Coping with Heterogeneity in Project Learning
Author(s):
Astrid Wasmann-Frahm
Conference:
ECER 2010
Network:
27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching
Format:
Paper

Session Information

27 SES 02 B, Individualized Learning

Paper Session

Time:
2010-08-25
11:15-12:45
Room:
M.B. SALI 12, Päärakennus / Main Building
Chair:
Meinert Arnd Meyer

Contribution

 

One general focus of education is to reduce gender, social and ethnical disparities (Prenzel, 2006; Seidel, 2006; Stamm, 2007). But many research studies prove differences in learning  achievements concerning scientific literacy due to gender-, migration background-, and school type differences.

The learning results from socially disadvantaged pupils are significantly lower than those from socially well situated pupils having the same learning capacity (Prenzel, 2004; Walter, 2008). Actually, researchers discuss the role of the migration background (Stanat, 2006). Research studies about learning settings with high self-determination show that these settings may diminish differences in learning performance.

Studies about gender behaviour in regard of science related competencies are numerous. They reveal differences in regard of interest, communication, questioning, learning paths and competence areas (Elster, 2007; Faulstich-Wieland, 2004; Gerdes, 2001; Hoffmann, 1986; Rost, 2004).

According to Trautmann & Wischer (2008) research results about the question how to cope with hetereogeneity are rare as well as findings about the effects of project learning, however, the very few show that project learning fosters a cognitive learning progress, networked thinking, social abilities and problem solving (Bieberbach, 2000; Wasmann-Frahm, 2008). It is supposed that the individual fit of learning contents and intellectual performance leads to reduce the drifting apart of learning results in heterogeneous groups. 

This study is interested in finding out in which ways different learner groups profit from project learning in order to improve their learning progress. It is hypothesed that rather inhomogeneous learner groups come to similar learning performances due to an individualized setting in project learning.                   

Method

In a field study of seven projects about soil was analyzed. The sample comprised 164 pupils. The project learning took place during three weeks within nine science lessons. The quantitative evaluation is based on two testings (pre-,post-test design). The pretest was conducted directly before the projects while the post-test took place immediately after the intervention. Learning tests about soil related topics were developed for this study, one test with 22 items in regard of domain specific knowledge, one concept map in order to evaluate the networked knowledge and a problem solving task. In addition to that a questionnaire with a four stepped rating scale asking social ability, self-determination and learning process variables completed the evaluation. Correlations, t-tests and regression were computed by using SPSS.

Expected Outcomes

The evaluation revealed that a similar learning progress took place on different performance levels. These results are found for kowledge of facts, networked thinking, problem solving and experimentating. Furthermore, the findings brought to light an especially high learning progress for pupils with a migration background. Another empiric finding of this study shows that different learning pathways didn’t produce significantly different learning performances. In sum, the study allows to conclude that project learning lowers differences of the learning achievement between diverse learner groups due to an individualized learning setting.

References

Bieberbach, M. (2000). Effizienz von Projektunterricht. Herdecke: GCA-Verlag. Elster, D. (2007). Interessante und weniger interessante Kontexte für das Lernen von Naturwissenschaften. MNU, 60, 243-249. Faulstich-Wieland. (2004). Mädchen und Naturwissenschaften in der Schule. Gerdes, A. (2001). Zur Wirksamkeit von integriertem naturwissenschaftlichem Unterricht. Kassel. Hoffmann, L. L., M. (1986). Eine Untersuchung über Schülerinteressen an Physik und Technik. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 32, 189–204. Prenzel, M. A.-N., L.. (Ed.). (2006). Untersuchungen zur Bildungsqualität von Schule. Münster: Waxmann. Prenzel, M. B., J.; Blum, W.; Lehmann, R.; Leutner, D.; Neubrand, W.; Pekrun, R.; Rolff, H-G.; Rost, J.; Schiefele, U. (2004). Pisa 2003 Der Bildungsstand der Jugendlichen in Deutschland - Ergebnisse des zweiten internationalen Vergleichs. Münster: Waxmann. Rost, J. P., M.; Carstensen, C. H.; Senkbeil, M.; Groß, K. (2004). Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung in Deutschland. Wiesbaden: Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. Seidel, T. P., M.; Rimmele, R.; Schwindt, K.; Kobarg, M.; Herweg, C.; Dalehefte, I.M. (Ed.). (2006). Unterrichtsmuster und ihre Wirkungen. Eine Videostudie im Physikunterricht. Münster/New York/München/Berling: Waxmann. Stamm, M. (2007). Begabung, Leistung und Geschlecht: Neue Dimensionen im Lichte eines alten Erziehungswissenschaftlichen Diskurses. Review of Education, 53, 417-437. Stanat, P. (2006). Disparitäten im schulischen Erfolg: Forschungsstand zur Rolle des Migrationshintergrunds. Unterrichtswissenschaft, 34(2), 98–125. Trautmann, M. W., B. (2008). Das Konzept der Inneren Differenzierung - eine vergleichende Analyse der Diskussionen der 1970er Jahre mit dem aktuellen Heterogenitätsdiskurs. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, Sonderheft(9), 159-173. Walter, O. S., P. (2008). Der Zusammenhang des Migratenanteils in Schulen mit der Lesekompetenz: Differenzierte Analysen der erweiterten Migrantenstichprobe von PISA 2003. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 11(1), 84-105. Wasmann-Frahm, A. (Ed.). (2008). Lernwirksamkeit von Projektunterricht - Eine empirische Studie über die Wirkung des Projektunterrichts in einer sechsten Jahrgangsstufe am Beispiel des Themenfeldes Boden (Vol. 6). Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Hohengehren.

Author Information

Astrid Wasmann-Frahm
Elsensee-Gymnsasium
Groß Nordende

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