Elementary school teachers' attitudes towards project-based learning in China

Project-based learning (PBL), a student-centered approach, engages students in solving complex real-world problems, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity—essential 21st-century skills. While PBL benefits students, teacher attitudes are crucial for successful implementation. Previous research has explored teacher motivation and perceptions of PBL, but studies focusing on elementary school teachers' attitudes and the factors influencing them in China are limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating: 1. Chinese elementary school teachers' attitudes towards PBL. 2. Factors influencing these attitudes. 3. Support needed to facilitate PBL implementation.

The literature review defines PBL as a pedagogical approach involving students in meaningful projects to construct knowledge and develop real-world products. PBL emphasizes student-active involvement through collaborative learning, with teachers acting as facilitators. Six key characteristics of PBL are identified: a driving question, learning goals, educational activities, student cooperation, scaffolding technologies, and tangible product creation. Studies highlight PBL's effectiveness in promoting deeper learning, improved understanding, increased motivation, and enhanced skills. However, teacher attitudes are a critical factor in PBL's success. The concept of teacher attitudes is explored, distinguishing between general attitudes and attitudes towards specific behaviors (teaching PBL in this case). The study adopts the Dimension of Attitude Towards Science (DAS) framework, encompassing cognitive beliefs (perceived relevance, difficulty, gender beliefs), affective states (enjoyment, anxiety), and perceived control (self-efficacy, context dependency). Factors influencing teacher attitudes, including personal characteristics (gender, educational level, teaching experience, subject taught, training) and school context (social support, resources, time availability), are reviewed. Existing research on these factors reveals mixed findings.

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data through across-method triangulation. A questionnaire survey was administered to 257 Chinese elementary school teachers, followed by interviews with 10 teachers. The questionnaire included sections on demographics (gender, educational level, years of teaching, school type, subject taught, PBL training), attitudes towards PBL (adapted and modified from the DAS framework, measuring cognitive beliefs, affective states, and perceived control), and factors influencing attitudes (social support, resources, time availability). The interview questions explored teachers' perceptions of the support needed for effective PBL implementation. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, employing independent t-tests, ANOVAs, and hierarchical multiple regression to examine differences in attitudes between groups and identify factors influencing attitudes. Qualitative data from interviews were analyzed using mind maps to identify recurring themes.

The findings reveal that Chinese elementary school teachers generally hold positive attitudes towards PBL. However, significant differences were observed based on educational level (teachers with master's degrees held more positive attitudes than those with bachelor's or below), years of teaching (teachers with 6-10 years of experience had the most positive attitudes, while those with over 20 years had the least), and subject taught (science teachers held more positive attitudes than humanities teachers). No significant differences were found based on gender, school type, or number of subjects taught. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that training, social support, resources, and time availability significantly and positively influenced teachers' attitudes towards PBL. Interview data revealed four key themes regarding the support needed for effective PBL implementation: training and professional development, cooperation with other teachers and clear administrative vision, adequate technical materials and budget, and sufficient teaching time.

The findings highlight the importance of various factors in shaping elementary school teachers' attitudes towards PBL in China. Higher educational levels correlate with more positive attitudes, likely due to increased confidence and access to better resources. The non-linear relationship between teaching experience and attitudes suggests that while initial experience can foster confidence, extensive experience may lead to resistance to change. The difference in attitudes between science and humanities teachers suggests the need for tailored professional development. The regression analysis underscores the significance of training, social support, resources, and time in fostering positive attitudes. The qualitative data corroborates these findings, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support systems to enable successful PBL implementation. The study contributes to the understanding of teacher attitudes and implementation challenges related to PBL in the context of Chinese elementary education, offering valuable insights for policy and practice.

This study provides valuable insights into Chinese elementary school teachers' attitudes toward PBL and the factors influencing their adoption. The positive overall attitude is tempered by significant variations based on education, experience, and subject. The identified need for training, resources, and support highlights the crucial role of professional development and supportive school environments in promoting successful PBL implementation. Future research could investigate the impact of specific PBL interventions on teacher attitudes and student outcomes, and explore the effectiveness of different professional development models.

This study has several limitations. The questionnaire sample was skewed towards teachers with 0-5 years of experience. Future studies should include a more balanced representation of teaching experience levels. The study focused on specific factors influencing attitudes; other factors, such as student motivation, could also play a role. Further research could explore this broader range of influencing factors. Finally, the qualitative data analysis lacked inter-rater reliability assessment. Future studies should address this for improved rigor.