My passion for education has always been in finding engaging ways to increase academic achievement. Project-based learning (PBL) is not a new concept, but if done with fidelity can be a very powerful tool for teachers to use to help students. As a principal of a Therapeutic Day School, I have been experimenting with the best strategies to use in the special education classroom. PBL provides hands on learning environment that is differentiated to meet the needs of the students.

PBL uses technology to expand the capacity of research for students. My dilemma has been that PBL is great in a general education setting but how do you expand it to students with special needs.

I am experimenting with best strategies in Project based learning, because I want to be able to introduce my teachers to teaching methods that normally are not used with special education students.

Currently I have not found a lot of data on using project based learning with special education students, especially SPED students whose primary diagnosis is autism. I currently work with a wide range of students who have autism. I am always trying to find innovative strategies for my teachers to use in their classrooms. Project based learning uses technology to help students solve real world problems.

My school uses project based learning currently, we have grades K-12, and each classroom incorporates PBL in some aspect. I am doing this study because I want to find more ways to incorporate PBL into my classrooms for teachers who have students with Autism. PBL is not a new concept, but the way we can incorporate different aspects of PBL could become an innovating technique. The concept for this course I choose to focus on for my Literature Review is Active Knowledge Making.

Questions:

• Can special education students benefit from project-based learning?
• How does PBL look in a special education classroom?

Electronic databases including, Google Scholar, ERIC, and ESPSCO were searched from inception until the end of October 2019.

Today Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities in the United States, with 1 in 68 children currently being diagnosed ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017)). A student diagnosed with ASD, can have deficits in social communication, behavior, respective movements, and social interaction. Students with ASD benefit from academic lessons that incorporate social interaction and communication (Cardon, 2019)

Project-based Learning:

In recent years, project-based learning has increased and has been implemented in more educational settings. Project-based learning is an approach that enables students to develop the “21st century competencies” through an engaging and collaborative learning environment. In project-based learning, there is less emphasis on text books, and more focus on collaborative thinking. It involves an increased focus on inquiry based questions, which can help to influence how a student thinks and can make them ready for life outside of the classroom (Quint & Condiffe, 2018).

As most educators know, students learn more when they are responsible for their own learning and are engaged in their educational activities. Project-based learning emphasizes educational opportunities that are student-centered, collaborative in nature, and integrated with real-world issues and practices (Quint & Condiffe, 2018). Project-based learning is one of the most effective learning strategies for creative and critical thinking. Students can develop their reflective thinking and problem solving skills through project-based learning.

Teachers in project-based classrooms use different types of teaching strategies. These teaching strategies differ from that of traditional teachers, with more focus on collaboration and differentiation. It can be applied to varying group sizes and even individually depending on the situation and the student (Quint & Condiffe, 2018).

Edutopia. (2017). Project-Based Learning: Raising Student Achievement for All Learners. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGWqBZSFgxE&t=118s

(This image shows the expansion of PBL, every part is beneficial to the learning process)

Children with learning disabilities have many limitations compared to normally developing peers. Despite these barriers, given the opportunity, children with learning disabilities may learn more if given the opportunity and educated in an appropriate way (Guven, 2007). For children with learning disabilities, it is vital that educational activities are differentiated to meet the needs and accommodations addressed in the student’s individual education plan (IEP).

Project-based instruction is not a new idea in education, yet many special education classrooms have been hesitant to implement. Children with and without disabilities can engage in learning experiences at their own level to meet their physical, social, or academic goals through project-based learning. Projects can promote the effective inclusion of children with disabilities into general education classrooms. This enables teachers to address the diverse needs of children.

Research suggests that it is not only an effective learning strategy for normally developing young children, but it is also useful for teachers educating special needs children. It is right to make project learning an integral part of special education (Guven, 2007). It is important to look at multiple components of a special education classroom and how project based learning can play a role of implementing these types of learning.

Learning is an activity to create one's experiences and to convert the experiences into information, skills, attitudes, beliefs, values, emotions and feelings, and a process of integrating the conclusions of this to one's life. Learning may happen in any time or place, besides being an activity as one's conducting oneself. Learning may occur occasionally during a purposeful activity or be a planned and intentional action (Akcaalan, 2015). Project-based learning incorporates collaborative learning, service learning, differentiated instruction, social-emotional learning (SEL), and cooperative learning.

These learning strategies help special education students show academic growth and play a vital role in project based learning. This video shows PBL being implemented into an elementary special educaiton classroom. 

An educational approach to teaching that involves students working in groups (varying in size) to complete an educational task, create a product, or solve a problem is the strategy of collaborative learning. Student learning flourishes in a social environment. Students expand their knowledge when conversation between peers takes place.

How does it look in the SPED classroom?

