Volume 1 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Leadership - Page 46

44 tween PBL and nonPBL groups. Additional tests for dif - ferences in eighth grade student attendance and discipline referrals being taught social studies with PBL or in a tra - ditional manner were conducted. The STAAR scores, atten - dance, and discipline referrals were compared using t-tests for independent samples. Additionally, the reporting cate- gories results for social studies, reading, and mathematics were compared for differences between PBL and nonPBL groups using a series of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests. Table 2 illustrates the independent vari- able, results, and effect size for each research question in the study. Implications The results of the study provide some statistical evidence that PBL as a platform for instruction can yield a signifi - cant impact on student achievement in the subject in which PBL is utilized. Students enrolled in the PBL social studies classes had a higher passing rate on the social studies STAAR than those enrolled in traditional social studies classes. Ad- ditionally, the students enrolled in the PBL social studies class had a higher rate of mastery on the four social stud- ies objectives assessed by the grade 8 STAAR social studies assessment. There were no tests performed that resulted in the PBL students receiving higher academic achievement rates in reading and mathematics nor lower attendance and discipline rates. Based on the success of the PBL students as compared to the nonPBL students on the subject level test in which PBL was the platform of instruction, the researcher would en - courage district and campus leadership to consider the ex- pansion of the PBL platform of instruction to all social stud- ies and science classes. PBL would then become part of the framework from which all students on the campus learned both social studies and science content as well as preparing them for 21st century skills and the workforce of tomorrow. Conclusions While this study has limitations and a limited ability to generalize the results to a broader population, the study, as well as the results obtained, provide valuable information for instructional leaders to use in making decisions that af- fect the instructional capacity of campuses and the District. In an ever-changing world driven by fast-paced changes in technology and a federal and state accountability system placing an emphasis on standardized testing as well as col - lege-and-career readiness, a shift needs to occur in education away from the traditional means of instructing students that has roots in the industrial revolution. The shift must be from the skills training platform to the active learning platform in which students are performing “real-world” activities. PBL is one of the strategies being employed by districts to meet this shift in education (Thomas, 2000). Research has shown that students learn better by doing authentic tasks that are more complex in nature than they do for rote memorization and skill and drill exercises. PBL has evolved over the years as a viable instructional strategy that addresses core content academics through rigorous, relevant, and hands-on learn- ing (Barron & Darling-Hammond, 2008). References Balfanz, R., Herzog, L., & MacIver, D. (2007). Preventing Student Disengagement and Keeping Students on the Graduation Path in Urban Middle Schools: Early Identi- fication and Effective Interventions. Educational Psychol- ogist, 42 (4), 223-235. Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Teaching for Meaningful Learning: A Review of Research on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning. Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teach - ing-for-meaningful-learning.pdf Boss, S. (2011). Project-Based Learning: A Short History. Re- trieved May 31, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edu - topia.org/project-based-learning-history Bradley-Levine, J., & Mosier, G. (2014). Literature Review on Project Based Learning. Indianaoplis, IN: Center for Excel- lence in Leadership for Learning. Retrieved June 9, 2015, fromhttp://cell.uindy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ PBL-Lit-Review_Jan14.2014.pdf Chang, H., & Romero, M. (2008). Present, Engaged, and Ac - counted For: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chron- ic Absence in the Early Grades. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty. Retrieved May 20, 2015, from National Center for Children in Poverty: http:// Cynthia Anne Mika, Ed.D.