Project-Based Approach at Preschool Setting.pdfVIP

World Applied Sciences Journal 16 (1): 106-112, 2012 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2012 Project-Based Approach at Preschool Setting Saemah Rahman, Ruhizan M. Yasin and Siti Fatimah Mohd Yassin Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: A collaborative action research project was conducted to help practitioner at one preschool education to implement a new teaching method that is, project-based approach. The action research project involved a group of three researchers from Faculty of Education at one public university in Malaysia and six teachers at one early child education centre. Two cycles of action research were conducted involving five phases in each cycle namely, (i) the initial reflection phase, (ii) the planning phase, (iii) the implementation phase, (iv) the observation and analysis phase and (v) reflection and assessment phase. The collaborative effort focused on the identification of the issues in the implementation of the approach and planning the action to address the issue. Among the issue detected were lack of skills in identifying suitable projects to be carried out and the lack of confidence among the teachers in implementing the approach. The focus of the intervention in cycle one was to facilitate the teachers to identify and implement the projects. Meanwhile in the second cycle, the focus was on aspects that can be improved following the intervention carried out in cycle one. The study found that at the end of the second cycle, the practitioner reported a higher confidence level to implement the approach and acknowledged the benefit of the approach to the learning process and children’s social and cognitive development. Key words: Project-based approach Col