Date of Award

Spring 2019

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

First Advisor

Suha Tamim

Abstract

The purpose of this action research study was to determine the impact of project- based learning on the writing, communication and interpersonal skills of students in a college skills course. This course was required for students who were enrolled in at least one or more developmental courses. The purpose of this course was to equip the students with skills necessary for success during college and beyond. However, the syllabus for the course did not include any activities or assignments to improve the students’ writing, communication or interpersonal skills. As a result, the students were not successful in completing the final class assignment that required strong writing and communication skills. Research suggests that project-based learning enhances students’ knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Through a convergent mixed methods action research design, the study addressed three research questions that explored the impact on writing, communication, and interpersonal skills. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected from pre-and post-test writing assessments, observation checklist, interviews, final project and end of the course survey. The results indicated an improvement in the writing, communication and interpersonal skills of the students. An action plan was developed to provide training for additional faculty to increase the sections of the course to help more students be successful in college.

Rights

© 2019, Aungeto Ditze Lockhart Sigman

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