Learning mathematics by project work in secondary school

Abstract

In project-based learning, pupils have two central learning objectives: to understand the content of the subject and to develop their twenty-first-century skills. This article concerns the use of project work in mathematics learning, considered here in the context of the Finnish national core curriculum, mathematical proficiency, and pupils’ previous level of attainment. The research consisted of two case studies in which a coordinate system project and a statistics project were tested with secondary school pupils (N=59+58). The main findings show it is possible to study the mathematics of the curriculum and to develop all types of mathematical proficiency using project work. Additionally, the pupils’ grades on the project work correlate positively with their overall grades in mathematics.