Project Method in

Social Studies
PEDAGOGY

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Project Method in Social Studies

Project-based learning approach focuses on the general thought, concept, and principle of a discipline. It
promotes an innovative approach to the teaching-learning process.

• In Project Based Learning, there is an existing problem lacking a pre-established solution, the students
design the process to reach a solution and are responsible for accessing the information they have
collected and managing the information,

• There is an ongoing evaluation, and the end product is produced and evaluated for quality and the class is
constructed to be tolerating of mistakes and changes (Buck Institute for Education, What is Project Based
Learning PBL, 2001).

Objectives of Project Work

Project-based learning enables the students to use their knowledge and information to the related field.

• It helps in appropriately integrating the collected information and expressing themselves in a better
manner.

• Using their skills and making searches of the scientific process to present the information, shall add a new
dimension to realizing the goals of social science and eliminate the memorization aspect from the class.

Active Skills of Studying with a Group

• It helps in developing leadership skills among students by working in a group and achieving a goal
together.

• The more students are actively engaged it ensures the completion of tasks and a chance to learn different
things from each other.

• Group activities enable students to work as a team, improve listening, respect for different opinions, etc.

• Will enable a student to come out of the cocoon and socialize with other students, make new friends and
reduce loneliness.

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Life Skills
• Will be able to carry out meetings on how to start a project and the topic etc.

• Project work not only is about the topic of the project but also about its planning, organizing, and
execution.

• It will contain the daily life skills of budgeting and administration of the project.

• Project work helps in learning life skills at the school level in a protected environment with necessary
guidance.

Self-Governance Skills
• Project Works makes a child a self-motivated learner who must do his own task and choose his own topic.

• Will set out goals and objectives to be achieved through the project.

• Organize the functioning of the project as well as delegate responsibilities or duties to others.

Cognitive Process Skills

• Students will be challenged to use their mental abilities beyond the textbook.

• Inspire students to think critically and innovatively.

• Encourages the problem-solving attitude among children.

• Decision-making ability will develop in the students.

Attitude
• Will inculcate the desire to learn advanced training steps and prepare more projects to improve their
skills.

• Reduce boredom and increases the learning drive and curiosity of the students.

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Active Skills of Studying with a Group

Life Skills

Self-Governance Skills

Cognitive Process skills

Attitude

Fig1: Objectives of Project Work

Characteristics Of Project Work

• It provides many opportunities and ways through which a student can participate in learning activities and
show their capabilities.

• It is an active approach to learning through which the students can carry out in-depth studies and
produce new ideas and projects.

• It might enrich and develop the learning capabilities of the learners by allowing them to form their
knowledge.

• It allows them to think about the importance of the information by allowing them to deeply search the
subject matter.

• It allows for the evaluation of the information of critical importance and makes the learner more active in
the material forming process.

• It allows them to learn through application.

• It also allows the family members of the students to witness the changes in the performance of the
learners through project work.

Advantages Of Project Work

• While working on a project students develop independent thinking and working habits.

• Learners develop knowledge of the topic and various techniques used in the area of study.

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• It develops fellow feelings and a democratic environment among the group members.

• Through a variety of activities Project work helps students in improving communication skills.

• It also helps in developing various kinds of desirable personality attributes in the students. These could
be critical thinking, creative thinking, higher mental abilities, etc.

Disadvantages Of Project Work

• Difficult to form a project relevant to the subject that needs the assistance of the teacher.

• Time-taking process, cannot be completed in a short period of time.

• Not always cost-effective, sometimes requires a lot of budgets to process the project.

• Can be distracting from the actual studies and can lead to only enjoyment and less learning.

Advantages

Project Work

Disadvantages

Group Project Work

Group project work is where two or more students are asked to work collectively on a topic or project. They
are mostly given to students to develop the skills of teamwork, leadership, and patience. This also is effective
in giving projects which are time taking or difficult for an individual to perform to reduce the stress of
students.

Advantages Of Group Project

• It helps to break down the task and allocate responsibilities among them.

• It encourages students to work in a team and in collaboration with one another.

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It will stimulate their problem-solving skills and work together toward a solution.

Individual weakness does not affect the project as it gets compensated by the skills of another.

