Primary Teachers’ Experiences of Project-Based Learning in South Korea: Implementation and Challenges University of Helsinki Master’s Programme in Changing Education Master’s thesis, 35 cr Educational Sciences October, 2023 Nayeong Kang Supervisors: Hannele Niemi, Shuanghong Jenny Niu 2 Tiedekunta - Fakultet - Faculty Faculty of Educational Sciences, Master’s Programme in Changing Education Tekijä - Författare - Author Nayeong Kang Työn nimi - Arbetets titel Masters’ Thesis Title Primary Teachers’ Experiences of Project-Based Learning in South Korea: Implementation and Challenges Oppiaine - Läroämne - Subject Education Työn laji/ Ohjaaja - Arbetets art/Handledare - Level/Supervisor Master’s Thesis/ Hannele Niemi, Shuanghong Jenny Niu Aika - Datum - Month and year October 2023 Sivumäärä - Sidoantal - Number of pages 56 pages + 4 pages of appendices Tiivistelmä - Referat – Abstract The aim of this thesis is to investigate the experienced primary school teachers' implementation of the key characteristics of project-based learning (PBL) in South Korea. Six key characteristics of PBL were used in this study as the theoretical framework. The characteristics are driving questions, learning goals, scientific activities, collaborative activities, using digital tools, and creating artefacts. The other focus of this study is analysing the challenges that the teachers faced when implementing PBL. The study had two research questions. The first one examined how primary school teachers in South Korea implement the key characteristics of PBL, and the second one focused on what kinds of challenges they have when applying PBL. The data were collected by semi- structured online interviews of seven primary school teachers. Their project plan documents designed and implemented by the teachers were used as additional data. The collected data were analysed with qualitative content analysis mainly in an inductive way. The main findings are that the experienced teachers in South Korea employed PBL as follows: the teachers (1) designed PBL based on the curriculum and the students' interests, (2) tried to reflect the students' opinion, (3) created a PBL environment, (4) had the students practice related skills, (5) facilitated the students' learning, (6) designed collaborative work, (7) utilised digital tools, and (8) gave an opportunity to showcase the results of the learning. The study indicated that the teachers faced challenges such as managing time, ambiguity, and diversity. The teachers also described several challenges related to student engagement, collaborative work, lack of skills, resources, school support, and teacher expertise. These results confirm earlier research in other countries. The results and suggestions of the study can provide new insights of experienced teachers’ PBL implementation to teachers, schools, and curriculum developers wishing to implement PBL in classrooms. The findings revealed the strategies of PBL implementation, the need to guarantee teacher autonomy more in the curriculum and need of training for teachers’ professional development. Avainsanat - Nyckelord Keywords Project-based learning, student-centred learning, Korea, Implementation, primary education, key characteristics, challenges Säilytyspaikka - Förvaringsställe - Where deposited Helsinki University Library – Helda/E-thesis (theses) Muita tietoja - Ö vriga uppgifter - Additional information 3 Table of contents 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND .......................................................................... 3 2.1 Project-based Learning as a Pedagogical Method ........................................ 3 2.2 Challenges in Implementing PBL .................................................................. 4 2.3 Key Characteristics of PBL ........................................................................... 5 2.3.1 Driving Question .................................................................................. 6 2.3.2 Learning Goals .................................................................................... 7 2.3.3 Scientific Practices .............................................................................. 7 2.3.4 Collaboration ....................................................................................... 8 2.3.5 Digital Tools ........................................................................................ 8 2.3.6 Creating Artefacts ................................................................................ 9 3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH AIM ............................................... 9 4 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................10 4.1 Methodological Design .................................................................................10 4.2 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................10 4.3 Participants and Contextualisation ...............................................................12 4.4 Data Collection ............................................................................................14 4.5 Ethical Considerations and Quality Assurance .............................................16 5 RESULTS ............................................................................................................18 5.1 Implementation of the Key Characteristics ...................................................18 5.1.1 Driving Question .................................................................................18 5.1.2 Learning Goals ...................................................................................21 5.1.3 Scientific Practices .............................................................................24 5.1.4 Collaboration ......................................................................................27 5.1.5 Digital Tools .......................................................................................30 5.1.6 Creating Artefacts ...............................................................................32 5.2 Challenges ...................................................................................................35 5.2.1 Management of Time..........................................................................35 5.2.2 Management of Ambiguity and Diversity.............................................36 5.2.3 Student Engagement and Motivation ..................................................37 5.2.4 Management of Collaborative Work ....................................................38 5.2.5 Lack of Skills ......................................................................................39 5.2.6 Lack of Resources ..............................................................................41 5.2.7 Teacher Expertise ..............................................................................42 4 5.3 Summaries of the Findings ..........................................................................43 5.3.1 Summary of Implementation ...............................................................43 5.3.2 Summary of Challenges .....................................................................44 6 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................46 6.1 Teachers’ Implementation and Challenges ..................................................46 6.2 Suggestions and Recommendations ............................................................50 6.3 Limitations and Further Study ......................................................................51 7 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................53 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................54 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. 1 1. APPENDIX 1. Informed Consent................................................................... 1 2. APPENDIX 2. Interview Questions ................................................................ 3 TABLES Table 1. An example of the qualitative analysis process for driving questions. ........ 11 Table 2. Participants in the study. ............................................................................ 12 Table 3. Part of a project plan (P1). ......................................................................... 15 Table 4. Participants and the project units analysed for this study. .......................... 16 Table 5. Part of a teacher's project design............................................................... 22 Table 6. An example of the designed scientific activities by the teachers. ............... 25 Table 7. An example of collaboration activities in the project plans. ........................ 28 Table 8. The Summary of Teachers' implementation. .............................................. 44 1 1 Introduction This study aims to investigate how the key characteristics of project-based learning (PBL) were implemented by seven primary school teachers in the South Korean primary education context. The study focuses on revealing how the key characteristics of the PBL method were implemented and the challenges of PBL implementation from the primary school teachers’ point of view. In South Korea, the national curriculum published in year 2015 emphasizes the necessity and importance of project-based learning. Teachers are recommended to utilise student- centred approaches when conducting lessons (Ministry of Education, 2015). According to the national core curriculum for basic education, a multidisciplinary PBL approach is recommended to be applied during the whole learning process to enhance students’ twenty-first-century competencies, such as self-management competency, knowledge- information processing skills, creative thinking skills, aesthetic-emotional competency, communication skills, and civic competency (Ministry of Education, 2015, p. 2).1 The latest revised curriculum published in 2022 – which is not implemented in schools yet - (Ministry of Education, 2022) has the same focus on developing students 21st century competencies. The only difference from the curriculum in year 2015 is that the communication competencies have been improved through cooperative communication in the latest curriculum. PBL (Korean: Project Hak-seup, Project Bub) is mentioned 40 times in the Korean language version of the general curriculum for primary schools. It is specified in the curriculum that PBL can be applied in the teaching-learning process or evaluation (Ministry of Education, 2018). The revised curriculum discusses the application of PBL in detail in many subject matter contexts as follows: World geography learning is generally suitable for utilizing project learning2 in light of the nature of the subject. […] It is to select a project task that can arouse students' interest and to execute it through group activities (Ministry of Education, 2018, p. 181). 1 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2019) also described that knowledge and information processing abilities and creative convergence capabilities are core competencies for the future society. 2 In the Korean curriculum, project learning and project method are used as a term of the teaching method, PBL. In this study, they are considered the same instructional method. 2 This citation is an example of how the teaching and learning employing PBL within primary education should be arranged in South Korea. Although PBL is not compulsory in teaching, it can be understood that it is greatly emphasised through the curriculum. The Ministry of Education in Korea (2015, p. 16) highlighted the significance of students’ participatory learning such as collaboration learning, discussions, debate learning. Furthermore, the curriculum “encourages students to develop self-directed learning skills and experience the joy of learning by utilising a variety of participatory teaching methods” (The Ministry of Education in Korean, 2015, p. 3). Although the importance of project- based learning is emphasised, PBL is a challenging method for teachers to use in practice, as it requires an elemental understanding of its pedagogical basis (Han et al., 2015). Thomas (2000) recommended that future research pay attention to the implementation challenges of teacher-initiated PBL more deeply because most implementation research on PBL has focused on “packaged” science curricula.3 Thus, it is necessary to analyse the cases of PBL conducted in schools, so that teachers can gain insight into PBL and apply it to their classrooms successfully. This thesis focuses on seven teachers’ implementation of PBL and their challenges when implementing PBL in the context of South Korean primary education. The topic was motivated by my professional experience as a classroom teacher and recent developments in the national curriculum framework. As Markula and Aksela (2022) have also pointed out in their study on the implementation of PBL, teachers confront various obstacles in implementing PBL in their classrooms, such as student motivation, lack of support from school, and difficulty when planning PBL based on the national curriculum. 3 According to Thomas (2000, p. 4), projects should be student-driven to some significant degree. PBL projects are not, in the main, teacher-led, scripted, or packaged. However, a lot of PBL implementation research focuses on “packaged” projects that consist of what and how to teach. They are developed by other not the teacher who conducts the project. 3 2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Project-based Learning as a Pedagogical Method There are various definitions of PBL. Blumenfeld (1991) described PBL as a useful instructional method for promoting 21st century skills PBL is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning in classrooms that is designed for students to engage in studying by investigating real-world problems. According to (Bell 2010), PBL is a student- driven, teacher-facilitated approach to learning that teaches a variety of strategies critical for success in the twenty-first century. The Korean Ministry of Education (2015, p.215) says PBL is a teaching and learning method in which students establish a plan and carry it out to explore a specific topic or task and students produce or present the results. And it can be done individually or in groups. Baghoussi and Zoubida (2019) explain that PBL is based on a learning theory, constructivism, that argues learners construct knowledge through experience rather than just passively taking in facts. The focus is on students’ experiences and active learning processes by working on projects that are designed to address real-world problems (Al-Balushi & Al-Amri, 2014). Constructivists believe that learning occurs through experiences and the role of the teacher is a nurturer, a collaborator and a facilitator who leads students to construct new knowledge (Baghoussi & Zoubida El Ouchdi, 2019). Considering the various definitions and notions of PBL, it is a student-centred pedagogical method where students actively work together for defined goals or products by planning their project process, addressing authentic problems, and presenting the results. PBL is a key method to promote twenty-first-century skills. Responsibility, independence, goal setting, and discipline are expected to be taught throughout PBL (Bell, 2010). Moreover, it fosters social learning as students have chances to practice and become experts in communication and collaboration (Bell, 2010). PBL is believed to be a "powerful teaching method" with various benefits, such as students’ motivation, in-depth knowledge, and thinking skills (Larmer et al., 2015, p. 2). The knowledge and skills that they gained are important to be able to live in the future. The Ministry of Education in South Korea (2015, p. 218) indicates in the national curriculum that " project evaluation is a method of evaluating the process and results of collecting, analysing, synthesizing, and solving data on a specific topic or task based on mathematics learning. It can be used to evaluate problem-solving, creativity/integration, and information processing abilities”. 4 Many studies conducted on the effectiveness of PBL have shown that its implementation has positive results in learning. Kaldi et al. (2011) argued in their study on the effectiveness of PBL that primary-age students can be motivated and positive towards peers from different ethnic backgrounds through PBL, in addition to the development of content knowledge and group work skills. The key objectives of PBL are to help students lead their learning and to encourage them to learn collaboratively with other learners (Bilgin et al., 2015). According to the findings by Bilgin (2015), students’ self-efficacy beliefs about learning and teaching have increased more as compared to when the traditional teaching method was employed. Compared to the traditional teacher-centred approach, PBL has been shown to result in greater academic achievement (Chen & Yang, 2019; Pearlman & Thomas, 2000). PBL is an important learning and teaching method for fostering independent learners and thinkers which is related to the key twenty-first-century competencies. Students deal with real-world problems by designing their own inquiries, and planning their learning, and learning process (Bell, 2010). 