam confeccionar a planta baixa e orçamento de custos das modificações sugeridas. Ao final, apresentaram os resultados a comunidade escolar. A segunda sequência didática propôs que os alunos, também divididos em equipes, sugerissem a comunidade escolar medidas de uso consciente de energia elétrica a partir das atividades investigativas em suas casas. Para tanto efetuaram o cálculo consumo diário em kWh dos aparelhos elétricos de suas casas, em seguida estimaram o consumo mensal por meio do conceito de proporcionalidade de uma função polinomial de 1º grau e por fim analisaram os dados coletados. Os resultados qualitativos indicam que os alunos gostaram de trabalhar cooperativamente, saber como aplicar a Matemática em seu cotidiano, além de sentirem mais motivados e participativos. Os resultados quantitativos indicam que não foram observadas alterações significativas entre a Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos e o método de ensino tradicional nos aspectos motivação para aprender e atitudes em relação à Matemática, por outro lado no aspecto desempenho acadêmico, em uma das turmas onde foi utilizada a Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos apresentou melhor desempenho que a outra turma onde se utilizou o método tradicional de ensino. Dado o exposto conclui-se que os alunos se mostram mais entusiasmados quando participam de atividades escolares colaborativas que envolvam atividades reais e concretas. Assim, a utilização da Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos em concomitância com o método de ensino tradicional pode contribuir para melhoria no desempenho acadêmico e motivação para aprender. / New teaching methodologies with the approach in active students participation are being tried in basic education to improve learning of programmatic content. Thus, in this work, we investigate the motivational effects that a didactic sequence based on Project-Based Learning promoted in first-year students of the High School of a public school in the interior of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The research was developed with a mixed design. Qualitative in the first moment to analyze the receptivity and the motivation of the students to a new method of teaching. In the second moment, the quantitative stage, the sample consisted of 72 students with a quasi-experimental design with an application of pretestposttest using control groups and experimental with counterbalance. For this, was developed two proposals of didactic sequences using Project-Based Learning as a method of teaching concomitant with the traditional teaching of Mathematics. The first didactic sequence proposed that the students divided into teams suggested improvements in the school\'s building infrastructure so they should make the floor plan and cost budget of the suggested modifications. At the end, they presented the results to the school community. The second didactic sequence proposed that the students, also divided into teams, suggested to the school community measures of conscious use of electrical energy from the investigative activities in their houses. In order to do so, they calculated the daily consumption in kWh of the electric appliances of their homes, then they estimated the monthly consumption through the concept of proportionality of a polynomial function of 1st degree and finally analyzed the data collected. The qualitative results indicate that the students liked to work cooperatively, to know how to apply Mathematics in their daily life, in addition to feeling more motivated and participative. The quantitative results indicate that there were no significant differences between the Project-Based Learning and the traditional teaching method in the aspects motivation to learn and attitudes towards Mathematics, on the other hand in the academic performance aspect, in one of the classes where the Project-Based Learning was used presented better performance than the other class where the traditional method of teaching was used. Given the above, concludes that students are more enthusiastic when they participate in collaborative school activities that involve real and concrete activities. Thus, the use of Project-Based Learning in concomitance with the traditional teaching method can contribute to improvement in academic performance and motivation to learn.

This thesis documents the action research study done to investigate the perceived challenges and benefits of a project-based language learning (PBLL) approach in a high school Spanish classroom. The research involved four high school Spanish 3 classes taught by the same teacher. Two classes formed an experimental group and were taught one thematic unit using a PBLL approach, while the other two classes formed the control group and were taught by the same approach that had been used the rest of the year. Two of the objectives of the study were to see how the PBLL approach affected the achievement and writing performance of the experimental group and how the students liked it in comparison to the teaching approach that had been used in the other units during the school year. The third objective was to identify effective steps in setting up project-based language learning in a high school classroom and its possible obstacles. The results from this study found that a PBLL approach possibly affected achievement in grammar in vocabulary from the pre-test to the post-test, but that the writing performance was unaffected. In this thesis, steps to setting up a PBLL unit are documented as well as possible obstacles. The thesis concludes with suggestions for overcoming these obstacles and for further research and collaboration in setting up PBLL units.