Application and evaluation of project-based learning method and the urban project issue in the visual arts course in 8th class in primary education

The purpose of this study is to measure the effect of the project-based learningmethod, which is applied in visual arts course, on academic successes of the students, onpermanence and on their application skills; and also to determine the views of the studentsabout the education applied.The research was applied to the students of Hasan Ali Yücel Primary School in thecity of Trabzon, in fall semester of 2007-2008 academic year. Among the randomly formedsample groups, 8/D class (n=30) was assigned as the experimental group, 8/E class (n=31) asthe control group. Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were utilized in theresearch. Among the experimental design methods, pretest-posttest control group design wasused. Data of the research were derived through achievement test (pretest-posttest),permanence test, interview form and product assessment form. In the analysis of thequantitative data derived, ?t-test? was used to display the differences between the means; and?descriptive analysis? was used, in the analysis of the qualitative findings.A significant difference in favor of the experimental group was found between thestudents in the experimental group, to which the project-based learning method had beenapplied, and those in the control group, to which traditional education had been applied, interms of their achievement and permanence scores, as a result of the research. The statisticaldiscrepancy, which was obtained as a result of the evaluation of the products students ofexperimental and control groups had produced at the end of the process, was foundsignificant in favor of the experimental group. In addition, the students in the experimentalgroup stated that the project-based learning method applied in visual arts course affectedtheir success positively, that the application is different from the applications used in othercourses, that they enjoyed the exercises they did, that the courses were entertaining, and thatthe use of this method also in later courses would be more beneficial in order for this state tobe permanent.It has been found, upon the conclusions derived in the research, that students becomemore successful with the project-based learning method, its being applied in the visual artscourses has been suggested, and suggestions concerning further research has been made.