| While research proves the value of projects in other subject areas, there is a lack of research on Project Based Learning (PBL) in the high school American Literature classroom. The purpose of this study was to measure whether the practice of PBL in a small, private Catholic high school classroom would improve both test scores and student satisfaction amongst 11th grade American Literature students. To this end, the following research questions were answered: What influence does PBL have on student performance regarding reading, writing about, and understanding American Literature; and what influence does PBL have on student satisfaction regarding the American Literature curriculum? The research questions were answered through a quantitative, quasi-experimental, correlational design study, in which two classrooms were studied. The impact of the implementation of PBL in one classroom (Group B) was compared to the classroom that did not utilize PBL (Group A). Additional quantitative data collected via a Likert scale measured student satisfaction. Data was collected from a convenience sample of two classes of juniors, comprising approximately sixty students in a small, private Catholic high school over the course of one year. The data show that PBL improves unit test scores and student satisfaction. The results indicate that PBL should be utilized in addition to reading, discussion, and testing. Further research should be undertaken to identify specific types of projects best serve student needs. |
