Effects of project-based learning on student performance of higher cognitive skills in secondary school agriculture

Abstract

This study used a quasi-experimented design to investigate the effect of project-based learning on student performance of higher cognitive skills in secondary school agriculture. A total of 354 Form Three students drawn from ten (10) randomly selected secondary schools in Nakuru District of Kenya were assigned to three (3) treatment groups based on the location of the projects (HFP, SFP and CFP) and one control group. Data indicates that the use of project-based learning has a significant impact on students in project-based learning groups outperformed their counterparts in regular classrooms in that their mean scores on a post-test measuring higher cognitive skills, were statistically significant (at 0.05 p level) than that of the control groups. The paper suggests that teachers should be trained and encouraged to incorporate project-based-learning in their planning of intstructions.

Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research Vol. 17 (1) March 2005: pp. 30-38