Some research even suggests an increased likelihood that at-risk students will succeed
academically when provided with alternative learning environments such as PBL. A study of
girls at risk of failing middle school math or science showed that all study participants had
positive reactions to PBL, as evidenced by improvements in students’ learning processes and
self-efficacy [21]. A separate study compared the effectiveness of PBL and traditional
instructional approaches in developing high school students’ macroeconomics knowledge
and found PBL to be more effective overall [22]. Interestingly, the results from this study
also showed that PBL was particularly effective with students of average verbal ability and
below, students who were more interested in learning economics and students who were most
and least confident in their ability to solve problems.