2.2 Challenges in Implementing PBL Despite the benefits of PBL, many teachers point out that there are challenging features of PBL implementation in schools (Aksela et al., 2019; Aldabbus, 2018; Handrianto & Rahman, 2018; Lycke, 2002). Pearlman and Thomas (2000, p.34) concluded that “PBL is relatively challenging to plan and enact”. They suggested that future research consider the challenges of PBL’s implementation more deeply and in different contexts. The challenges related to PBL implementation must be addressed to promote student outcomes (Condliffe et al., 2017a). There are some common challenges of implementing PBL. It requires careful organizing and management of time to ensure that all project components, including research, collaboration, and presentation, can be completed within a planned timeframe (Aksela et al., 2019). Lack of time results in limited collaboration. Teachers should have management skills to conduct PBL effectively. Implementing PBL may require additional resources, such as technology, materials, or access to external experts or field trips (Aldabbus, 2018). Ensuring availability and proper 5 allocation of resources can be a logistical challenge for educators and schools. Technical issues including challenges with ICT can be difficult, apart from resources, including lack of space, time, and equipment (Aksela et al., 2019). A study focusing on teachers’ PBL implementation by Han et al (2015) raises student- related challenges which are a lack of students’ academic readiness, a deficiency of motivation, and behaviour issues. In addition, while PBL can be highly engaging for students, maintaining their motivation can be a challenge as well. According to Mentzer et al., (2017), granting students sufficient autonomy and understanding what this entails blending the required national standards with PBL are considered barriers. 2.3 Key Characteristics of PBL Many attempts have been made to clarify the PBL design principles that describe the essential components of a PBL approach (Condliffe et al., 2017b). A general consensus exists that PBL is a process of learning including activities and inquiry that results in artefacts or final products. They address the driving questions which are set at the beginning of the project (Haatainen & Aksela, 2021a). However, there is still no consensus on what constitutes PBL (Condliffe et al., 2017b). For example, it is unclear whether PBL design principles should address the content of learning, to what extent students’ choice or collaboration needs to be included in the PBL approach or how learning should be assessed (Condliffe et al., 2017a). One of the most recent and detailed clarifications of the characteristics of PBL was researched by Krajcik and Shin (2014, p. 276). They proposed that PBL settings have six distinguishing features: (1) They begin with a driving question to be solved. (2) They focus on learning goals. (3) Students investigate the driving question by participating in scientific practices. (4) Collaboration among students, teachers, and community members is key to solving the driving question. (5) Using technologies scaffold students so that they can participate in activities beyond their competencies. (6) Students generate tangible outcomes that tackle the driving question. Another study on the main characteristics of project-based learning in science and technology, suggests that five key features define PBL in science and technology (Hasni et al., 2016): (1) an authentic scientific question or problem (2) students’ engagement in 6 investigating and designing activities (3) collaboration (4) learning technologies, and (5) creating a final product. One of the most recent studies on the characteristics of PBL was conducted by Markula and Aksela (2022, p. 5) analysing the six main characteristics that were originally proposed by Krajcik and Shin (2014). They are as follows: (1) driving questions, (2) learning goals, (3) scientific practices, (4) collaboration, (5) digital tools, and (6) creating artefacts. Understanding the key characteristics of PBL helps teachers and instructional designers effectively implement this teaching approach since PBL is often defined more specifically through its distinguishing characteristics. (Hasni et al., 2016; Thomas, 2000). It is necessary to understand the PBL implementation more through the lens of the key characteristics of PBL to address the challenges effectively. This present study researched the six essential characteristics as a framework. The interviews for the data collection are based on these six characteristics to analyse teachers’ implementation. This study is to gain a better understanding of how experienced teachers implement PBL and the related challenges in practice, and to promote the use of PBL in classrooms. In the following sub-chapters, the six characteristics will be introduced. 2.3.1 Driving Question The first characteristic in the theoretical frame focuses on driving questions. Driving questions are a key component of project-based learning that motivates learning (Condliffe et al., 2017a). It is a thought-provoking and open-ended question that guides the project and sets the focus for inquiry and investigation. The driving questions provide organised activities for the project and a context in which students can explore learning goals and scientific practices. A project begins with a driving question but then students are given opportunities to ask their own questions regarding the driving question of the project. Teachers repeatedly refer to the driving question to link together the various ideas that students explore throughout the project (J. S. Krajcik & Shin, 2014). There are several characteristics of good driving questions (Hasni et al., 2016; Markula & Aksela, 2022). The driving question must be: (1) authentic so it can anchor in students’ real world. (2) open-ended and it should change the students’ cognition throughout the 7 learning process. (3) motivating so that students understand the need to study the core concepts related to the subjects. 2.3.2 Learning Goals Students are required to master the core standards in learning settings in schools (Krajcik & Shin, 2014a). In PBL, the learning goals are explicitly defined and communicated to students at the beginning of the project. These goals help to guide the students' learning and ensure that they stay focused on what they need to learn (Larmer et al., 2015). The learning goals in PBL are often related to the subject matter being studied, but they may also include broader goals such as the development of critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and collaboration skills. Throughout the project, teachers should provide regular feedback to students on their progress towards the learning goals. At times, teachers may need to intervene in student ideas that take them from the main project goals (Larmer et al., 2015). This helps to ensure that students are on track and can make adjustments as needed. At the end of the project, students should reflect on their learning and evaluate their progress towards the learning goals. By focusing on learning goals, teachers can encourage students to gain deep and meaningful learning experiences that are aligned with their educational objectives. Teachers who design the project are required to teach the learning elements according to the national curriculum. To be able for PBL units to align with national standards, Krajcik and Shin (2014a) suggested a three-step for curriculum designers to ensure the learning goals align with the core standards. The steps are: (1) Choose core ideas that help students understand various phenomena and related topics. (2) Reconstruct the selected core ideas so they can suit the grade and age of the students. (3) Clarify learning performances that should be achieved that reflect professional disciplinary practices. 2.3.3 Scientific Practices In PBL classrooms, students delve into the driving questions and investigate the driving questions by taking part in a variety of scientific practices over extended periods (Markula & Aksela, 2022). The scientific practices are, for instance, conceptualising, investigating, making conclusions, and discussing (Pedaste et al., 2015). These scientific practices 8 described from inquiry-based learning research are used to illustrate these practices as found in PBL (Pedaste et al., 2015; Markula & Aksela, 2022). Conceptualisation consists of two sub-parts which are questioning and hypothesis generation. Students are required to create research questions or hypotheses based on the project in this step. In the investigation step, students can experience exploration, experimentation and data interpretation based on the experimental design or exploration. After the process of concluding the data, students are supposed to have a process of communication presenting the findings of the project and engaging in reflective activities. 2.3.4 Collaboration Condliffe (2017b), and Krajcik and Shin (2014a) consider collaborative work as a significant element of PBL. It is seen that the collaborative activities of the PBL approach are "the complex social situation of expert problem solving” (p.10). The opportunities of collaborative work support students’ skills to "engage in meaningful learning that will allow them to manage the fast-changing society.” (Darling-Hammond, 2008b, p. 196; Condliffe et al., 2017b). Collaboration helps students build shared understandings of core ideas as they communicate with their peers and with partners from outside of the school (J. S. Krajcik & Shin, 2014). 2.3.5 Digital Tools Technology tools can support learning by transforming the classroom into an environment where learners actively construct their knowledge (Krajcik & Shin, 2014a). In addition, using technologies can increase students’ interest, modelling concepts, and strategic support (Markula & Aksela, 2022; Tal et al., 2006; Blumenfeld et al., 1991). Students can use learning technologies such as ICT (Information and communication technologies) tools or/and scientific research tools. ICT tools help students access real- world data and collaborate with others by sharing information (Krajcik & Shin, 2014a; Novak & Krajcik, 2004). Students can use technology tools in PBL as well as scientific research tools to gather and analyse data. It is also used to create artefacts (Markula & Aksela, 2022). 9 2.3.6 Creating Artefacts Students learn more effectively when they produce artefacts by presenting their constructed knowledge (J. S. Krajcik & Shin, 2014). Creating artefacts in the learning process is a distinguishing aspect of PBL compared to other student-centred approaches, such as problem-based and inquiry-based learning (Hasni et al., 2016). Krajcik and Shin (2014a) point out that the outcomes of the project should be concrete results, for instance, reports, videos, documents, games, plays, websites, and computer programs. Good artefacts in PBL must answer the driving question, present the students’ level of understanding of the project, and support students in obtaining an understanding of the topic when creating the artefact (J. S. Krajcik & Shin, 2014). 3 Research Questions and Research Aim The aims of the present study are to investigate the teachers’ implementation of PBL in the frame of the key characteristics in South Korean primary education context, and to find out the challenges that the teachers face. Although the number of the teachers participated in this study is relatively small, this study is expected to provide useful knowledge about implementing PBL and the challenges that might arise. This study seeks to answer the following research question: 1. In which way do primary school teachers in South Korea implement the key characteristics of PBL? 2. What challenges do teachers perceive when implementing PBL in their classrooms? 10 4 Methodology 4.1 Methodological Design The design of this study is based on qualitative research methods. This study is conducted with inductive content analysis which is suitable for research that identifies patterns and themes in large sets of data. Although the study relied on the theoretical frame which is the key characteristics of PBL, this methodological design allowed patterns and themes to emerge naturally from the data itself. The aim of qualitative content analysis is to systematically describe the meaning of the data, which can provide insights into social, cultural, or political phenomena (Schreier, 2012). The present study is based on two research tools: interviews with the seven teachers (see details under ‘4.3 Participants and Contextualisation’ and in Table. 2) who have applied PBL in their teaching and the project plans that were provided by the teachers. The interviews were generally open-ended questions that were intended to elicit views and opinions from the teachers. Interviews are useful because participants can provide historical information, and it is possible to gain deeper data by having follow-up questions (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). 4.2 Data Analysis The aim is also to gain a deeper understanding of the topic by using data-driven analysis and identifying patterns and themes. The steps that Creswell & Creswell (2018) suggested were used to analyse the data. When the data was ready, the data were coded, and categories and subcategories were created based on the data in an inductive way. This data-driven strategy is appropriate since the research goal is to find out the teachers’ experiences and interpret the meaning of it. Table 1 shows the process of the data analysis, in which the main categories are identified. The identified categories from the analysis are used to present the results of the study (see 5. Results). For example, ‘Design’ in Table 1 refers to ‘designing PBL based on the national curriculum’ in the results. Likewise, ‘Introducing’ in the table refers to ‘introducing the driving question to students’ in the results. 11 Table 1. An example of the qualitative analysis process for driving questions. Teacher code Interview descriptions in Driving questions Code units Sub- Categories Categories T1FA Driving questions are first roughed out by the teacher based on the national standards students need to achieve. Before starting the project, I prepared the direction of the project. Then, for the project, I prepare various class materials and questions that the children may need. Students are asked to analyse and characterize such data to derive the most important concepts. However, if the direction of this concept is different from the national curriculum, students are guided to decide by consulting with several friends. I instruct students to drop some of the questions that ask for factual knowledge and create core questions or inquiry questions around questions that are more relational, more thought-provoking, or more impactful. Teacher plans Various materials thought- provoking questions Aligning with the national curriculum students' participation Refining Teacher designs Various materials Questions Students' participation Refining Design Introducing Students’ participation Refining T2MA I think the driving question is the power that leads the project. I show videos that can arouse interest in the children or guide them to read a book in a state where the project flow is set to some extent by the teacher. That way, I let the kids come up with keywords from there. For example, in the case of a project I did with 4th graders last year, I showed a news video about Daegu's economic problems to make them think about Daegu's problems. So, the kids derive these keywords such as Daegu, population decline, and industry, and now link them together to make a driving question about what kind of study they should do to relate to the video they watched. I first draw out keywords with the students, connect them, and now create inquiry questions, if the children say something in a different direction or unrelated, I intervene and continue to elicit driving questions. At the beginning of the project, we spent a lot of time, up to two hours, creating a driving question. Various materials Teacher plans Keywords Teacher's guidance Students’ participation refining Teacher designs Various materials Thought- provoking questions Students’ participation Refining Design Introducing Students’ participation Refining T3FP The driving questions were asked in each lesson. The first was to create this learning environment so that children can immerse themselves in project learning. ... Creating a learning environment Learning environment Learning environment 12 4.3 Participants and Contextualisation Seven primary school teachers (four males, and three females) in South Korea participated in this study. The teachers were very experienced in teaching, especially in PBL (see Table 2). They have employed PBL since 2015-2016 when the 2015 revised national curriculum was introduced. They are still actively using PBL for teaching. The teachers were very eager to join the interview to contribute to the study and the development of Korean education. An identification code is used to indicate each teacher as shown in Table 2. The codes will be used to analyse and present the interview data. Since teachers in Korea are required by law to move to another school every four to five years, three teachers changed the type of school after receiving the award for the project that is researched in this study. Table 2. Participants in the study. Identification code Gender Teaching experience (Year) Frequency of using PBL per year School T1FA Female 12 2-4 units Affiliated school4 T2MA Male 15 2-4 units Public school -> Affiliated school T3FP Female 18 1-2 units Public school T4MP Male 15 All year rounds Public school -> Affiliated school T5MP Male 18 3 units Public school T6FP Female 11 2-3 units Public school (Digital Textbook Research School) T7MP Male 15 5 units Public school (PBL specialised school) -> Affiliated school All participants were classroom teachers when the projects were conducted. A classroom teacher in Korea is assigned to a particular class of students as their responsible teacher who takes care of the student’s overall well-being and academic achievement. 4 It is a school established by a teacher training institution, such as universities of education, for educational practice and research. The purpose is to contribute to the improvement of the overall level of education by researching educational practical tasks as subjects of educational practice, research, experimentation, and demonstration at this upper-level school and making the results widely public. 