Project Method

The project method first appeared in 16th-century Western Europe, but its origins in the United States are found in the fields of industrial and agricultural education during the late 19th century. In its most fundamental form, the project method represents a curricular-instructional practice where classroom experiences focus on activities planned and implemented by students. Attributed partly to reconciling the importance of students' interests and engagement in learning, the project method was also oriented toward displaying real-life experiences as a component of the school curriculum.

In 1918, a little-known university professor at Teachers College, William H. Kilpatrick, published a detailed description of the project method in the Teachers College Record, and the article became a national sensation. Though Kilpatrick later saw the need to redefine aspects ...