Project
Method
Project method is based upon the ideas of
the great American educationalist, John
Dewey. The credit of developing these
ideas into a method goes to William H
Kilpatrick. It is one of the modern
method of teaching. It give importance to
students point of view in designing the
curriculum and content of studies. Based
on the philosophy of pragmatism and the
principle of Learning by doing.
What is Project
Method?
The project method of teaching is a
medium of instruction in which the
students are given a number of projects or
situations out of which they have to
choose the problem they want to solve.
After the student has chosen the problem
they want to solve, they will have to come
up with a solution to the problem on their
own.
This is one of the most proactive
approaches to learning, but what about
the teacher in this case? The teacher, in
the case of the project method of
teaching, assumes the role of a guide
than a dictator and guides the class
through the lesson at their own pace.
The project method is an alternative classroom
model that gives more focus on the aspect of
student learning rather than the teaching aspect of
the lesson. The responsibility of the work falls
directly on the students since even the curriculum
content and technique are considered from the
student's POV. So this method is completely
student-centric.
Project Method - 4
Steps
Given below are the 4 main
steps that constitute the
project method of teaching:
Project Selection
The first step in the process of the project method
is the selection of the project work. The students
are given some problems from which they should
select the subject or project which has the
maximum utility and fulfill a specific practical
need. In this process, teachers act as guides and
motivate the students to keep on track and
choose wisely on the basis of their aptitude.
Planning
Planning is the next step in the project method of
teaching. In this phase, students should do
planning for the project work and the teacher will
guide them and help them in the process. The
students can be brought together to express their
views and give suggestions in the form of a
discussion, where the teacher can raise points of
objection and problems related to the project they
have taken.
Execution
Following the planning phase comes
execution, where the students execute the
project work as per their plan as created in
the previous step. The students assign their
duties among themselves according to the
interest of the individual students and on
the basis of their respective capabilities.
Evaluation
The fourth and final stage of the project method
is evaluation. The whole work is reviewed by the
teacher and students get judged or assessed on
the basis of their performance. They carry out
the project as planned, following which the
mistakes they have made in the process are
noted down.
Types of Project Method of
Teaching
The proponent of Project Method,
Kilpatric, classified it broadly into
four types as explained below:
Constructive Method
In the constructive project method, the
learners are instructed to construct something
related to social life such as models, maps,
charts, parcels, and so on.
Artistic Method
• This type of teaching is generally employed in
the field of aesthetics and arts such as music,
fine arts, culture, literature, and so on.
Problem Solving Method
The problem-solving method is used to
solve problems related to real-life
situations on any subject such as how to
send an email, how to operate bank
accounts, how to use a particular product,
and so on. Solving these problems will
ideally make the students efficient in
social life.
Group Work Method
This method employs all the students with a task
to complete in the form of a group. The team
then sets out to complete that task with the
teacher acting as a guide. This can be as
complex as an engineering project that requires
different areas of expertise to collaborate on
something as simple as setting up a garden in
the school.
Advantages of Project Method
Active Learning Experience
The project method emphasizes the
concept of learning by doing. Students
actively get involved in the learning
activity, hence helping them in enhancing
their skillset, first-hand experiences, and
thinking capacity.
Improves Collaboration Among Students
Since the project method employs a
methodology where students work in
collaboration with their group, it helps
students bond with one another on a
professional as well as personal level,
hence making their overall learning
experience interesting and insightful.
Inculcating a Sense of
Responsibility
In the project method of teaching, the
teacher is a guide and the activities
carried out in the class are carried out by
the students themselves. This helps
improve self-reliance and self-
responsibility among students. It helps
students learn on their own and develop
Improves Communication Skills
It helps students improve their
communicative skills drastically because
students are given the opportunity to
express themselves freely among their
peers as well as their teachers, hence
helping them communicate more
effectively.
Improves Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking skills are 21st Century
Skills that students of all ages need to
have in today’s time. It is something
that needs to be cultivated with
respect to the future of the students
and needs to be dealt with with utmost
diligence.
Disadvantages of
Project Method of
Teaching
Time Consuming
Teaching students using the project method can be
time-consuming as there are a lot of things that need
to be taken into consideration when teaching using
this method such as the student's ability to
comprehend the subject, the speed with which they
do so, the factual accuracy of the project and so on.
There are a lot of factors that need to be observed
and duly corrected by the teacher.
Not Suitable for All Subjects
The project method of teaching is most
suitable for subjects that require practical
knowledge, and so subjects such as arts,
literature, and so on may not benefit a lot
from this form of teaching.
The Lack of Experienced Teachers
The project method of teaching can only
be conducted by experienced teachers
who have several years of experience,
which a lot of teachers may not have.
This leads to a shortage of teachers and
hence incapability to execute this form of
teaching effectively.