13 Classroom teachers teach the majority of the subjects to their class, which makes it easier for them to reconstruct the national curriculum for the project. Four teachers out of seven were working in a primary school affiliated with the University of Education. In Korea, primary schools affiliated with the university of education are considered innovative schools where teachers and student teachers can implement the theories and methods they have learned. Thus, the teachers in these schools tend to have more autonomy in classroom settings and they have the additional financial support from the government, and affective and behavioural support from the students, and parents. For this reason, it can be considered that teachers in affiliated schools have more freedom to apply PBL in their classrooms. One teacher had worked at a primary public school that specialises in project-based learning. The school is famous for conducting almost all classes employing PBL throughout the year. The teachers and the students in the school are used to this pedagogical method. Another teacher had worked at a primary public school that researched the use of digital textbooks when the project was conducted. The students had been exposed a lot to using digital tools, especially, tablets. The teacher stated in the interview that the teacher did not have a problem with conducting the project using digital tools, even though the students were in the second grade of primary school. All seven participating teachers have won an award through class competitions with PBL. Award-winning teachers receive points related to the promotion of educational officials. Those teachers should share the teaching materials and lessons by making their classes public and uploading the materials to the municipal educational website so that other teachers can learn from them. The teachers who participated and were awarded in the competitions were usually considered skilful educational experts. The selection of excellent classes in Korea is operated differently by each municipal office of Education. This study focuses on the seven excellent teachers who are working in Daegu city and their projects. This can cause a strong bias since teachers’ beliefs can influence PBL implementation (Rogers et al., 2011). The participating teachers employed PBL actively based on their willingness, and instructional innovations. On the other hand, this study has the advantage of being able to focus on implementation and difficulties of experienced teachers. 14 4.4 Data Collection The study was conducted in Korean primary school settings containing seven teachers implementing PBL. Two data collection methods were used: thematic interviews, and documentation of the teachers’ PBL plans. All interviews were recorded using the computer application software, Zoom. The individual teacher interviews were stored on a password-protected computer and then retrieved and transcribed. A purposeful sample of seven teachers, who fulfilled the criteria for selection, was chosen. The criteria for selection were as follows: • Teachers have experience designing and conducting PBL. • A diversity of public and affiliated schools was sought. • Teachers were willing to participate in the study. The individual interviews lasted between 30 and 60 minutes. Semi-structured individual interviews for the teachers in Korea were carried out for ten days from the 18th of April to 27th of April in 2023. The aim was to gather rich data individually on a particular topic by ascertaining participants’ perspectives regarding an experience related to the research topic (McIntosh & Morse, 2015). By using open-ended questions and encouraging participants to elaborate on their responses, it was possible to gain a comprehensive understanding of the teachers' thoughts, experiences, and perspectives (Galletta, 2013). Before the interview, it was ensured whether the participants were familiar with the terms used in the interview questions, such as driving questions, and scientific activities. The questions (see Appendix. 2) were developed under the key characteristics of PBL in a theory-driven way. Some examples of the teacher interview questions are as follows: In which way do you implement driving questions? What are the challenges you have when implementing PBL? How do you deal with the challenges? The teachers were first asked about their experiences with implementing PBL under the characteristics and challenges of implementing it. In addition, the participants shared their one project unit that was awarded for the research purpose. The project plans were used as additional data for the interview since the instructional designs that the teachers had planned were seen with richer information in the documents. For example, students’ scientific activities and used tools are explained in detail in the project plan, which supplements teacher responses, when it was not mentioned in the interview. Moreover, it reinforces the validity of the findings from the interviews, and it contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the research question. 15 One project unit consisted of 29-51 lessons and one lesson lasted forty minutes. A project plan has the objectives of the project, related subjects, analysis of the curriculum and the students, instructional design, activities, curriculum restructuring, materials, assessment plan, and a detailed lesson plan of the project. The following table is an example of the project plans that the teachers designed showing the number of lessons, main activities, subjects, and instructional designs. The 31-lesson hour project consists of the opening part, main learning part, and showcasing part. Table 3 shows that the main subjects for the project are Korean language, science, and CE (Creative experiential activities). Additionally, teacher-designed activities range from watching videos, creating project plans, understanding content, and reading related articles. The pedagogical strategies are also shown in the table for the designed activities, such as, brainstorming, inviting an expert, discussion, etc. Table 3. Part of a project plan (P1). Phases hours Subjects Student-led teaching-learning activities Learning strategies/ Thems Opening project 1~3 /31 Korean language Science CE5 • Carbon neutral, carbon diet video and talk • Learn briefly about carbon neutrality, ecosystems, and environmental pollution. • Think of things you want to know, activities you want to do, etc. • Making a project plan and learning plan Brainstorming Eco- system story 4~6 /31 Science • Get to Know the Ecosystem - Understanding the components of the ecosystem (biological and abiotic factors) • Simulation of feeding relationships among organisms constituting the ecosystem ▪Ecosystem composition mission ▪ Invite experts ▪Create a Google Docs report 7~8 /31 Science CE • Carbon Neutrality Story - What is carbon neutrality? - PET bottle light bulb, Life Straw story, etc. 9~11 /31 Science Korean language • Exploration of the effects of environmental pollution on living organisms - Investigate the effects of abiotic factors on organisms through the ‘Growing bean sprouts’ experiment. - Explore how organisms adapt to their environment ▪Exploratory experiment (variable control) 12~14 /31 Science Korean language • Read environmental articles and understand the author's argument. - Know how to read and understand arguments. - Read the article while judging the appropriateness of the evidence. • Learn how to conserve the environment. - Discuss how to preserve the ecosystem ▪Reading ▪Create questions ▪Round table discussion … 5 CE(Creative experiential activities) refers to non-curriculum activities in the elementary and secondary (elementary, middle, and high school) curriculum at the national level. According to the 2015 revised curriculum, creative experiential activities are composed of four areas: autonomous activities, club activities, volunteer activities, and career activities. 16 The chosen projects were carried out from 2018 to 2022 when the 2015 revised curriculum that emphasized the competencies had already been applied in schools. The teachers were asked to answer the interview questions focusing on the specific project that they have provided. Yet, they were allowed to express their general experiences of PBL. Since some of the projects were conducted three to four years ago, the teachers have gained more experience in PBL than when they had employed the certain project. Table 4 shows the students and information on the projects conducted by the participating teachers. Table 4. Participants and the project units analysed for this study. Project/ Teacher Title of the project hour Grade /Age Topic Students’ experience of PBL P1/ T1FA Challenge! Carbon Dioxide diet 31 5 (10- 11) Reduce carbon dioxide Very much (Affiliated school) Second time with the teacher P2/ T2MA Social studies competency development through actualities project learning 30 5 (10- 11) Fine dust First time with the teacher P3/ T3FP Us taking care of the environment 30 5 (10- 11) Caring for the environment Fourth time with the teacher P4/ T4MA Improving social studies inquiry skills through public issue-oriented project learning 29 6 (11- 12) Foreign policy Second time with the teacher P5/ T5MP I am an eco-designer! Environmental improvement project 29 5 (10- 11) Environment protection First time with the teacher P6/ T6FP Scarecrow - Gather wisdom 30 2 (7-8) My village Second time with the teacher (High level of digital tool use skills) P7/ T7MA Find the secret of Obscura! 51 6 (11- 12) Light Very much (PBL specialised school) First time with the teacher 4.5 Ethical Considerations and Quality Assurance When carrying out research, ethical considerations must be anticipated (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). In conducting this research, several ethical considerations were taken into account to ensure the protection and well-being of the participating teachers involved. Yardley (2000) argued that the relationship between the researcher and the participation in research is important. Yardley (2000) pointed out that researchers’ behaviour and characteristics might influence the balance of power in the process of investigation, 17 which is a crucial ethical dimension. I acknowledged that the participants might have adjusted their responses to what they thought the researcher wanted to hear due to the positionality of the two. Considering the interviews conducted for this study are used only in this study and the interviewer does not have any relation to the Korean educational system, it was not likely that this power relation was problematic for the study. Nevertheless, in other to reduce power differences and encourage disclosure and authenticity between the participants and the researcher, prior to data collection, the participants should be fully informed about the purpose, and procedures of the study (Karnieli-Miller et al., 2009). They were provided with a consent form (see Appendix. 1) outlining their voluntary participation, and their right to withdraw from the study at any time without repercussions. To ensure anonymity, pseudonyms or codes were used instead of real names in all research materials (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Permission was obtained for the use of the data for this research from the teachers. All collected data must be treated as confidential and stored securely (Karnieli-Miller et al., 2009). To ensure anonymity, any identifying information was removed or replaced with unique identifiers during data analysis and reporting. The data were used solely for this research and will not be shared with any others without the consent of the participants. Reliability and validity are important concepts in research that apply to both qualitative and quantitative studies. While they are more associated with quantitative research, they can be addressed in qualitative studies in a way that validity refers to the integrity and reliability that describes consistency (Noble & Smith, 2015). Unlike quantitative research where establishing the validity and reliability of the findings is important, qualitative study aims to incorporate methodological strategies to ensure the ‘trustworthiness’ of the findings (Noble & Smith, 2015). The key characteristics of PBL proposed by Krajcik and Shin (2014) were used as the theoretical framework to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Sufficient depth data collection was ensured by analysing both the teachers’ responses and the documents of the project plans to minimize biases. Meticulous records were kept, and a clear decision trail was demonstrated. Interpretations of data were ensured. During data analysis and subsequent interpretations, clarity was concerned, since the language used in the interviews was Korean. 18 5 RESULTS 5.1 Implementation of the Key Characteristics The first research question focuses on the teachers’ implementation of the key characteristics of PBL. The first research question was in which way teachers in primary schools implement the key characteristics of PBL in South Korea. 5.1.1 Driving Question The participating teachers described that they implemented driving questions in PBL by (1) designing driving questions based on the national curriculum, (2) introducing the driving question to students by using various materials, thought-provoking questions, or keywords, (3) providing opportunities for students to participate, (4) refining as needed, (5) creating a learning environment. According to the project plans provided by the teachers, the teachers (6) had chosen an authentic problem as the topic of the project. In the following section these categories are described in detail. (1) Designing driving questions based on the national curriculum All the teachers designed driving questions that align with the national curriculum. They had prepared the direction of the project in advance to some extent. They considered also subject matters, and the skills that students need to develop. The following quotes describe the teachers’ designing the driving question based on the national curriculum to facilitate PBL. Driving questions are first designed out by the teacher based on the national curriculum students need to achieve. (T1) I first showed the curriculum standards to the students. (T6) As teachers design a project based on the national curriculum, I believe that the teacher's meticulous design helps children focus on the project. (T7) (2) Introducing the driving question to students by using various materials, thought- provoking questions, or keywords At the beginning of the project, the teachers introduced the driving question providing various materials, thought-provoking questions, and keywords. Six teachers used videos, photos, books, and dictionaries. The teachers provided materials related to the topic and the concept that they wanted students to understand through the project. T4 19 used a keyword to derive a driving question from the students at this stage and helped the students expand their thoughts by questioning. For the project, I prepare various class materials and questions that the children may need. (T1) As I provided students with videos and photos of marine and air pollution, their interest in environmental pollution naturally increased. (T5) I present a situation that students have never thought of, a video challenging a blind person to order from a machine at a fast-food restaurant, or a video in which the student is the main character. (T5) I show videos that can arouse interest in the children or get them to read a book in a state where the project flow is set to some extent by the teacher. (T2) I told the children to write ‘a line’ and do a mind map. I continued to broaden the minds of the children through questions. We drew mind maps or looked at pictures so that we could think about not only economics but also politics culture, and diplomacy. (T4) (3) Providing opportunities for students to participate The teachers provided opportunities for students to participate in the project when generating and introducing the driving question, even though the teacher selected the driving question to some extent. Three teachers (T1, T6, T7) guided the students to discuss in groups, link the relevant ones, and remove the irrelevant questions. T7 believed that the participation of students in this process is the key to the success of PBL. I let the children come up with keywords from there. (T2) The children derived keywords such as Daegu, population decline, and industry, and linked them together to make a driving question about what kind of study they should do to relate to the video they watched. (T2) I said that we were going to study our village, and in relation to the curriculum standards, I said to the children that we should study this and that, so let's make a topic. (T6) If the direction of this concept is different from the national curriculum, I instruct students to drop some of the questions that ask only for factual knowledge and create inquiry questions that are more relational, more thought-provoking, or more impactful by having them discuss. (T1) I had them [the students] think of a topic that would tie them together. (T6) At the beginning of the semester, we talk about project learning and planning. I talk about what inquiry means, have students look it up in a dictionary, and then ask them if there is a major topic they would like to explore. (T7) I think that the key to success is how to proceed in the introductory part of the project so that the children feel that they have designed it themselves. (T7) 20 (4) Refining as needed The teachers revised and refined the driving question with the students to align with the national curriculum by analysing, characterising, discussing, and categorising the keywords that may be the key concepts of the driving questions. If the direction of this concept is different from the national curriculum, students are guided to decide by discussing it with several friends. (T1) I categorized the topics proposed by the students with the students, removed the ones that did not fit the curriculum, and then guided them into the projects I had prepared. (T7) (5) Creating a learning environment After setting a driving question, T3 created a learning environment by presenting the project net on one side of the classroom so it could remind them of the driving question during the whole project and they could revisit the driving question easily. Two teachers (T3, T6) described that the process of formulating the driving questions and thinking of the activities of the project was enjoyable for the students. I've organized the backside of the classroom with driving questions and activities to ensure that the children are project-learning in every aspect of the classroom and are aware of where we are going. (T3) It was not really that hard when creating the questions. The children added more to my plan. For example, they said, "Let's call us the exploration team" and "Let's make a badge", so we added a badge-making activity. Creating driving questions was a fun activity. (T6) (6) An authentic problem as the topic of the project. According to the analysis of the project plans, six teachers had chosen topics that connect to real-world issues such as environmental issues (e.g., reducing carbon dioxide, fine dust), foreign policy, and my village (See Table 4). The examples of the driving questions that were created by the teachers were as followed: How do we have a carbon diet? (T1) How do we solve the fine dust problem? (T2) Let's create a new foreign policy that Korea needs. (T4) In summary, the teachers tried to adopt the student’s voices when designing driving questions. However, since creating or introducing the driving question usually occurs at the beginning of the project, the teachers guided actively the students into the learning process. From the descriptions, the teachers had designed the project first of all based on the national curriculum. However, they wanted to get the students inspired and involved and they provided various materials and asked thought-provoking questions. In 21 the process of forming a driving question, the teachers and students revised and refined them together. 