Project-based learning uses collaborative learning to allow students to work in groups to solve the problem being asked. Students work as a team to find the answer to their driving question, during this process students are learning from one another. There are limitations to group activities, as some students may not contribute. According to Ochoa (2005), “Students often do not engage in the constructive dissonance assumed to contribute to strong consensus decisions: groups often defer to an individual or minority opinion with little persuasion or critical thinking” (Ochoa 2005).

By working in groups this helps eliminate problems special education students face with social skills. Students working in collaborative groups allows for communication and feedback from peers. This helps develop social awareness in students. Social awareness is a quality that many students with autism struggle with.

Graton, B. (2015). 3 PRINCIPLES FOR CONSTRUCTING COLLABORATIVE LEARNING GROUPS. Retrieved from https://collaborativegrouplearning.com/2015/06/04/159/

(This image shows the power of collaboraitve leanring and all aspects that go into working in these types of learning groups)

Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy that uses small groups to help improve academic achievement and understanding of a specific subject. These groups are formed with students of varying levels of ability. Working in groups positively affects the social acceptance of children with disabilities by their non-disabled peers, through cooperative learning.

Students with learning disabilities, who engage in cooperative groups in their classes, tend to attain higher learning outcomes than their peers who work in the typical class setting (Gillis & Ashman, 2000).

How does it look in the SPED classroom?

Students who need help can benefit from interactions in a working team. This is because their peers can provide them with explanations in terms that can be easily understood, that a teacher may not be able to model. Filippatou and Kaldi stated (2010), “Students focus on the relevant features of the problem, since they are often more aware than their teachers of what some students do not understand”(Filippatou & Kaldi 2010). Students interacting with each other help develop communication skills that are needed.

Álvarez Ariza, Jonathan. (2016). Design of open source platform for automatic control systems education based on cooperative learning. 1-9. 10.1109/FIE.2016.7757605.

Differentiation is implementing instruction to meet individual needs, this done differently for each child . Special education students instruction is differentiated to meet the goals of their individual education plan(IEP). Project based learning allows students to have a voice in their education, and have lessons that are tailored to their individual needs.

How does it look in the SPED classroom?

In the SPED classroom, teachers are differentiating every project to make sure the students academic and functional goals are being applied and met. Differentiation looks different in every classroom.

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://soeportal.unc.edu/business-operations/edit/learn-nc-archive/.

(This image shows the many roads of differentiation. Every classroom looks different and there are many paths to take )

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which students understand and manage emotions. Students are able to make responsible decisions, learn to show empathy to others, and set goals for their future. SEL plays a role in project-based learning because students are learning to work and show emotion to others (Data Quality Campaign, 2018). Students apply their knowledge to the needs of their community through service learning. Service learning is especially beneficial in special education as students gain independence and self-esteem by helping others. Through project-based learning, community is a huge piece that is built in for students. This is where service learning plays a role.

How does it look in the SPED classroom?

In the sped classroom, SEL and Service Learning is tied with project based learning through the community connection of PBL. All projects should have a tie to the real world, in which would be the students community. SEL helps students manage emotions and also understand emotions of others, during the community piece of PBL students are able to relate to issues in their community by tying the emotions of others into what is happening in that community and how their project can play a role.

Schmitz,T.(2016).Social Emotional Learning Standards. Retrieved from https://www.conovercompany.com/social-emotional-learning-standards/

(This image shows all the parts of SEL)

Bandura’s social learning theory shows the importance of observing and modeling for students.

Bandura (1977) states: “Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.” (Bandura, 1977).

Modeling plays a huge role in project-based learning. All concepts being taught are first modeled by the facilitator; an example would include conducting research. The teacher would model how this task should look for students (Bandura, 1977).

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.

( The diagram shows the process of the social learning theory. This theory is embedded throughout project based learning.)

How does it look in the SPED classroom?

In the special education classroom, teachers are modeling behavior and learning tasks for students on a daily basis. The Social Learning Theory, shows that students learn from others, one way is through modeling.

Personal Experience :

At my current school, one middle school classroom (primary students with Autism) are using PBL for a Business Project. The students are making christmas cards to sell . This is part of their transition plan. The teachers use modeling to show different tasks as well as incorporating collaborative learning.

Some examples include, showing the students how to cut snowflakes, how to ask for supplies, and how to work with a partner.

During my research, I found five studies that focused on the benefits of Project Based Learning in education. There were few studies that applied this to special education students. I believe the three studies I choose to explore do give us insight into how PBL can be beneficial for students, I also believe that differentiating the way we do PBL can play a positive role for special education classrooms.

Study # 1: (Tzuriel, 2018).

Modeling can be done in the special education classroom in many ways. An example from Tzuriel( 2018), studied the effects of mediation with using a puppet as a modeling technique. This study was done with 145 kindergarten children, selected from special education ( 68) and regular (77) kindergartens. Use of a puppet was effective similarly for children in special education for children in regular group. This study showed how modeling with a puppet helped when mediating with students (Tzuriel, 2018). I used this study because a similar technique could be used when modeling a classroom activity for special education students, Applying muppets as models is a way to incorporate an engaging model into a project to demonstrate the lesson.

