Explanation of The Project Teaching Method in VTE
Project teaching methods in technical and vocational education and training involve assigning particular topics or tasks of interest to students to study in detail for a specific period.
In a Project method, a particular subject of interest to the students or the teacher can be undertaken by the students or a group of students in a wide scope to achieve a particular goal or objective.
This method of teaching is a comprehensive method of studying certain topics that are of interest to the educational system. This method has been very effective in the teaching of technical and vocational education and training.
The Project teaching Method is learner-centered because the students are actively involved in performing the assignment or task undertaken by a student with guidance from the teacher.
The project teaching method is one of the best methods for inventing objects in technical and vocational education and training. For example, students may be interested in constructing a drone for monitoring the number of people entering the technical and vocational education workshop or laboratory, the duty of the teacher will be to guide the students to ensure that the student achieved the purpose of the project.
In this teaching method, a group or a whole class of learners can be assigned a task or extensive content covering many topics by study on a wide scale over a specific period with minimum guidance from the teacher when necessary.
A Project or task may be given to a student, a group of students, or a whole class to work on the problem under study in a stipulated time.
Project methods of teaching technical and vocational education and training are fundamental because they help TVET students learn through a problem, provide a solution to that problem, encourage discovery learning, and help the teacher to evaluate students learning abilities and creativity.
Before executing a project the teacher should ensure that the purpose of the project is made known to the students, the problem can be solved by the students, and the strategies to be used in providing a solution to the problem are available.
More so, after the students have carefully executed the projects, the teacher must inspect and evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the project executed.
The project teaching method sounds similar to the discovery method, but the two teaching methods are quite different. The project teaching method is more detailed than the discovery methods.
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Merits /Advantages of the Project Teaching Method
Some of the Merits or Advantages of the Project Teaching Method in Vocational and Technical Education as noted by the National Open University of Nigeria listed below:
- the methods help to sustain students’ interest since it is based on learning by doing
- It promotes discovery learning since the students execute the project themselves.
- It provides an opportunity for real learning since the task or problem to perform is real.
- It helps students to develop initiative skills.
- It encourages creativity
- It encourages cooperative learning.
- It provides opportunities for students to develop leadership and organization skills.
Demerits / Disadvantages of the Project Teaching Method
Some of the Demerits / Disadvantages of the Project Method are listed below:
- Project teaching methods are time-consuming since they involve a lot of preparation.
- The method is not appropriate for lower secondary school students.
- The method is expensive as some projects require apparatus and instruments.
- It is capital intensive, i.e., some projects involve a lot of cash.
Frequently Ask Questions
What are the Project Method Teaching for New Teachers of VTE?
The project teaching method provides an opportunity for real learning since the task or problem to perform is real.
The following project teaching method can be effectively used to engage a new teacher and enhance effective teaching and learning.
Organize Agricultural Science Project Fair
Organize an Agricultural science project fair where the new teacher can ask the students to choose an experimental topic related to their school environment, gather materials, conduct the experiments, and present their findings.
The teacher provides the guidelines, the result, and the support needed for the experiment. This will increase their communication skills, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking
Classroom Workshop Design
Organized workshop projects where students are asked to design a drone that can used to monitor the number of people frequently attending the technical and vocational education workshop or laboratory. The duty of the teacher will be to guide the students to ensure that the students achieve the purpose of the project. this will lead to creativity and digital illiteracy
Entrepreneurship Projects
Organized entrepreneurship projects where teachers ask the students to sit down to think out what they can create or sell to satisfy the needs of people in their community and start making money for paying their school fees.
To design a drone that can used to monitor the number. The role of the teacher is to provide the guidelines, the result, and the supported need for the projects. This will student developed well explore entrepreneurship ideas in their community and create good marketing skills
Engineering Projects
Organized Engineering project class where the teacher asks the students are construct engineering projects in the work or carry out technical drawings of engineering tools or implement them in the workshop. the teacher has to provide the guidelines, the result, and the supported need for the projects.
In conclusion
The project Teaching method has been very effective in the teaching of science and engineering-based subjects. it is considered one of the best methods of teaching 21st-century skills such as helping students to develop initiative skills, encouraging creativity and cooperative learning