5.1.2 Learning Goals Once the driving questions of the project are set, learning objectives should be considered. From the teachers’ descriptions, the following categories could be found: The teachers (1) identified the necessary objectives. They (2) provided opportunities for the students to set learning goals and (3) created a learning environment with the learning goals. In addition, it seems easier to engage students in learning goals, when (4) the teacher had built rapport with the students and (5) motivated the students with driving questions or background knowledge. (1) Identified the necessary objectives All the teachers explained that they identified the learning goals and desired outcomes of the national curriculum when designing projects. They also made sure that learning goals were aligned with the driving question, curriculum standards, and specific learning outcomes that the teacher wanted the students to achieve. Six teachers (T1, T2, T3, T5, T6, T7) explored students' interests and experiences to identify ways to present the direction according to the project plans. Some teachers described that they expressed the students’ interest in the subject through a survey before conducting the project. In the teachers’ interviews, the teachers said the following: Learning goals are not my own choice. There are content elements or national standards that teachers must teach students in national-level curricula. (T1) Learning goals have been created with the basic idea of the teacher to some extent. (T5) I constructed the project plan by researching what the students wanted to know when creating the project network. (T3) The following table is part of the teachers’ design that shows the reconstruction of the curriculum for the project. Table 5 presents an example that explains the topic, subjects, activities, assessment, and how the project consists of the standards that must be achieved. The achievement standards are from the national curriculum which determines what students must learn. The teacher designed the lesson objectives based on the standards when the project was designed. The teacher designed the project to have the students achieve the achievement standards spending the allocated lesson hours by 22 conducting the lessons. The teacher also designed the assessment plan to assess the students’ learning. Table 5. Part of a teacher's project design. Topic Subject Achievement Standards Lessons / Assessment hour Obscura's Secret (15) Korean Language [6Korean02-06] Check one's own reading habits and have an attitude of finding and reading texts on one's own. ·Expanding one’s thoughts by reading ‘The Mysterious Dark Box of Drawing’ · Writing a reading log (Assessment: Observational evaluation) 4 Korean Language [6Korean05-05] Actively communicate with others based on understanding and appreciation of works. · Share your thoughts with friends through the story of ‘The Mysterious Dark Box that Draws Pictures’ · Discussion on obscura- related topics (Assessment: discussion) 3 Korean Language [6Korean01-03] Follow procedures and rules, present evidence, and discuss. 2 Science [6Science11-03] Students can observe the shape of an object using a convex lens and investigate the use of the convex lens. · Finding features when viewing an object through a convex lens 2 Science [6Science11-02] Observe the phenomenon in which light is refracted as it passes through glass, water, or a convex lens, and express the observation in a picture. · Finding the characteristics of convex lenses in the story of ‘The Mysterious Dark Box that Draws Pictures’ · Explore a world that looks different. · Experimenting with the refraction of light (Assessment: experimental practice evaluation) 4 (2) Provided opportunities for the students to set learning goals The participating teachers allowed the students to participate in the goal-setting process and understand what they would learn by communicating with them at the beginning of the project. They explained the purpose and importance of the goals, and how they connect to the driving question, the national curriculum. I told the kids in advance what to learn and what national standards to have in the beginning, and we made the driving question with it. (T6) Three teachers (T4, T5, T6) said they talked to the students about what they have to learn based on the national standards, and they created a project progress map with the students to facilitate their learning. One teacher, T5, pointed out that communicating the national standards to the students could make them interested. I basically gave the students the national standards. I told my kids to look through their textbooks. And within that, I asked what kind of content would be good to include in the project. If there are good ideas, I put some of them in the parts and use them. (T5) 23 Then, I asked the students to write down what they wanted to know about the given keywords, what they wanted to know, what they already knew, and what activities they wanted to do in this project. The students group the written words by the group. (T7) I told them “In fact, we study to learn this. The textbook connects with it like this.” When I show it, the kids are a little curious. Usually, the kids take classes without even knowing that such a thing [national standards] exists. (T5) One teacher, T7, provided some keywords related to topics so that the students could drive the activities and their objectives. The teachers allowed the students to contribute ideas and suggestions when setting learning goals. The question to be solved in this project is to think together, and I led this time by asking them [the students] to explore what the principle of the Obscura is. I think that this makes a big difference, and if I briefly talk about the introductory part, I suggest keywords. (T7) The teachers ensured that the goals aligned with the national curricula, but also provided flexibility for student-driven exploration and creativity. Learning goal setting was generally done by the teachers, especially at the beginning of the project unit, but the initiative was gradually transferred to the students over time. As we move on to sub-topic 2 or sub-topic 3, the initiative is gradually transferred to the students, and in sub-topic 3 the students decide the content or method themselves in the process of going to the learning goal that we want to reach. (T1) If the students' ideas are better than mine, then I borrow them. (T4) (3) Created a learning environment with the learning goals Two teachers (T3. T7) created a PBL environment by presenting the learning goals including the learning activities on one side of the classroom. Presenting the learning goals allowed the students to remind themselves of the objectives of the learning activities. It gave students flexibility in learning by allowing them to add, edit, or change the activities. To present where we are going, I presented [the objectives and activities] of the project at the back of the classroom. (T3) The study board was also posted in front, and at that time, we talked about what to place first and what to study first. (T7) (4) Building rapport with the students One teacher, T4, said that he could engage the students in setting learning goals easily because he had built up a rapport with them and employed PBL actively. 24 The children like me. Because there are not many male teachers at school, and I am funny. Most of the students like it if I just suggest doing it [a project]. Since I was the only person at the school who did such a project, the students thought that our class was very lucky, and the parents thought that we were very lucky. (T4) (5) Motivating students in the goal-setting process The teachers believed that motivated students could participate in goal-setting processes better. Two teachers (T2, T6) said that engaging students in learning goals was not so difficult since the driving question had been set already. T4 provided activities and materials to have students familiar with basic background knowledge of the project. The children already had a desire to learn about the dangers of fine dust. Because you have to solve driving questions and produce products, I think that if you are already well- motivated in driving questions, goal setting is not difficult (T2) We made the driving question with it [national standards], so there was no big difficulty in connecting. (T6) In order to build basic knowledge, I did a lot of activities for background knowledge for the kids before. I think that helps in setting learning goals. (T4) In sum, the teachers designed the project and the learning goals aligning with the national curricula. They involved the students in setting the objectives by providing the national curriculum or keywords and applying what the students suggested. The teachers made sure that learning goals aligned with the national curriculum but also allowed the students to participate in setting learning goals. Unlike the phase of driving questions, the teachers did not put much effort into activating students because they were already motivated by the set driving question and had rapport with the students. 5.1.3 Scientific Practices Teachers play a vital role in supporting students comprehensively throughout scientific activities in PBL. The teachers (1) enabled students to develop their scientific inquiry skills, basic learning skills and knowledge, (2) designed, and (3) scaffolded the learning process. Additionally, the teachers (4) promoted collaboration among students during the activities and (5) facilitated technology tools and resources to enhance activities. (1) Developed their skills Three teachers (T1, T2, T3) tried to develop the students’ research skills by teaching them how to gather, analyse and interpret data, draw conclusions, and present the results during the project or beside the allocated time for the project. 25 In order for the children to study well throughout the year, and to study social studies and science well, [I] continued to train students' inquiry skills at the beginning of the semester. Inquiry skills include collecting information, interpreting data from information, and drawing conclusions, presenting it, asking questions, and then giving feedback ... including Korean language, social studies, science, and discussion skills. Even presentation skills were trained. (T2) From 8:30 to 9:00 [teachers] have free time, so I used that time to have [students] practice research skills every day. In this way, we trained for inquiry activities. (T2) I also included [taught] a non-competitive discussion. And I had the students organize learning notes. So, in this way, the basic learning skill had been developed. (T3) (2) Designed the scientific activities The teachers implemented scientific activities as a key characteristic of PBL by designing experiments or activities. The teachers worked with the students to design experiments, and investigations and change the plans when necessary. After giving time to search for data, we vote on what is most important or decide [inquiry method] through group discussion, so I tend to decide the method whenever necessary. (T1) There was content in which students had to control the variables of the experiment and conduct experiments to find conclusions about how abiotic factors affect biological factors. (T1) The children conducted research activities for their learning goals by taking their own initiative, practising with the topic they had set, making trial and error, and adding and subtracting. (T3) The following table is an example of the teachers’ design for the scientific activities. This project emphasizes exploration by controlling the variables. Table 6. An example of the designed scientific activities by the teachers. Topic Subjects Student-led teaching and learning activities Learning strategies and methods Ecosystem story Science & Korean Language Exploration of the effects of environmental pollution on living organisms - Investigate the effects of abiotic factors on organisms through the ‘Growing bean sprouts’ experiment - Explore how organisms adapt to their environment Exploratory experiment, practice (variable control) (3) Scaffolded the learning process The teachers scaffolded the learning process by guiding their students to get familiar with the topic, asking them thought-provoking questions, and providing visual aids and explanations of the topic. This led the students to be more engaged in the scientific activities of PBL. 26 Because the subject of my project is the world, the subject may not be familiar to students, but I explained it a lot to make them familiar with the subject. (T4) The children were able to immerse themselves in it if I explained well what would happen or how it would affect us. (T4) I made the children think about how we can use the recyclables we do not use. At that time, I showed the photo material to the students. Photos of scrap tires, scrap banners, and leather seats piled up. How can these things be recycled? I asked. (T5) When doing it [the activities], a problem situation was presented, and I asked questions such as how we would solve this problem, how we would apply it to what we are making now, and then how we would further develop our ideas by incorporating ideas into existing ones. (T5) I created a lot of materials that students can see so that they can directly participate in the inquiry activities. The children made a map of our village. I printed out a 2m long map and pasted it at the back of the classroom. (T6) (4) Collaboration Two teachers (T5, T6) explained that they facilitated collaboration with peers, experts, parents, or community members to implement scientific activities as a key characteristic of PBL. They promoted constructive suggestions and feedback on the activities to improve their work. T6 stated that she formed groups and distributed tasks. He [The expert] commented on how to use these material resources and later answered questions from students. So, at first, the students solved the problem, and I taught using experts. (T5) As for what we can do to make our town a better place to live, we interviewed not only our parents but also the people of the town, as well as friends. (T6) When students participate in exploration activities, for example, in the case of our village expedition, when they have to go directly to our village, I divided the students into zones and guided them so that they could go together as a group. (T6) (5) Facilitated technology tools and resource Two teachers (T1, T5) teachers supported the students with technology tools and resources to facilitate their scientific activities. T1 provided products the students needed using the school’s budget. T5 enabled the technology tools available to enhance the students’ learning. After the students explore, they talk to me, and the school finances the purchase of necessary items for the students. (T1) After making some plans, the students got feedback on their ideas via video calls with experts. (T5) 27 The interview data clearly showed that the teachers developed their students’ inquiry skills. They also designed, scaffolded the learning process, promote collaboration, and utilise technology tools and resources to facilitate scientific activities. 