Experiences of preservice teachers exposed to project-based learning

ABSTRACT

This is a qualitative study that examines Jewish and Bedouin preservice teachers' (n = 76) meaningful experiences in a project-based learning framework, in which they participated as part of their pedagogical coursework. The main goal of the study is to gain insight into participants’ meaningful experiences, i.e. thoughts, feelings, and emotions related to the PBL process. The data collection method consisted of 38 in-depth interviews and 152 reflective reports. Data were analysed according to the qualitative method for content analysis. Study findings provided detailed descriptions of participants’ meaningful experiences in two domains: (A) The Quality of the Experience; (B) The Content of the Experience. The study contributes to the pool of knowledge about PBL, an approach that is being increasingly implemented in teacher-training frameworks.

KEYWORDS:

• Project-based learning
• pedagogical coursework
• preservice teacher education
• meaningful experiences

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dina Tsybulsky

Dina Tsybulsky is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Biology Education research group in the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. Dr. Tsybulsky serves at the NARST Association as a member of the Program Committee and as a co-chair of the History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science research strand. Presently, she is a PI of the research grant of the Israeli Science Foundation. Dr. Tsybulsky’s research interests include: project-based learning; nature of science and scientific practices; biology education, and science teacher education.

Michal Gatenio-Kalush

Michal Gatenio-Kalush is a lecturer at Sapir Academic College and Bar-Ilan University at school of social work in Israel.  Her PhD research focused on Ethioan mother in Israel and examined attachment identity and risk from context-informed perspectives. Her Post-Doctoral research focused on emotion-regulation strategies employed by mothers and young children exposed to recurrent political violence.

Musa Abu Ganem

Mr. Musa Abu Ganem is a lecturer at Achva Academic College and Sakhnin College for Teacher Education. He serves as a lecturer for a group of teachers at the Pisga Tel Sheva Center on project-based learning. Mr. Abu Ganem served as principal of a high school of science, and served as pedagogical supervisor Secondary schools in the Bedouin sector.

Etty Grobgeld

Dr. Etty Grobgeld serves as General Director and a senior lecturer at Achva Academic College. Prior to her appointment as General Director, she served as the college’s Rector. Dr. Grobgeld is a member of the Science Faculty and in recent years she has focused on the emerging field known as Neuropedagogy. She was among the founders of the Center for Neuropedagogy at Achva Academic College. An additional field of interest is academic administration. Dr. Grobgeld served as a tutor in a special training program for mid and high level management in academic colleges at the Mofet Institute.