A review of research (2000-2011) from the Buck Institute of Education regarding the effectiveness of project-based instruction in preschool, elementary and secondary school classroom settings, including academic, learner, and teacher response outcomes. (Holm, 2011)
Project-based learning, a teaching methodology that utilizes student-centered projects to facilitate student learning (Mergendoller, 2006), is touted as superior to traditional teaching methods in improving problem-solving and thinking skills, and engaging students in their learning (Berends, Boersma &Weggemann, 2003; Scarborough, Bresnen, Edelmann, Laurent, Newell & Swann, 2004; Tsang, 1997).Popular in pre-professional training in medicine, science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers since the 1970’s, momentum has more recently developed to extend these practices to elementary and secondary classrooms (Buck Institute, 2005; Knoll, 1997).