Action Research on the Effects of Project Based Learning for Female Students in High School Biology

Abstract

In this action research, the learning records of female students’ PBL (project based learning) in high school biology were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with the learning records of boys’ PBL. The results show that girls chose ornamental flowers for a plant to cultivate, whereas boys chose vegetables. There was developmental learning with the girls, who arranged flowers in a vase and used them to decorate many places in the school. These activity of the girls is recognized as Art in the view of STEAM education. From the analysis of their learning records, the girls also displayed characteristic studying with their sensitive descriptions. There were also many expansions in the girls’ studing with Art on their learning records. So, it was suggested that it would be effective to examine girls’ science education in the context of STEAM rather than STEM.