Abstract
This chapter informs and educates the reader on how the project-based learning service delivery model is used in a high school educational setting. Even though the case study is based in high school, the same strategies can be used on a collegiate level especially for professors and instructional teaching staff who are new to project-based learning. The case study discusses the demographics of the school as well as explain the structure project-based learning took in the educational setting. The project-based learning service delivery model explained here services students who have been identified with a learning disability and those who have not. While accommodations for a college student are very different on the university level, the same project-based learning service delivery model can be used on a collegiate level but varies depending on the students' collective needs.
TopIntroduction
Research is important when learning about something new. A case study can assist in the learning process by presenting the reader with information about how the topic has been used in a specific scenario. The case studies presented in this chapter provide information about how select schools set up and incorporated the project based learning service delivery model into their existing school buildings and programs. Some used what they currently had in place and expanded on it, while others decided to totally start over with a new program, and these studies explain the process they went through in order to develop a functional model.
Like most service delivery models within the educational field, there is no one way to incorporate project based learning (PBL) within a school. The school administration, school team leaders, teachers, parents, students, and community members all have to determine an end goal (e.g., PBL for every student) and then figure out how to accomplish it. The project based service delivery model is not something that can be set up quickly; it requires careful planning, but it is something that should be done so that every student achieves academic success, as these case studies below demonstrate.
Below is a study conducted by Epler and Tenon (2020) about the project based learning service delivery model at a high school. Although the study was conducted several years ago, the high school continues to used the project based learning service delivery model to improve their Math and English Language Arts (ELA) test scores on the annual state assessments.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Collaboration: Working together toward a common goal.
Project-Based Learning Plan (PLP): The plan a student and teacher devise together to assist the student with learning and meeting the state standards in a specific content area.
Project-Based Service Delivery Model: An educational model wherein the student is in charge of their learning. This may include only learning on the computer or spending part of the day on the computer and part of the day working one-on-one with the teacher or other peers. Students, with the aid of their teacher and school administrator, develop their own learning plan, which must follow the state’s academic standards.
Professional Development: Classes or courses teachers take, for a fee or for free, to improve their teaching skills or to earn another degree This can be done at the school, online, or by attending an actual college class.
Self-Advocacy: The ability of students, especially students with an exceptionality, to explain to their teachers and employers what their needs are and how those needs can be met. Many students with an identified disability lack abilities in this area.
Demographics: Information, specifically statistics, related to a group or individual.
Project-Based Learning (PL): Developing lessons based on a student’s specific learning needs and interests. It can be used for students with and without an identified disability.
Case Study: Research about a specific group or individuals that discusses a specific incident that occurred.