Content area
Mathematics education has undergone numerous methodological, pedagogical, and curricular overhauls, seemingly changing every 5 to 10 years. In recent years, the adaptation to the new Next Generation Mathematics Standards has led to a push for more inquiry-based classrooms, where students take ownership of their learning and teachers become facilitators. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an inquiry-based foundational pedagogy use among STEM classrooms and academic programs. Most PBL units end with a summative assessment of a product or design, yet studies lack in how we formatively assess students before and during the PBL process. Project Alpha (pseudonym) is an enrichment program for youth ages 8-15 that introduces students to the fields of carpentry, construction, and engineering. Project Alpha (PA) focuses on strengthening students’ mathematics skills while also improving their self-confidence and enhancing their ability to work as a team. Given a unique opportunity to work with the PA program in the University at Buffalo CIRCL community, this case study analyses PA’s current formative assessment practices using the High-Quality Project-Based Learning (HQPBL) Framework (2018) and Black and Wiliam’s (2009) formative assessments as models. By utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collected from student work, surveys, and an interview with the program director, this study will propose changes to enhance PA’s formative assessment practices and strengthen programming. Additionally, it provides a sample PBL carpentry unit using the aforementioned models.