5.1.4 Collaboration The teachers applied collaboration in the PBL classroom by (1) establishing a collaborative environment, (2) promoting students’ collaborative skills, (3) designing structured collaboration activities, (4) clearly defining roles, (5) taking care of the group dynamics, (6) facilitating collaboration with outsiders from the school, (7) using digital tools, and (8) reflecting on collaboration process. (1) Establishing a collaborative environment The teachers created a classroom culture that promoted collaboration. Especially, T6 applied storytelling to foster a cooperative atmosphere and T7 employed teamwork- building activities at the beginning of the school year so that the students could feel respectful and inclusive when collaborating among students. When we worked together thinking we were in the story, it was easy to collaborate. (T6) Classroom building drills are held at the beginning of the school year in March for all classes as well as project learning. For example, what to do when a group is formed in a group, ..., teach how to be considerate. (T7) (2) Promoting students’ collaborative skills The teachers promoted the students’ skills for collaborative work by assigning roles to the students and by having teamwork-building activities. Additionally, they taught the students collaborative skills, such as discussion skills and communicative skills, to enhance understanding and collaboration. So, I taught a lot of [cooperative skills] in March. For example, there are four main roles that students have to play. ... I kept trying to change it every day. (T4) We did a lot of activities that taught discussion skills. There is a huge difference between when I did it and when I did not. (T2) In order to be able to learn cooperatively, they [the students] need to practice presenting and discussing. I gave them the materials to do that. (T3) Teamwork-building activities were held at the beginning of the school year in March for all classes as well as project learning. For example, [I] teach what to do when a group is formed in a group, individual roles in everyday life, roles in class, how to talk when solving joint tasks, how to talk, how to listen, and how to be considerate during discussion activities. (T7) 28 (3) Designing structured collaboration activities The teachers designed structured activities that promote collaboration in the project. T1 found the difficulties in the activities and guided the students in solving the problem together. Two teachers (T3, T4) provided activities, such as having a school farm, that the students could not help but cooperate with others. I think [teachers] should first do activities in advance as a way to support students to participate well in cooperative learning. For example, I make a promotional video first, and if it is difficult for students to do this, I tell them in advance. When I ask a group what to do to solve this, a student who comes up with an idea to solve it and another student who provides a function to solve it comes out. Then I help [the students] to solve within it. (T1) A school farm was also established for cooperative activities. (T3) I gave students assignments that forced them to collaborate and create the final product. Then, since they have no choice but to collaborate, it is not that they have to collaborate, but if there is an environment where they have no choice but to collaborate, humans have no choice but to do it. (T4) Table 7 presents an example of collaborative activities designed by the teachers. The teacher had students share their ideas with their pair, group, class, and an expert. The teacher designed this project to have the students focus on social communication. Table 7. An example of collaboration activities in the project plans. The main content of activities Teaching and learning activities Form of collaboration, competencies ▪ Share your ideas - 1:1 - 1: Group - 1: Expert ● Share ideas (pair-in-group-share with all) - Share recycling ideas and consult with each other ● Ask an expert! - Ask questions to experts and supplement and improve your own ideas (with pair) (with group) (with class) ♥ Social communication (4) Taking care of the group dynamics Taking care of the group dynamics in the collaborative work of PBL is essential to ensure a productive learning experience for all students involved. They observed group interactions during the project and paid attention to individual contributions. T4 cleared the division of roles in cooperative dynamics, while T2 provided help or resources, especially to low-achieving students in the group when appropriate. T2 also asked the students in leadership roles to help underachieving students indirectly. T1 said that students who had different abilities could cooperate in a group. 29 I had the students keep changing their roles every day. (T4) I think teachers should prepare more materials. Helpful materials for children who are unable to do so are prepared not only for projects but also for everyday classes. (T2) It is necessary to provide materials according to the level. As you do that, little by little the children learn. Students learn that they have to lead those who cannot. Then, excellent students or students who take on the role of leaders try to lead such friends. (T2) The teacher asks how students in leadership roles can help guide underachieving students in cooperative learning. (T2) Through observation, I find children who need help and I actively intervene. I know the kids’ level. ... I prepare good materials in advance and now I put them in at the right time. (T2) When I asked the group what we should do to solve this problem, some students came up with ideas to solve it and friends who gave them the ability to solve it. (T1) (5) Facilitating collaboration with outsiders from the school The teachers facilitated collaboration not only inside the school but outside of the school to encourage idea-sharing and problem-solving. They invited the communities, experts, and organisations to request interviews, comments, or feedback for their work. It was difficult on our own [if we would like to solve the problem], but we thought we could request the community. The kids wrote a simple letter, took a picture of it, and now I have captured it, edited it with the interview content, and sent it to the community via e-mail. (T6) In this carbon neutral project, the students created a lot of questions about carbon neutrality, and they said they wanted to ask other experts, not me. I asked professors of the Department of Science Education at the Korea National University of Education for help with some questions made by students, and I asked for help and gave them answers. (T1) The students did activities such as writing interview applications to the city hall asking for interviews or going to the community police to get interviews. (T4) As for some of the children's results, the expert praised them appropriately, saying, "I didn't think of this either," or "It ended very well," after seeing the student's work. (T5) (7) Using digital tools Two Teachers (T2, T5) emphasised the use of digital tools to facilitate collaboration. I do a lot of collaborative activities through digital devices. I let the students communicate on Google Jamboard6. Because even if there is a physical space away, students can gather there. (T2) The children put their ideas on Padlet7 … he [the expert] commented on them. (T5) 6 Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that lets you collaborate in real-time using digital devices. 7 Padlet is an interactive, online bulletin board that encourages collaboration and provides a common space for students and teachers to work together to share ideas and resources. 30 (8) Reflecting on the collaboration process The teachers engaged students in reflecting on their collaboration experiences. T1 facilitated discussions on the challenges and successes of working in groups. T3 used a scoreboard to evaluate cooperation status. Another teacher, T7, believed that the reflection of the collaborative work engages students better. In the project, the students constantly discussed what they needed to learn. "What should I do to do this? What should I do to do that? Is this a good idea? Why is this idea bad? " They kept talking about it, learning it, while performing it. (T1) I made a scoreboard and photo zone that I used when [they] cooperated well. (T3) I think that children will be able to participate well in collaborative activities in project learning by identifying what they did well and what they did wrong. (T7) For collaboration, which is one of the key characteristics of PBL, the teachers were actively involved in the students’ learning by taking care of the group dynamics, facilitating collaboration with others, and using digital tools. At the end of the project, they gave a chance to the students to reflect on their learning. From the teachers’ descriptions we may conclude that the teachers needed to make many pedagogical preparations (e.g., establishing a collaborative environment, promoting collaborative skills, designing, and defining roles). 5.1.5 Digital Tools The teachers implemented digital tools in the PBL classroom as a key characteristic of PBL to facilitate their learning. They provided the students with opportunities to use digital tools (1) for facilitating students’ research and (2) promoted students’ digital skills to incorporate digital tools effectively in PBL. The teachers used digital tools in the PBL classroom for (3) collaboration and (4) feedback. (1) Facilitating research All teachers provided the students with opportunities to use digital tools in PBL for facilitating research. They encouraged students to use websites, YouTube, online maps, and online educational platforms to gather information for the projects. Using Chromebooks, students do research, film videos, create presentations, and organize spreadsheets. We use Google Chromebooks as study notebooks for the students. (T1) What happens when children use digital tools freely is that they do surveys on their own. They make Google surveys by themselves. (T2) 31 (2) Promoted the students' digital skills The teachers promoted the students’ digital skills and digital organizational skills to employ digital tools effectively in PBL. Two teachers (T1, T2) instructed the students on how to search for the information students wanted. In addition, three teachers (T1, T2, T5, T7) stated that they provided some guidance on how to use digital tools and how to structure the work. T1 gave guidance to the students on netiquette, source citation, and copyright. When learning with digital tools, you must teach students one by one the skills that adults think they can basically do. I usually give them a lot of practice so that they can develop the ability to grasp the information they want when they search. I tend to teach them how to handle this, what to do if you want to upload a video of a presentation or a photo of it, or something like that from time to time. (T1) First of all, in order to utilise digital tools, it is basic to practice a lot through a lot of lessons and discretionary time before learning how to use tools. (T2) Especially in the case of data collection, in the past, students used to just write data on the blackboard and collect them, but these days, they use Google a lot in classes, and there are many things that they can access and put data in right away. (T5) Etiquette, sources, and copyrights are sometimes guided separately from projects. (T1) You should teach them how to find meaningful data by developing your search skills. Then, when you make a presentation material using digital tools, you need guidance on these tasks that are structured and formalized. (T7) (3) Collaboration The teachers utilised digital tools to facilitate collaborative work and communication. They used various platforms such as Google Classroom, Google Docs, Padlet and Office to enable students to collaborate in real-time, co-create documents, share ideas, and provide feedback to their classmates, students in other classrooms, parents, or experts. Using this Chromebook, the biggest advantage was that each person could access the same screen with their own Chromebook, and it is very easy to access it by using a sharing program called Padlet to learn how to learn not only in our class but also in other classes. So, when students share ideas with other friends and give and receive feedback, I could feel that the Chromebook is the most convenient. (T1) When I had the project results or assignments that I did in class, I went through time and space like this, posting pictures on Classting 8 and chatting about what I needed to prepare and what I needed to supplement. (T3) 8 The origin of the name is class + meeting. 'Classting' is an educational SNS used by teachers, parents, and students, and is a community made for use only in schools. 32 (4) Encourage feedback It seemed easier to foster a culture of constructive feedback and peer review when conducting PBL with digital tools. I could feel that it was most convenient when students gave feedback to each other. (T1) If they had talked, there would have been no feedback left. But nowadays they were writing comments on Google Class or Padlet to each other on what was good and what was lacking. (T2) Based on the interviews we can conclude that the teachers prepared the students to foster digital skills before/during the project. They stated that they implemented digital tools for facilitating research, collaboration, and feedback. 5.1.6 Creating Artefacts When creating artefacts, the teachers (1) supported the student to produce tangible products (2) provided materials, and information, and (3) ensured that the artefacts were aligned with the learning goals. They (4) offered the students choices in the type of artefacts they could create, and (5) opportunities for students to showcase and share the outcomes with authentic audiences. Lastly, they (6) assessed the artefacts and provided feedback. (1) Supported the student throughout the artefact creation process The teachers provided support and guidance throughout the artefact creation process by offering examples and help they needed, adjusting the level of work. I showed a lot of examples. (T4) Teachers support students' campaigns, filming them from behind. (T1) If students get stuck while making a product, the teacher corrects the direction and lowers the level if they try to make a product of too high quality. (T1) What I can do is help students plan their exhibition. (T3) (2) Provided materials, information The teachers supported the students by providing the materials and information they needed when creating the artefacts. I provide necessary materials and can also recommend useful sites to students when they cannot find the information they need. (T1) 33 First, I provide the children with the basic resources they need. (T5) I prepare the materials when conducting a project in connection with art and integrated subjects. (T6) (3) Ensuring that the artefacts align with the learning goals The teachers ensured that the artefacts aligned with the learning goals and objectives of the project by reminding the students of them. Two teachers (T3, T6) stated that they used a study board in front of the classroom to remind the students in this process. In the process, I just played the role of making sure that the project fit the purpose of the project in the big frame, and if the students wanted to go in a different direction, I reminded them that it would be nice to do it according to the purpose. (T3) I remind students that the content should be relevant to what they have studied. There was a study board in front of the classroom to keep the students on topic. Through the study board in front of the classroom, I kept reminding the students of what they had been doing the previous time. (T6) (4) Offered the students choices Six teachers offered the students choices in creating artefacts, especially in the type of artefacts they could create. They had students decide how to create the artefact, how to display it and present it to others. T7 stated that applying students’ ideas can make a difference in creating artefacts. I let the students decide how to make the result, the content, the form, and so on. (T1) After solving the exploratory questions, I ask students to consider what learning outcomes could be displayed, shared, or presented to friends. (T2) I set up the booths, set the number of people per person, and let the students choose from the project lines what they could explain and express in the booth. (T3) Then, through heated discussions and conversations, the children decided by themselves through a class meeting which activities could best display the results and let others know and created 6 booths. (T3) When children make the result, there are forms they want to decorate. When creating the final product, the students bring their own materials, focusing on what they thought they needed. (T5) When creating the result, the children can make it freely. (T6) At the beginning of the project, I ask, "We're going to study this stuff together, and at the end of the study, how would you like to use what you've learned? Or what can you do?" When we embrace children's ideas, which are answers to questions, the outcome is different. (T7) I think that having the children organize their own activities and then presenting tasks suitable for the activities is the best way to help children participate in the production of results. (T7) 34 (5) Opportunities for students to showcase and share the outcomes with authentic audiences. All participating teachers provided opportunities for students to showcase and share their artefacts with authentic audiences. They called these opportunities makeup fairs, exhibitions, campaigns, and fairs. This process included not just presenting the artefacts, but also organizing exhibitions, and communicating with the audiences. The audiences they showcased were various, such as classmates, parents, lower graders, or community members. Students showed the results that they could see and explain through the makeup fair directly to the children in the lower grades through the school exhibition. (T3) Students explain to their friends what they have made, how it is used and when it is used. (T5) There is also the result of children writing simple letters, taking pictures