Study # 2: (Cardon, 2019)

Cardon (2019), completed a study examined if a functional relationship exists between video modeling (VM) of peer models and increased outcomes in social communication goals for school-age children in an integrated public school setting. The study showed that students learned best through video modeling that was done using their peers instead of just teachers. Growth was shown through video modeling from just a teacher, but their was higher academic growth when peers were used (Cardon, 2019). I chose this study because, video modeling can be used during project based learning with students with special needs.

Video modeling is using a video to teach and learn new skills. Video modeling is an evidence-based practice for students with unique learning needs. Video modeling can be implemented into project based learning in the classroom. Teachers can model using videos to demonstrate different activities or even appropriate behavior while working in a collaborative learning group.

Personal Experience:

In my current school we had a student who had significant behavior issues. She was a 5th grade female student who loved American Girl Dolls. My staff decided to make our own videos to demonstrate positive and appropriate school behavior using the American Girl dolls to model how appropriate behavior should look while at school, and how to appropriately work in collaborative learning groups safely.

Study # 3: (Hao et al., 2016)

Goal setting can have a positive impact on academic performance. Hao (2016) and colleagues investigated the impact that precommitment had on college students’ goal setting and their academic performance. They also assessed students’ attitudes towards pre commitment-related activities (Hao et al., 2016). Precommitment can be used to help students to set up learning goals. Hao’s study (2016) included 41 students from a large university in the southeastern part of the United States. During this procedure, students would set up their learning goals at the beginning of a learning phase, and then report the comparison between their planned goals and they learned. This comparison would then be shared with their peers and teachers at the end of the learning phase. They found that pre commitment was significantly effective in optimizing students’ goals and improving their academic performance (Hao et al., 2016). However, despite these results, the attitude survey results indicated that students had difficulty recognizing the value of the pre-commitment-related activities (Hao et al., 2016). More research is needed to assess the impact that these precommitment-related activities have on a students’ academic performance and behaviors.

Study # 4: (Lee et al., 2017)

It is important to understand not only how students perform on individual tasks, but also on team-based assignments. While teamwork can be helpful learning tools, there are challenges as well. Some students thrive in team-based settings, while other students do not. This study analyzed how high-achieving students approach team project-based learning (Lee et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to identify the challenges and implications of team project-based learning in a university setting. Lee and colleagues (2017) survey 1022 students and interviewed an additional 32 high-achieving students that were attending a university in South Korea. They found that initiative, goal orientation, social relationships, and preference for team project-based learning were the top four factors related to the challenges of these students team project-based learning (Lee et al., 2017). The results indicated that high-achieving students believed that they worked with greater initiative than their peers throughout the team project. Some students indicated that they worked alone and were distressed by collaboration. These results indicate even though some students may receive high grades, they might not be successfully learning the competency, since they are not embracing the collaborative nature of team learning (Lee et al., 2017).

Study # 5: (Holmes et al., 2016)

This mixed-method, longitudinal study investigated the benefits of project-based learning on secondary-mathematics students’ academic skill development and motivated strategies for learning (i.e., cognitive, social, and motivational) (Holmes et al., 2016). The purpose of this study was to assess academic skill development and other factors related to secondary mathematics learning (Holmes et al., 2016). Traditional high school students served as the control group to compare to the project- based learning students. Holmes and colleagues (2016) also investigated the impact of project-based learning on racially/ethnically and economically diverse students. Results showed that at-risk and minority students benefited greatly from project-based learning focused on learning mathematics (Holmes et al., 2016). Compared to their traditional high school counterparts, project-based learning students were more motivated, showed significantly higher critical thinking skills, and appreciated peer-to-peer learning (Holmes et al., 2016).

Currently project based learning is being used in general education classrooms frequently. PBL is implemented in multiple ways that fit specific schools., classrooms, and students. Bringing PBL to the special education classroom is something I believe is innovating. Developing engaging , real-world projects for students with disabilities, help develop communication skills, social learning, and can help increase academic achievement.

PBL can be used to help students obtain their academic and functional goals from their individual education plan(IEP).

Most special education students receive related services such as social work. PBL can apply learning theories that are appropriate for incorporation into social work.

A limitation I found was there were very few studies done on PBL and special education students. Since there were very few studies, I incorporated personal experiences throughout this project.

Project-based learning has increased in recent years and has the potential to be an effective teaching and learning strategy for special education students. The collaborative nature of project-based learning can help to enhance the critical thinking and communication skills of special education students. By implementing social-emotional learning, the needs of special education students can be met. Further research is needed to see different strategies to help life the success of PBL with special education students.