Meaning of project method of teaching

• Project method of teaching has evolved from the philosophy of

pragmatists. It is experience-centered strategy related to real-life
situation.

• This strategy focus on

 to socialize children
To achieve cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives.
This strategy is based on the following
principles
• Principle of utility – choose those projects which are closer to the
social life of the children
• Principle of readiness- involve the learners in finding the solution of
the problem with their active participation.
• Learning by Doing – children performs certain tasks and experiences
new things. This adds to prior knowledge and results in learning.
• Socialization – it develops the feelings of cooperation and group work.
• Inter-disciplinary approach –to involve the knowledge of different
subjects in solving a social problem.
Types of project method of teaching
• According to Kilpatrick (1993), a project is a whole-hearted purposeful
activity proceeding in a social environment. He then classify the project
method in four types
1. Constructive – when children have to construct some things related to
social life. E.g. charts, model, map etc.
2. Artistic - these projects are generally allotted in aesthetic field of life e.g.
Music, Drawing, Painting art and culture.
3. Problem-solving given to solve problems related to any life situation or
related to any subject e.g. how to operate a bank account.
4. Group work – A team of children are assigned a work to be performed.
E.g. to develop a garden in school
Advantages of Project method
• It helps in develops social norms and social values among learners.
• Provides invaluable opportunities for correlation of various elements
of the subjects matter and for transfer of learning.
• Helps in growing knowledge very effectively as a results of the close
cooperation on social participation in the spirit of democracy.
Disadvantages of project Method
• Project cannot be planned for all subjects and whole subject matter cannot be
taught by this strategy alone.
• It is not economical form point of view of time and cost.
• It is very difficult for a teacher to plan or to execute the project to the learners and
supervise them
SUGGESTIONS:
This strategy should not be used as an independent teaching strategy but rather
as a supplement technique.
Teacher should utilize the inexperience and waste projects to prepare models
To avoid problem of supervision, teacher may appoint a leader for each group.
Teacher should also fix a time limit for each project.
Example of a project
• Name ---------------- class ----------------- Date Due ----------------
Topic : Animal (Birds of Namibia)
1. Find a picture of bird found in Namibia.
2. Draw the bird and name some of its body parts.
3. Write its name in your vernacular languages, and then in English.
4. Does the your bird have short, medium or long legs?
5. Does your birds swim or does it stay on land?
6. Does your bird stay awake at night or sleep at night and stay awake during the day.
7. Will your bird make a good pet? How will you make it become a good pet?
8. Is the bird better left in its natural habitat. Why?

Summary:
Birds a living things that have f …….. Over their bodies. Instead of front legs they have a pair of w ………….. Most
birds use these to f………. With. Some birds cannot fly. Birds lay e…………… in n…………..
Examples projects
• Projects are short or long term activities which individuals or group of
learner/children do over a number of lessons or in their own time.
Examples:
Studying water life (fresh or sea/ocean water)
Looking at pollution and its effects (water, air or land)
Looking at wastes and ways of managing them.
Studying the living things (animal or plant life cycles).
 Making aquarium or terrestrial model
Collecting picture of different plant or animal species ( sample given)
Monitoring weather conditions in relation to seasonal plants such as Mahangu,
maize, beans etc.