of them, and sending them to the community by e-mail. (T6) (6) Assess The teachers assessed the artefacts based on the established objectives of the project and learning goals. They provided constructive feedback that highlighted strengths and specific suggestions. In addition, they encouraged peer feedback and self-reflection to enhance the artefact and their learning. Students create learning outcomes in order to capture the level of achievement through which students learn how much they have learned and reach the achievement standards we want to reach. (T1) When the students asked how the result was, I said, "You're doing well, then how about doing this a little bit like this?" I continued to give positive feedback. (T4) Children always have this kind of time to ask and answer ideas about what they made while giving and receiving feedback. (T5) The teachers supported the students to create artefacts by providing materials, and information, ensuring that the artefacts aligned with the learning goals. The teachers gave the students more freedom than in other stages because usually creating artefacts takes place at the end of the project. The teachers facilitated the showcase where the students could share their outcomes and feedback with authentic audiences. In the teachers’ interviews, an extra question regarding key characteristics of PBL was asked: “What other characteristics are important in project learning? Why do you think so?” The following are the teachers’ collective answers: 35 I think competition is also a very important characteristic of project learning here. So, while collaborating, we also compete at the same time. A lot of very productive and constructive ideas come out in the process of students competing. So, we compete by class and by group, but I, as a teacher, do not induce or lead the competition. However, since the students are full of will to do well, I tend to worry a lot about what to do if we see what our friends have done and do the same. So, although I did not mean it, I thought competition was one of the important factors in project learning, and that competition often led to success. (T1) I think the process of looking back on the project is necessary. Reflecting and introspecting on the project, when I did this project, [the students would think] I did not feel like this with the team members, and I hope to correct this with the team members for the next project … (T2) At the end of the project, it is a learning fair time where we can talk about differences and points to be praised, and I think that is also a characteristic of the project. (T2) Based on the research data of the interviews, the teachers noticed that PBL has more characteristics such as competition, reflection, and learning fair in addition to the six characteristics mentioned. 5.2 Challenges The second research question was what challenges teachers perceive when implementing PBL in their classrooms. Despite the active use of PBL because of its advantages, the teachers indicated that they faced challenges when using PBL in the classroom. The challenges that the teachers faced are related to the management of time and ambiguity, student engagement, managing collaborative works, lack of skills, resources, school support, and teacher expertise. 5.2.1 Management of Time Planning and executing PBL requires careful time management. In the teachers' responses, the most frequently mentioned challenge is time management. Two teachers (T1, T5) pointed out that they felt pressure to complete the project which contains too much content within the planned time frame when designing and conducting a project, while also ensuring that curriculum requirements are met. In addition, T5 said that he needs to spend time developing students’ digital skills apart from the project work because of the different capabilities of digital technology for each student. There are too many things to be taught according to the national curriculum. (T5) 36 Putting subtitles in the video, adding some action, and adding something like this takes a lot of time. In fact, if I want to teach [these skills], I have to spend at least two hours on it. So, I think I need to reserve some time teaching the apps if they need to know. (T5) Two teachers (T6, T7) said that the students could not be given enough time when carrying out the project and creating the outcome. The biggest barrier, in reality, is that children want to be given a lot of time to do driving questions or work on goals, but there is a big gap between the time they can actually use. That seems to be the biggest practical difficulty. (T7) There is a set time for learning, but there are times when it takes too much time to produce results. (T6) One teacher, T3, said that it was difficult for students to connect the project with real life after a short-term project. Although the students were immersed in PBL when doing PBL, it was difficult to connect the project to real life after a short-term project. (T3) To manage insufficient time, T6 lowered the students’ expectations of the artefacts, promoted cooperative activities, or provided additional time individually. I said at first that it does not have to be perfect, and it was okay if the content was delivered. But if the students wanted to do more, his friends helped the students a little, or I provided a little more time. (T6) 5.2.2 Management of Ambiguity and Diversity PBL should accommodate diverse learning needs and styles. Teachers need to meet the varied needs of students within the project context. This requires providing additional support, adapting project tasks, or offering alternatives to ensure that all students are supported. One teacher, T1, said that the most challenging thing was when the project did not go as planned when carried out, so the teacher needed to change the plans or provide nudges. When you work on a project with your students, sometimes it goes in a different direction than the originally planned driving question. We need to tweak our plans or provide nudges so that we can reach the goals we originally wanted to pursue. In this case, a nudge is an activity, material, or device created by the teacher so that students feel that they have to do this project on their own initiative. (T1) 37 The teacher said that she needed to persuade the students to change the plan of activities or offer alternatives when they wanted to do unrealistic or dangerous activities. I tend to respect what students want to do as much as possible and let them do it, but if it is difficult to realistically explore in a classroom situation, I tend to persuade them a bit by thinking about how to change it like this, especially in case it is dangerous. (T1) T3 expressed that it was not easy to visualize the learning process of the students because PBL does not go as planned. Projects do not go as planned when I am working with the kids. The process of making plans with the children and adding and subtracting them was very important, and in fact, this plan is 30% different from what I originally created. … So, it is a bit difficult to present specifically and visually to the students that this project class is going here, going here next time, and finally coming here. (T3) 5.2.3 Student Engagement and Motivation Motivating students and maintaining high levels of student engagement throughout the project can be a challenge, especially when students are not familiar with PBL, especially at the beginning of the school year and when they are not interested in the topic itself. If the subject is not of interest to the children, the teacher's intervention is required for project learning to take place. It takes a lot of effort to get kids interested in driving questions at the beginning of the project. Despite the teacher's efforts, many students are not interested in the subject of the project itself. (T2) In the first project, students were not familiar with project learning, so there was no choice but to have a lot of teacher intervention in driving questions. (T5) It is difficult to motivate students if they are not interested in the topic. (T7) T7 pointed out that considering all the interests of the students at a time was essentially challenging in PBL. The biggest difficulty is to bring out the interests of the students in order to get closer to the essence of project learning and to lead the direction in which they want to go together, I feel that it is difficult to bring all the interests of 20 to 30 children together at one time. (T7) When conducting a project, the students tended to get interested in the activities rather than the learning goals. It was difficult to visually present the learning process to the students according to the learning goal because students are more likely to engage in activities rather than learning objectives. (T3) 38 The teacher (T3) also expressed that it was difficult to keep students engaged to apply what they have learned to reality after a project. When children are learning a project, they are very immersed, but after a short project, it is difficult to connect it to reality. (T3) 5.2.4 Management of Collaborative Work PBL often involves collaborative group work, which can present challenges regarding group dynamics, the focus of the group work, and individual contributions due to lack of skills, communicative skills, passive personality, and knowledge of the content. There is a tendency to lead them in the direction of children who like to talk or make good arguments. (T7) Sometimes, it is hard to agree on the learning process when they have collaborative activities. (T2) There are cases in which students are so absorbed in activities during cooperative activities that they miss the content. (T1) Some students were tired of the activities because they required a lot of time and effort. (T3) Students who prefer to work alone may not be able to cooperate well. Some students find it difficult to keep up with cooperative activities due to a lack of competence. (T5) It is hard when you have children with poor social skills. During conversation, when the other person is talking, they have to listen and talk. But it was difficult when they were like only what I said was correct and what the other person said was wrong. This was not a discussion. (T6) The most difficult part to teach is when students with too passive personalities are afraid of giving presentations, and they always rely on their friends next to them. The most difficult is when there is a fear of cooperation. (T7) When the students had a hard time doing collaborative work, the teachers guided the students in developing effective collaboration skills, addressed conflicts, and ensured equitable participation by allocating tasks or roles among group members. T6 asked for help from their parents to tackle the challenges and gave positive feedback to the students who had difficulty having group work when the students did a great job. Another teacher (T7) gave opportunities for success with small tasks to passive students in collaborative work. Usually, the teacher serves as an assistant, but occasionally leads or intervenes when cooperative activities are not working well. Collaborative learning does not always go smoothly for many reasons. (i.e., too fun, too difficult, lack of communicative skills, 39 dissatisfaction with the outcome) When there is a conflict between students, the teacher must intervene. (T1) At the beginning of the school year, I provide time to create team cohesion through activities for teamwork building. I change students' roles when students engage in cooperative activities so that the students become skilled at playing multiple roles. (T5) At that time, I contacted the family a lot. I gave the child a huge compliment when he did well sometimes, so he could do well. (T6) I have assigned roles when working collaboratively with students. When I set a role for each student to take the lead, the children tried to actively participate. (T6) I give opportunities for success with small tasks steadily for about a year, give opportunities for very easy presentations, and when such efforts are gathered, the student may succeed. (T7) 5.2.5 Lack of Skills PBL emphasizes inquiry-based learning and research. When implementing PBL in schools, a lack of certain skills among teachers, students, and even administrators can present challenges. The teachers mentioned that it was challenging when the students lacked basic knowledge, reading skills, inquiry skills, literacy skills, creativity, assessment skills, and digital skills. A lack of these skills can hinder students and teachers from processing the research. It was the most difficult time when students had high ideals and what they wanted to create in their heads is great, but they did not have the capacity to perform. (T1) The most central subject in my project was society, and society cannot be explored without basic knowledge. (T4) Because of limited budget and skills, it was difficult to create creative outcomes. It would have been nice to have a variety of results, but both the children and I had limitations in coming up with more specific results and more creative results. (T2) Since the students were in the lower grades, it was not easy to send them out for interviews or research. (T6) In fact, I think it is not easy for children to understand the flow or process of this kind of exploration. (T7) The teachers addressed these challenges related to the lack of skills by providing support, time to practice and an appropriate level of inquiry task. Explicit instruction on essential skills such as discussion skills, digital skills for students, and ongoing support could teachers help overcome these challenges. A teacher (T6) resolved the issue by asking for parental cooperation. Another teacher (T1) suggested an easier and better way to create the artefacts when the students had high expectations. 40 I usually give students a lot of practice opportunities so that they can develop the ability to grasp the information they want. (T1) There are students who are alienated from cooperative learning because of their lack of ability. I find such children and provide materials to help them do cooperative activities. I ask a student next to him to explain because he does not seem to know what kind of activity is doing right now. A teacher has to anticipate students who may need help and prepare additional materials. I provide the right learning materials at the right time. Teachers should actively intervene, not neglect or bystanders. (T2) I have done a lot of activities that teach discussion skills like this. (T2) So, in order to develop basic knowledge, I scraped a newspaper article, and for 30 minutes every morning and I did it with the children. With the original material that adults see, students look up words in the Korean dictionary every morning, and because my project is about world politics, economy, and culture, I find related articles every day and give them to my children every day. They are used to it, and when they do a project on this topic, they know it, so they can do it. (T4) I think that providing inquiry assignments suitable for the level of students is probably the most important point. For example, in the case of hypotheses, it is possible to set some hypotheses only in the 5th grade, and then they can collect some data they want and even process it to the extent that they can present it to their friends. ... So, when doing research activities, I think that teachers should provide something suitable for the grade level. (T2) Learning training to understand and apply the inquiry process in everyday learning is very important. I think students will be better able to participate in these inquiry activities when they have some experience and basic knowledge about the inquiry. (T7) At that time, I contacted the parents of the students, formed a group, and called the parents who could go with the group to solve the difficulties. (T6) There were students who wanted to make it into a three-dimensional work, so I suggested that you use a 3D program called Tinkercad. (T1) Some teachers (T1, T2) revealed that the students’ lack of digital literacy was a challenge when conducting a project with young students. Some students had difficulty finding proper information from improper ones. The teachers believed that it is crucial to instruct students explicitly on how to collect and handle information. Because students are not as literate as adults, it is difficult to determine what information you need most in search results and what you need to skim quickly. (T1) There is a lot of information that is not good for students, so it is very difficult to filter it out. I tend to forbid students from accessing YouTube until the 4th grade. For students in 5th and 6th grade, I tend to practice students by looking at the thumbnails and avoiding YouTube material if it is a little strange, sexual, violent, or bizarre. (T1) There are times when children bring false news from wrong sources, and when instructing children on the sources of such data, such things are what kind of data is reliable, which site is highly reliable, whether it is good information just from a personal blog or not. Is the site operated by the state good? It is necessary to explain these things. (T2) 41 Two teachers (T3, T5) had a difficult time evaluating the outcomes of learning because it was difficult for the students to organize and store learning outcomes and they were not used to evaluating each other. It is difficult to organize and store the learning outcomes of students when it is necessary to evaluate how much they have grown. (T3) Sometimes students do not know how to evaluate each other, so they only give negative feedback to other students. The students are very hurt by negative feedback. Giving and receiving feedback also takes practice. And I reminded the students that the completeness of the result is important, but the idea is also important. (T5) In addition, T2 