The use of Project-Based Learning as a Viable Differentiation Technique to Enhance Gifted and non-Gifted Students’ Creative Writing Skills
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Date
2014-05
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The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
The present empirical study investigated the use of Project-Based Learning as a viable differentiation technique to enhance gifted and non-gifted students’ creative writing skills. A mixed methods approach was adopted and both qualitative and quantitative data were collated. The qualitative data was mainly derived from a case study conducted on purposefully identified and selected 4 grade 11 students (2 gifted and 2non-gifted ) who took part in a PBL experience. The researcher was a participant observer and field notes were also collected. More qualitative data was gathered from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with the 4 participants at the end of the study. As for the quantitative data, it was mainly collected through the written products of the students and the teachers’ questionnaire which investigated the teachers’ perceptions about PBL.
The findings of this study indicated that the gifted and non-gifted students’ creative writing skills measured by Majid, Tan and Soh’s Language Creativity Rating Scale could be improved in a PBL experience. It was also found that a set of internal and external factors that shape and enhance creative writing are prominent in a PBL environment. The teachers’ questionnaire revealed that the teachers who had been implementing PBL in their classrooms demonstrated a positive attitude about such a student-centered approach. However, some concerns about the challenges that teachers face during the implementation of PBL were unfolded. The results of this study confirm the effectiveness of PBL as a differentiation tool that could enhance students’ creativity and their creative writing skills.
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Keywords
gifted and non-gifted, giftedness, project-based Learning, creativity, curriculum differentiation, creative writing, motivation