Is project-based learning effective among kindergarten and elementary students? A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Project-based learning (PjBL) is increasingly adopted in educational settings.
• Empirical evidence for PjBL's effectiveness, particularly in early education, remains scarce.
• Assessing PjBL's impact requires rigorous evaluation of study quality and intervention fidelity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review empirical evidence on Project-based learning's impact on academic achievement in kindergarten and elementary students.
• To evaluate the methodological quality and fidelity of PjBL interventions in included studies.
• To identify prerequisites for successful PjBL implementation in basic education.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review conducted in January 2020.
• Inclusion criteria: pre-post design with control group, quantitative measurement of PjBL's effect on content knowledge.
• Analysis of eleven articles involving 722 students.

Main Results:

• The reviewed studies yielded inconclusive results regarding PjBL's impact on academic achievement.
• Significant methodological flaws were identified across the studies.
• Insufficient information was reported on crucial aspects of PjBL implementation, materials, and requirements for students and instructors.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence on PjBL's effectiveness in basic education is limited and methodologically weak.
• Further high-quality research is needed to establish PjBL's benefits and best practices.
• Addressing methodological limitations and ensuring fidelity are critical for successful PjBL interventions.