Group work gives scope for discussion, improves communication, and often leads to innovative ideas.

Disadvantages Of Group Project

• Group discussions can be time taking and lead to delay in execution of the project work.

• Can be difficult to cope with for the introverted students who are not able to communicate very well.

• Poor communication among students and scheduling can become an issue.

• In group project there are too many ideas and ways to do the projects which can delay in decision making
as well as leads to conflicts in the group.

Individual Project Work

Individual Projects are where only one student is given the project to be completed. The teacher can help the
student but all the tasks related to the project are only handled by one student.

These projects are mostly which are not very time taking or can be completed by one person without much
help.

These types of projects are also assigned to test the individual qualities, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses,
creativity, etc.

Advantages Of Individual Project

• The student can work at their own pace as per their schedule.

• There are lesser chances of conflicts among students as they will be working on their own projects
individually.

• The responsibility for the completion of a project also becomes individualistic and does not depend on
anyone else.

• It also encourages individual creativity and independent thinking and problem-solving attributes.

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Disadvantages Of Individual Project

• It also reduces the scope of collaboration and does not give the opportunity to socialize.

• Not suitable for complex and long-running projects.

• Evaluation of individual projects can be time taking as there are as many projects as the number of
students.

• Does not encourage cooperative behavior among peers and can lead to unhealthy comparison.

Individual Project Work Group Project Work

Does not Encourage Team Work. Encourages Team Work.

No chance of dispute among students as every student is Greater chances of dispute among children as every
responsible for her/her own project. member of the group need to work.

There could be a factor of stress as all the work is done by

Less stress as the work gets divided.
one student which can lead to stress.

Delay in decision making and acting in the project due to

Fast decision-making and actions in the project.
multiple ideas and opinions.

Gives a good scope for learning different things from other

Does not allow the students to learn from other students.
students.

Conflicts related to workspace and schedules of different

No conflict regarding the pace of work or schedule.
students.

Types Of Project Work

• Child-Centered: Elements that are designed to fulfill students’ needs over other factors like skill or
technology.

• Tangible: Physical projects or artifacts like models or 3D objects.

• Teacher Driven: Where the teacher has more control and power to make any changes in the project over
the children.

• Inquiry-Based: The project is completely based on the inquiry method and emphasis inquiry only.

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• Digital: Digital projects are technology-focused and incorporated equipment related to technology like
computers, projectors, etc.

• Multidisciplinary: Projects where multiple disciplines and content areas are incorporated.

• Single Disciplinary: In this type of project only one discipline is focused on instead of many.

• Collaborative: The collaboration could be between the two students or student- teacher.

• Academic: In this Project work the focus remains on the subject and is centered around the mastery of the
academic subject.

Project Work Examples in Social Studies

Geography
• Models of clay and sand depicting the different sections of the river valleys.

• Preparation of distributional map of the railway line, bridges, dams, etc. in the state.

• Setting up and running a geographical museum.

• Cultivation of a fruit or vegetable garden.

History
• Models of different monuments in the country and states.

• Preparation of plays related to historical events.

• Making a list or pictorial representation of different types of dresses from the old stone age till the
present time.

• Family trees of the dynasties that ruled for a very long time and made a great impact on history.

Political Science
• Conducting a survey in the locality about how many people go for voting and whether are they satisfied
with the current government in power.

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• Conducting an election, following all the protocols, and forming a government.

• Preparing a digital voting or survey portal or form google forms.

• Preparing a list of the duties of the students and the elders as citizens of the country.

Economics
• Formulating a bank, issuing currency, and running it following all the rules and regulations.

• List of different types of money transaction portals available and try to use them.

• Making a list of economic policies that are made by the government.

• Analysing the yearly budget of the country.

Points to Remember
The project Method of learning is creative and activity-centered learning which enables a student to explore
new ideas and places. It also encourages students to work in a team or individually for a bigger goal. Projects
in Social science can be very effective as they will help the students to relate it to their environment and daily
life. It changes their attitude towards the subject as mere memorizing to a more interesting and increases
their curiosity for further research.

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Memory Tip

Child Centered

Collaborative Tangible

Teacher
Academic
driven

Projects

Collaborative Inquiry Based

Single
Digital
Disciplinary

Multidisciplinary

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