ABSTRACT
This study emphasized the effective use of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in enhancing the conceptual and spatial understanding, motivation and engagement of Grade 7 students in 3D Shapes: Plans and Elevations. The study used a pre-experimental one group pre-test-post-test design with 20 Grade 7 students from a private international school in Oman. A researcher-made achievement test, performance-based rubrics, and a perception survey measuring the motivation and engagement of students while doing project tasks were employed for data collection. The pre-test results showed that the initial conceptual and spatial understanding of the students about the topic was limited. The post-test scores showed that the students significantly improved after the implementation of Project-Based tasks helping them construct and interpret 3D figures much better. These results were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test demonstrating a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and pos-test results of the students with (p < 0.05), proving that the use of PBL positively influenced the learning outcomes of students. Performance-Based assessments further confirmed that PBL helped students demonstrate strong conceptual understanding and spatial reasoning. Students also reported that their motivation and engagement in the lesson have increased while participating in project-based tasks. These findings recommend that Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an effective teaching approach for enhancing the conceptual and spatial understanding of students on geometric concepts while promoting active participation and collaboration in learning mathematics.
Keywords: project-based learning, geometry education, spatial reasoning, conceptual understanding, mathematics instruction
https://doi.org/10.65494/pinagpalapublishing.311
