Project-Based Learning, Transdisciplinary Literacy, Equity Lens - A Mixed Method Study Facilitated to Examine Teacher Identities and Student Impact

Abstract

The study reported a mixed-methods research of transdisciplinary literacy (TDL) within a kindergarten through 3rd-grade project-based learning (PBL) unit design. This study has important implications as it analyzed how elementary teachers’ identities impacted how they approached text selection, evaluated PBL lessons through a transdisciplinary lens, and shifted their teaching strategies within a Community of Practice (CoP). Through a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the researcher provided evidence to support how a transdisciplinary approach informed instructional knowledge and the development of innovative practices as twenty teachers created rigorous PBL units that engaged students to generate authentic products. The quantitative portion of the research involved pre- and post-survey comparisons from teachers within the CoP and an examination of benchmark data from student English Language Arts/Reading and Math percentile achievement scores from the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) testing. The student population consisted of up to 73 male and female children, kindergarten through third grade, who attended a Title 1 school in rural Southwest Georgia. In the qualitative portion of this study, the researcher conducted an inductive analysis of data gathered from twenty certified elementary teachers from the same school. Data included field notes, observations, and interviews about how learners of all abilities interacted and engaged with texts, and how their achievement was shaped by instruction focused on transdisciplinary literacy and PBL frameworks. Results could inform future studies about the role of TDL as teachers created PBL lessons with a focus on recognizing how learners need different approaches, resources, or supports. Moreover, this study furthered the quest for educators to select texts responsive to all learners within the U.S. educational systems.