Most lessons passed as the students doing the activities in student textbooks, taking short notes and answering
teacher questions. The teacher gave the students necessary time to do the activities in the textbooks. The teacher
played the role of facilitator during the learning process in the classroom.
In the experimental group, the students were taught with project-based learning developed for ―past
activities‖ unit. So, the instruction programme for the experimental group was prepared according to the
principles of project-based learning. Project-based learning is based on the idea that students study a specific
subject in a deeper context (Demirhan, 2002). In this regard, the researcher explained the key concepts in the
unit to the students. The researcher also presented the necessary principles, steps and procedures about projectbased
learning to the students in the experimental group. After the key concepts, steps and procedures about
project-based learning were presented and explained to the students, the researcher and the students created
certain objectives for each group mutually and then they defined the work and the subjects in the learning
process. In order to form the project groups, the students were made to count from one to seven, the eighth
student stated to count from one and the others went on counting again. By grouping those with the same
number, it was ascertained that each group became heterogeneous in nature. After the groups of six were formed,
desks were relocated so that the classroom organisation became convenient for project-based learning. After
sharing the tasks, the researcher clarified what was expected from the students. During the project study, the
students‘ task was to study the presented materials, obtain relevant information, create the project and then
present it in front of their friends in the classroom. Before starting to create the project, the students were
assigned to project groups and they were given the tasks. The students were made to create study calendars and
determine control points in the study calendars. Each project group was given the necessary materials presenting
the target tasks and information, then they were let create their projects in the groups. At the end of a four-week
study in project groups, the students presented their projects in front of the classroom and received feedback
both from the researcher himself and their peers in the classroom. In relation with the evaluation, the projects
were evaluated by the researcher and the students in other groups with (1) researcher evaluation and (2) peer
evaluation forms. After scoring the projects of the groups, the students of the best three projects earned some
certificates and awards. Thus, the students in the groups competed with the other groups instead of their team
and/or class mates. At the end of the project-based learning process, all the projects created by the groups were
presented to the other students and teachers in some certain parts of the school. Meanwhile, the researcher
served both as a designer and a facilitator in the learning process. The researcher formed the groups, prepared
the materials and presented the principles and procedures of project-based learning as a designer and he walked
around the classroom and helped the students who needed help as a facilitator during the learning process.
All the students in the groups (experimental and control groups) were exposed to the same content for
the same duration in the study. Duration of the lessons was for 45-minute periods. Each group received an equal
amount of instruction for four weeks period. According to Manson and Bramble (1997), the longer the time
spent the greater the probability that something could influence the subjects‘ environment that in turn would
affect the results. Because of this, the duration of four weeks was deemed appropriate to see the effects of the
experimental treatment without incurring the difficulties described by Manson and Bramble (1997). Both the
experimental and the control groups were taught by the researcher himself.
Most lessons passed as the students doing the activities in student textbooks, taking short notes and answering
teacher questions. The teacher gave the students necessary time to do the activities in the textbooks. The teacher
played the role of facilitator during the learning process in the classroom.
In the experimental group, the students were taught with project-based learning developed for ―past
activities‖ unit. So, the instruction programme for the experimental group was prepared according to the
principles of project-based learning. Project-based learning is based on the idea that students study a specific
subject in a deeper context (Demirhan, 2002). In this regard, the researcher explained the key concepts in the
unit to the students. The researcher also presented the necessary principles, steps and procedures about projectbased
learning to the students in the experimental group. After the key concepts, steps and procedures about
project-based learning were presented and explained to the students, the researcher and the students created
certain objectives for each group mutually and then they defined the work and the subjects in the learning
process. In order to form the project groups, the students were made to count from one to seven, the eighth
student stated to count from one and the others went on counting again. By grouping those with the same
number, it was ascertained that each group became heterogeneous in nature. After the groups of six were formed,
desks were relocated so that the classroom organisation became convenient for project-based learning. After
sharing the tasks, the researcher clarified what was expected from the students. During the project study, the
students‘ task was to study the presented materials, obtain relevant information, create the project and then
present it in front of their friends in the classroom. Before starting to create the project, the students were
assigned to project groups and they were given the tasks. The students were made to create study calendars and
determine control points in the study calendars. Each project group was given the necessary materials presenting
the target tasks and information, then they were let create their projects in the groups. At the end of a four-week
study in project groups, the students presented their projects in front of the classroom and received feedback
both from the researcher himself and their peers in the classroom. In relation with the evaluation, the projects
were evaluated by the researcher and the students in other groups with (1) researcher evaluation and (2) peer
evaluation forms. After scoring the projects of the groups, the students of the best three projects earned some
certificates and awards. Thus, the students in the groups competed with the other groups instead of their team
and/or class mates. At the end of the project-based learning process, all the projects created by the groups were
presented to the other students and teachers in some certain parts of the school. Meanwhile, the researcher
served both as a designer and a facilitator in the learning process. The researcher formed the groups, prepared
the materials and presented the principles and procedures of project-based learning as a designer and he walked
around the classroom and helped the students who needed help as a facilitator during the learning process.
All the students in the groups (experimental and control groups) were exposed to the same content for
the same duration in the study. Duration of the lessons was for 45-minute periods. Each group received an equal
amount of instruction for four weeks period. According to Manson and Bramble (1997), the longer the time
spent the greater the probability that something could influence the subjects‘ environment that in turn would
affect the results. Because of this, the duration of four weeks was deemed appropriate to see the effects of the
experimental treatment without incurring the difficulties described by Manson and Bramble (1997). Both the
experimental and the control groups were taught by the researcher himself.
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