and T5 pointed out that it was hard when there was a great level of difference in students’ digital skills. It is just that the level of digital capabilities is different. Some children can type really fast, edit beautifully, and find information well, but some children cannot do that, so I think there is an education gap here as well. To reduce that, I tend to give students a lot of opportunities to use digital devices. (T2) So, there is a difference in the level of students than I thought. If you actually do it, when you do the work of making a video, some have very good video quality, and there are some who cannot handle it at all. (T5) 5.2.6 Lack of Resources When applying PBL in classrooms, a lack of resources poses several challenges. The interviewed teachers faced some challenges related to the lack of resources such as limited access to technology, insufficient materials and funding, and restricted access to community resources. The hardest thing about using digital tools was when they do not work. (T1) The biggest problem is when the Wi-Fi is cut off or the server does not work when so many students connect at the same time. (T6) At that time, I did not have a wireless network in my classroom. I turned on my phone's hotspot, connected the router to my desktop, and connected my laptop, so I enabled the wireless internet in the classroom. (T5) The only things in the classroom were pads and computers. So, even if some children with high ICT skills wanted to learn using such high-level tools, equipment could not keep up with them that much. (T3) For example, if you are an adult with skills, you would open a startup booth and start a prototype business. But we cannot make a booth because they are students. There is a space problem, budget problem and a time problem. (T2) 42 PBL involves hands-on activities or prototypes that require specific materials and supplies. Inadequate access to materials can limit students’ ability to engage in authentic, hands-on learning experiences. T3 described it in the interview. In fact, to do these things, you need to bring a lot of materials. In the project class, the teacher cannot provide everything, so if you are making snacks, for example, you have to bring an apron from home. It was a bit difficult for the students to bring all sorts of tools or things like this, compared to other classes. (T3) PBL often includes engaging with local communities or collaborating with community organizations. Two teachers (T4,) represented that they had faced limited access to such resources because of the characteristics of public schools that outsiders are not allowed to come. In public schools, it is very difficult to cooperate with outsiders because of safety and administration. It is a problem that cannot be solved by individual teachers, so change is needed at the school level. (T4) In fact, it is not easy for us to use local resources in class, but the parents' resources are also highly educated these days, and there are many people who specialize in cooking and decorating. I have such an idea that I would like to do it. (T5) 5.2.7 Teacher Expertise Some challenges related to teacher expertise emerged when implementing PBL in schools, even though the participating teachers are relatively familiar with PBL. Some teachers (T1, T3, T5) encountered challenges in aligning projects with the national curriculum requirements and reorganising the curriculum. T1 said that changing the order of the content was tricky because the textbooks were not ready. T5 faced difficulty reorganizing the curriculum, so he often grouped learning contents by unit rather than by learning goals. Another teacher (T3) stated that it took a lot of effort and time to reorganize the curriculum and carry out the project. We carried out this project in the first semester of the 5th grade. Because we thought that the warmer the weather, the easier it would be to learn about the ecosystem, so we proceeded at this time, but actually learning about the ecosystem is science in the second semester of the 5th grade. So, there were no textbooks or workbooks, so that was a bit inconvenient. It is not necessary to have a textbook for class, but it is clear that the textbook is the most important resource. (T1) In the end, there are many cases where teachers put contents by a unit of the subject. It is difficult to run the curriculum to take out a few lessons from a unit and apply them later, so I usually bring a lot of units. (T5) 43 You have to reorganize the curriculum, and then prepare class materials for this each time, and stick to the project all year round. (T3) PBL requires to creation of outcomes of the learning process. T2 described that he had a challenge due to a lack of skills to create creative artefacts at the end of the project. It would be nice to have a variety of results, but both the children and I have limitations in coming up with more specific results and more creative results. Because we are not scientists, it is difficult to present something cool and plausible like this, and it seems that there are some limitations. (T2) Assessing students learning in PBL is challenging according to T3. She had to develop authentic and varied assessment strategies such as learning notes and teaching journals that capture students’ knowledge, skills, and growth throughout the project. Another problem is when students study a project, the worksheets are just going around and the activities they did are not organized well. So, in my case, I put a lot of emphasis on learning notes. I taught it and put it all together in the notebook. However, the classes are daunting, and the preparations are daunting, but it was very difficult to collect the evaluation results after each course evaluation. (T3) I was thinking about how to do this evaluation. I kept a teaching journal to design the evaluation process. (T3) Implementing PBL effectively often benefits from support from colleagues and administrators. T3 faced a challenge because there was much other work in school besides teaching. I have to set aside time for research, but to be honest, I do not think there is a place where there are as many unrelated works as in Korea in school. (T3) 5.3 Summaries of the Findings 5.3.1 Summary of Implementation This study focuses on the teachers’ implementation of the key characteristics of PBL. The study used the frame of the six characteristics of PBL. In each characteristic, the teachers made many pedagogical decisions based on the national curriculum, the students’ interests, and the classroom situations as shown in the table below (Table 8). 44 Table 8. The Summary of Teachers' implementation. Key Characteri stics Driving Questions Learning goals Scientific Practices Collaboration Digital tools Creating Artefacts Teachers’ implement ation of each characteri stic (1) (1) Based on national curriculum (2) (2) Introducing the driving question to students by using various materials, thought- provoking questions, keywords (3) (3) Students’ participation (4) (4) Refining (5) (5) Creating a learning environment (6) (6) An authentic problem (1) (1) Identified learning goals based on the driving question, the national curriculum, and students’ interests. (2) (2) Students’ participation (3) (3) Creating a learning environment (4) (4) Having built rapport with the students (5) (5) Motivating the students (1) (1) Developing the students’ scientific inquiry skills, basic learning skills, and knowledge (2) (2) Designing the scientific activities (3) (3) Scaffolding the learning process (4) Promoting collaboratio n (4) (5) Facilitating technology tools and resources (1) (1) Establishing a collaborative environment (2) (2) Promoting students’ collaborative skills (3) (3) Designing collaborative activities (4) (4) Defining students’ roles (5) (5) Taking care of the group dynamics (6) (6) Facilitating collaboration with outsiders from the school (7) (7) Using digital tools (8) (8) Reflecting on collaboration process (1) (1) Facilitating students’ research (2) (2) Promoting students’ digital skills (3) (3) Collaborati on (4) (4) Feedback (1) Supporting the students to produce tangible products (1) (2) Providing material and information (2) (3) Ensuring that the artefacts are aligned with the learning goals. (3) (4) Offering the students choices (4) (5) Students’ showcase (5) (6) Assessme nt and feedback Teachers’ general implement ation (1) (1) Designed PBL, including driving questions, learning goals, scientific activities, and collaborative activities, based on the national curriculum, students’ interests, and classroom situation (2) (2) Took the students’ choices and voices into account (3) (3) Established a PBL environment (4) (4) Had the students practice related skills (5) (5) Ensured that the learning process aligned with the learning objectives (6) (6) Facilitated collaboration and use of digital tools (7) (7) Provided needed information, skills, and resources (8) (8) Gave an opportunity to the students to showcase and get feedback Based on the results of the teachers’ implementation of each characteristic, eight general strategies of the teachers’ implementation were shown. 5.3.2 Summary of Challenges Although the participating teachers believed that implementing PBL in their classrooms was beneficial, it also presented several challenges for the teachers. The teachers found 45 it challenges to manage time to fit PBL into a tightly packed curriculum. PBL requires more time for planning, conducting, and reflection, which can be difficult when there is pressure to cover a specific set of content within a limited timeframe. The teachers indicated that it is a challenge to manage ambiguity and diversity when the project did not go as planned sometimes, the students wanted to do unexpected activities, and the learning process could not be visualised. In addition, the teachers faced a challenge related to student engagement and motivation. While PBL aims to increase student engagement, not all students were initially interested in the project or the certain topic. It was also difficult to keep the students engaged to apply what they have learned to reality after the project. Moreover, the teachers found it challenging to manage collaborative work because of students’ lack of skills and knowledge, communicative skills, and passive personality. Lack of skills among the teachers and students was a challenge. These included basic content knowledge, reading skills, inquiry skills, literacy skills, creativity, assessment skills, and digital skills, which could hinder the students and the teachers from processing PBL. Moreover, the teachers described their challenges related to the lack of resources such as, limited access to technology, insufficient materials, funding, and restricted access to community resources. Teacher expertise also appeared to be a challenge when implementing PBL, although the participating teachers were relatively familiar with PBL. The teachers had difficulty aligning PBL with the national curriculum and restructuring the curriculum. They found it challenging when they lacked the skills to produce creative artefacts, assess PBL. It was also difficult for the teachers to manage PBL when they had many other tasks at school. 46 6 DISCUSSION 6.1 Teachers’ Implementation and Challenges The aim of this qualitative study is to gain an understanding of the possibilities related to the implementation of the essential features (J. S. Krajcik & Shin, 2014) of PBL and the challenges teachers face when applying PBL in the classroom. In this chapter the main findings will be discussed in the context of the earlier research literature that focuses on PBL implementation and the challenges of implementation. The main findings of the teachers’ PBL implementation are: the teachers (1) designed PBL based on the curriculum and the students' interests, (2) tried to reflect the students’ opinion, (3) created a PBL environment, (4) had the students practice related skills, (5) facilitated the students’ learning, (6) designed collaborative work, (7) utilised digital tools, and (8) gave an opportunity to showcase the results of the learning. The Korean teachers had designed PBL based on the national curriculum and students’ interests when setting driving questions and learning goals. The themes of the driving questions in the researched projects were mostly authentic real-world problems. A good driving question makes students realise that there is an important issue to be solved (J. Krajcik et al., 2008). The teachers were aware of the function of driving questions and the significance of authenticity in PBL, which is also studied by Morrison et al. (2021). Krajcik and Shin (2014) explain the difficulty of having a good driving question by saying that “it is extremely difficult for students to develop driving questions that have all the properties of a good driving question – particularly meeting worthwhile learning goals.” (Krajcik & Shin, 2014, 281p). Mentzer et al (2017) point out that driving questions are identified as the most challenging aspect of PBL for his sample. Although the Korean teachers were aware of the importance of driving questions, driving questions originated by students were hardly visible.9 Also, learning goals were set by the teachers to some extent in advance to align with the national curriculum, even though the opportunity was given to the students to engage in setting goals. There was very little evidence that the students led the goal-setting process proactively. Although the teachers in the study can 9 As Morrison et al. (2021) suggested, the teachers were aware of the function of driving questions and the significance of authenticity in PBL. However, there was a limit to how much the students could lead in implementing them led by the students because of the national curriculum and its nature of difficulty (Krajcik& Shin, 2014). 47 be considered experienced in PBL10, it seems that they also had challenges regarding the reconstruction of the curriculum that can lead to a good project, because the curriculum is not designed for PBL, yet it decides what students must learn. The interviewed teachers tried to reflect the students’ opinion in PBL by taking the students’ choices and voices into consideration. They tried to shift the focus from themselves to the students based on the national curriculum. They tried to make the students active participants in the learning process. They allowed the students to talk about project topics, methods, and presentation formats throughout the project. They also tried to reflect the student’s ideas on the project. They believed that the role of the teacher in PBL is a helper and a facilitator, and the main role in learning should be taken by the students. At the affective level, they seemed to have positive pedagogical beliefs about student-centred learning such as PBL. Despite the beliefs, the participating teachers did not find it easy to conduct PBL with its student-centred approach which is in line with the findings by Hertzog (2007). Tamim and Grant (2013) stated that teachers need to tolerate the ambiguity and flexibility of the dynamic environment created by the student-centred approach. It appears that one of the challenges in PBL for the Korean teachers was result from its nature of ambiguity and diversity. Additionally, it seems important to establish a PBL environment and to build rapport with students to engage students more in the goal-setting and learning process. Morrison et al. (2021) said that building strong relationships with students could be a central variable for successful PBL. A PBL environment can help students collaborate and solve problems (New Tech Network, 2014). Nevertheless, the participating teachers stated difficulty in motivating and activating students who are not satisfied with the topic and introverted students. Hung (2011) stated that lack of student motivation and unsatisfying group work were often considered implementation challenges. However, the experienced Korean teachers barely thought of students’ conflicts and misbehaviour as challenges which is similar to the finding by Thomas (2000). From the interview descriptions, the participants had students foster their inquiry skills, basic learning skills and knowledge in advance and/or during the project to facilitate scientific activities in PBL. They designed the activities, such as experiments, and investigations to answer the driving question. According to Aksela et al. (2019), teachers 10 Mentzer et al. (2017) stated that teachers who had employed PBL for less than a year did not conduct a coherent research project, and this changed only after two years of PBL implementation. 