The goal of this study is to examine project-based learning as a potentially viable means of
promoting self-regulatory behavior in middle school students.
Teaching strategies today must reflect society’s demand for flexible, competent, and
resourceful individuals. Educators should reflect on classrooms as communities of practice
(Lave and Wenger, 1991) in which students have the opportunities to practice their decisionmaking
skills, express their thoughts, and share their experiences about the curriculum in an
open-minded forum with their peers and teachers. Students need to develop tolerance and create
a repertoire of resources that they can utilize in problem-solving situations not only in the
classroom but also in their own personal lives. These resources include guidance and mentoring
by, or apprenticeships with, more experienced individuals such as teachers and members of the
community. Resources such as guest speakers are invaluable as they cannot be found in a
classroom textbook.
Wenger reinforces the importance of “negotiating meaning” in communities. Wenger
(1998) reiterates that learning is constantly evolving as new ideas are emerging and meaning is
negotiated within a community. In essence, learning is not static; instead, it is continually
absorbing new resources as the learners incorporate new fresh perspectives into their realm of
knowledge.
To address the need for self-regulatory behavior in adolescent students, this study
examines socio-cognitive theories pertaining to the process of learning, Specifically, this study
examines how project-based learning can serve as a framework for creating a well-defined,
nurturing environment in which the student feels comfortable to participate within a group of
peers. This framework defines project-based learning as a community in which the students
engage in learning; it considers learning as a social phenomenon that evolves from participation
with others.