48 consider PBL as a student-centred method and employ scientific practices in the project. However, the reality is that they can be applied in a highly teacher-led way (Colley, 2006). Although two Korean teachers said that they sometimes worked with the students to design the activities, it hardly seems to have “complete student autonomy”, which is in line with Haatainen and Aksela (2021b). Severance and Krajcik (2018) found that teachers struggled to comprehend the idea of using scientific practices in the classroom. Many studies have found that students also struggled with developing scientific explanations (McNeill & Krajcik, 2007). The Korean teachers expressed that some scientific activities are difficult to apply to students at their developmental stage, which is in line with Krajcik and Shin (2014) saying that concluding using evidence requires sophisticated thinking and a lot of experience. They also described that when the main topic and subject are not associated with science directly, it is limited to apply scientific activities. The participants used various facilitating strategies to support students’ learning, as shown in the study on teachers’ role in PBL (Niu & Niemi, 2019). They guided their students to get familiar with the topic, asked them thought-provoking questions, and provided visual aids. They scaffolded student learning in multiple ways, such as coaching, modelling, and providing hints. They also provided extra materials, worksheets, useful links, and sometimes direct teaching. Yet, they faced a difficulty related to students' lack of skills, for instance, basic knowledge, reading skills, inquiry skills, creativity, and assessment skills. The teachers spent more time promoting the students’ soft skills outside of the allocated time for PBL. Hertzog (2007) discussed that teachers saw it challenging to give their students the time to build their skills. The Korean teachers designed collaborative activities that require students to work together in groups. They established each student’s role and responsibilities within groups, facilitating teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills. They organised activities such as group discussions, peer evaluations, and group problem-solving sessions. In a study on teachers’ perspectives on project-based learning by Viro et al. (2020), similar to Morrison et al. (2021), it is found that teachers perceive that teamwork skills are the most important characteristic of PBL. On the other hand, the participating teachers found collaboration challenging because the students lack skills in collaborating and the Korean education has a conservative aspect when it comes to cooperation with outsiders. Krajcik and Shin (2014) found that teachers must foster students’ collaborative skills in PBL since students do not naturally collaborate with others in the classroom. The Korean teachers also noted that it was challenging to motivate and activate students 49 when they were not interested in the topic, or their personalities were too introverted to do group work. Hung (2011) noticed that lack of student motivation and unsatisfactory group work could be considered as implementation challenges. Notably, however, experienced teachers in PBL rarely considered students' misbehaviour as a difficulty according to Pearlman and Thomas (2000). From the description of the teachers’ interview, it might be true that experienced teachers are less likely to have a challenge regarding conflicts between students. According to the results of the present study, digital tools played a pivotal role for the teachers in the project. The South Korean teachers used digital tools in PBL for collaboration, reflection on the learning and presenting the learning process and outcomes, which is in line with the reasons for to use of technology tools in schools studied by Edelson (2001). Krajcik and Shin (2014, p.289) pointed out that using technology tools “can maximize individualized, independent learning, which can lead to more meaningful learning”. Edelson (2001) argued that students can present information in interactive and dynamic ways using digital tools. However, even the experienced teachers faced challenges when using digital tools because of a lack of skills, resources, and teachers’ expertise. According to the findings of many researchers, such as Blumenfeld, et al. (1994) and Aldabbus (2018), these factors including insufficient resources, inflexible schedules, and lack of technology could be the major barrier to the implementation of PBL. In the studies by Aksela et al. (2019) and Viro et al. (2020), teachers consider technical tools and collaborations as notable challenges in PBL. Krajcik and Blumenfeld (2006) stated that extra classroom time spent on technology usage, and teachers’ need for guidance on technology integration were challenges of implementation. All participating teachers provided their students an opportunity to showcase their learning outcomes to peers, parents, and the community. Students learn more effectively when they create artefacts that are external representations of their constructed knowledge (Krajcik & Shin, 2014). The participating teachers ensured that the outcomes of the learning process aligned with the learning goals. Blumenfeld et al. (1991) highlighted that artefacts of PBL result from students’ investigations into the driving question. One of the reasons for creating artefacts is for teachers to assess for higher- level cognitive outcomes such as asking questions, designing investigations, gathering, and interpreting data (Carver, 2006). The Korean teachers also revealed that they assessed the artefacts based on the objectives of the project and learning goals to assess their learning. 50 The teachers integrated these characteristics into their project design and classroom practices to create an effective project-based learning experience for their students. For example, they facilitated collaborative works using digital tools and they used digital tools or/and artefacts in the PBL classroom to enhance collaboration. According to a study on teachers’ pedagogical role in PBL by Niu and Niemi (2019), teachers plan and make pedagogical decisions to adjust to the learning situation to achieve the desired learning outcomes. The participating teachers in this study also played a pivotal role in implementing the key characteristics of PBL in the classroom. Condliffe et al., (2017a) articulated that it will be difficult for PBL to be implemented with fidelity if it does not involve professional development. The experienced teachers in South Korea struggled with their insufficient skills and expertise especially in having good driving questions and learning goals, reconstructing the curriculum, and adopting new technology tools. 6.2 Suggestions and Recommendations The present thesis adds to our knowledge by explaining how primary teachers in Korea implement the essential characteristics of PBL. It shows how experienced teachers conduct PBL by applying the key characteristics in their classrooms and they used several strategies in each characteristic. The researched PBL may be considered an ideal type of lesson in South Korea. However, the analysis of the experienced teachers’ implementation can add understanding of good practices. It also creates new knowledge about challenges that even experienced teachers face. The results of the thesis can provide new insights on teachers, government, and schools wishing to implement, although this study examined specifically one city of a country. Based on the findings from this study, the experienced teachers had made different instructional decisions. For novice teachers and pre-service teachers who want to implement PBL in their classrooms, the strategies that the experienced teachers used can be considered. The strategies were as following: (1) when designing PBL, the national curriculum, students’ interests and classroom situation should be considered. (2) Students' choices and voices should be taken into account in the learning process. At the same time, (3) a PBL environment and rapport with students can be built, which can help the learning process go smoothly. Moreover, (4) students’ related skills, such as inquiry skills, digital skills, and collaborative skills, should be fostered before/during the project. (5) Teachers facilitate student’s learning by scaffolding and helping their 51 students. (6) Collaborative work and (7) digital tools can be employed to facilitate students’ learning. At the end of the project, (8) Students should be given the opportunity to showcase and reflect on the outcomes of the students' learning. A few suggestions can be made for schools, municipalities, and developers of curriculum on the basis of the results regarding teachers’ challenges. The curriculum should be revised in a way that can provide more autonomy for teachers and students so that teachers and students can have more freedom to create driving questions and to design PBL easily. Schools and municipalities should provide training for teachers’ professional development, including relevant skills and IT skills. Schools should ensure the use of digital tools, teaching-learning time, and resources. Collaboration among teachers and between teachers and outsiders of school should be encouraged. This study examined the implementation of teacher-initiated projects through the lens of key characteristics of PBL. It would be pivotal for pre-teachers to learn this pedagogical approach during their teacher training (Morrison et al., 2021b). Furthermore, teacher training should consider the key characteristics of PBL and their implementation to enable teachers to apply PBL effectively, especially, those that have been shown to cause more difficulties for teachers throughout this study, such as driving questions and setting learning goals. 6.3 Limitations and Further Study This study has several limitations regarding data collection. First, the duration of the interviews was short for some participants. Some of the interviews were conducted during school office hours, there was limited time for some teachers to express their experiences in greater depth. A longer interview would have generated more data. Additionally, only one interview per teacher was conducted. Follow-up interviews with the teachers would have enriched the data. Moreover, the data were collected mostly through interviews and the project plans. However, in-class observation of how PBL was employed would have helped to have another view of the findings. The teachers are selected as excellent teachers, which means that they had a lot of research experience designing and implementing the project. 52 Furthermore, the number of participants is relatively small to confirm the findings. The present study conducted using inductive qualitative and interview methods. In order to understand deeply how teachers implement PBL and how students are engaged in PBL, both students and teachers should be interviewed after observing their lessons. It might show how teachers engage students in PBL and how students are engaged in PBL. It may also confirm the relation between PBL implementation and fostering twenty-first- century skills that the Ministry of Education in Korea focuses such as collaborative skills and critical thinking. Teachers would have an opportunity to reflect on how they could improve in their application of PBL. Due to the complex phenomena, several questions are left unanswered, and further studies are needed to clarify the findings. This study focused on a specific country and a specific group. The researched projects were ideal projects that most teachers in South Korea wish to carry out, so it is difficult to generalise that these projects are usual projects that are conducted in South Korea. Therefore, it might be meaningful to investigate phenomena in other countries and to compare the findings of Korea with other educational settings. Additionally, future studies could examine how teachers facilitate students to engage in PBL in different learning situations and at different stages. Finally, it would be more useful if any of the above-mentioned suggestions could be combined with quantitative and qualitative measurements of students' learning. 53 7 CONCLUSION This study focuses on the PBL implementation under the six key characteristics. Since the projects that the teachers conducted are open to the public after rigorous screening by experts under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, they show the standards for the ideal class shared by educational experts in Korea. The conducted projects are the results of a professional approach and preparation process rather than classes conducted in ordinary school sites. Although the participants are experienced teachers in PBL, they described that implementing PBL is challenging due to teachers’ internal and external factors that go beyond the teachers’ control, for instance, the curriculum, the ambiguous nature of PBL, students’ motivation, collaboration, and resources. In conclusion, the key characteristics were used for conducting the research. The Korean teachers who participated in this study had implemented them in their projects and expressed their challenges. 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Before you decide to participate in this study, it is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please read the following information carefully. Please ask the researcher if there is anything that is not clear or if you need more information. The purpose of this study is to analyze teachers’ experiences on project-based learning in South Korea. STUDY PROCEDURES Interviews will be conducted to analyze teachers’ perspectives. Voice recording is going to be used during the interview and the use of these products will be provided for this research. The whole procedure will take about thirty minutes. RISKS You may decline to answer any or all questions and you may terminate your involvement at any time if you choose. BENEFITS There will be no direct benefit to you for your participation in this study. However, we hope that the information obtained from this study may help teachers in Korea have a deeper understanding of the implementation of PBL. CONFIDENTIALITY Your responses to this interview will be anonymous. Please do not give any identifying information during the interview. OR for this research study, your comments will not be 2 anonymous. Every effort will be made by the researcher to preserve your confidentiality including the following: [State measures taken to ensure confidentiality, such as those listed below: ﾷ Assigning code names/numbers for participants that will be used on all research notes and documents ﾷ Keeping notes, interview transcriptions, and any other identifying participant information in a locked file cabinet in the personal possession of the researcher.] Participant data will be kept confidential except in cases where the researcher is legally obligated to report specific incidents. These incidents include, but may not be limited to, incidents of abuse and suicide risk. CONTACT INFORMATION If you have questions at any time about this study, you may contact the researcher whose contact information is provided on the first page. If you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant, or if problems arise that you do not feel you can discuss with the Primary researcher, please contact the supervisors of the interviewer. Hannele Niemi, University of Helsinki, hannele.niemi@helsinki.fi Jenny Niu, University of Helsinki, jenny.niu@helsinki.fi VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION Your participation in this study is voluntary. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part in this study. If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to sign a consent form. After you sign the consent form, you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason. Withdrawing from this study will not affect the relationship you have, if any, with the researcher. If you withdraw from the study before data collection is completed, your data will be returned to you or destroyed. CONSENT I have read and understand the provided information and have had the opportunity to ask questions. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason and without cost. I understand that I will be given a copy of this consent form. I voluntarily agree to take part in this study. Participant's signature ______________________________ Date __________ Investigator's signature _____________________________ Date __________ 3 2. APPENDIX 2. Interview Questions Primary teachers’ experiences of Project-based learning (PBL) in South Korea: Implementation and Challenges Aim of the study The aim of this study is to analyse teachers' application of the key characteristics to enhance student affective and behavioural engagement in Project-based learning (PBL) in practice. Considering the shift in the national curriculum towards student-centred approaches, and the widely recognised challenges in the implementation of PBL, it is necessary to understand teachers’ implementation of PBL under the key characteristics for student engagement and their challenges. Research Questions 1. In which way do primary school teachers in South Korea implement the key characteristics of PBL? 2. What challenges do teachers perceive when implementing PBL in their classrooms? Interview Questions 1. Driving Question (ex. How can we design a sustainable community garden that meets the needs of our local community? What impact does climate change have on our local ecosystem, and how can we work to reduce our carbon footprint? How can we use technology to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in our community?) a. In which way do you implement driving questions? b. What are the challenges of implementing driving questions? 2. Focus on learning goals (Alignment with the national standard, set learning goals) a. In which way do you do when setting learning goals and implementing the goals? b. What are the challenges when implementing learning goals? 4 3. Scientific practices (Presenting research questions, presenting hypotheses, exploration, experimentation, data interpretation, conclusions, communicating the result, reflection) a. In which way do you implement scientific practices in PBL? b. What are the challenges when implementing scientific practices? 4. Collaboration (between students, between teachers, with others from outside of the school) a. In which way do you implement collaboration in PBL? b. What are the challenges when implementing collaboration? 5. Using technological tools (ICT, digital learning tools) a. In which way do you use technological tools in PBL? b. What are the challenges when using technological tools? 6. Creating artefacts (e.g., reports, videos, websites, computer programs, posters…) a. In which way do you implement creating artefacts? b. What are the challenges in creating artefacts? How do you manage them? Others a. What other characteristics are important in project learning? Why do you think so? b. Is there anything else you would like to talk about PBL? Participant information 1. Teaching experiences 2. Frequency of using PBL in class