270 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Advantages of Project Method
- Psychological.
Project method is planned in accordance with the psychological laws of learning. It
provides the most natural conditions of learning. Therefore, the child remembers the principles
learnt for a longer time.
- Freedoms and Self-direction
Project method has an element of freedom. It is a method of self-direction. In it the
child learns to improvise, to invent, to experiment, to know in all ways possible and to
translate the knowledge into action. Thus, it develops the creative mind.
- According to Maturity
According to the psychological concepts of maturation the Project method provides
learning material that suits one’s particular stage of mental development. While the more
mature pupils are given abstract and difficult features of the task in hand the simple leaner
are left to the others who are slow learners.
- Social Benefits
As separate groups take responsibility for making their own contributions, which are
subsequently pooled and become the class effort, project method results in social benefits.
- Training
Project method provides training for social adjustment. It develops the pupil’s capacity
to adapt themselves to their environment, to make use of whatever is available and to meet
a situation resourcefully.
- Doing after Knowing
In project method the pupils learn and do because they understand the value of what
they learn and do in the carrying out their purpose..
- Democratic
Project method trains children in a democratic way of life. It encourages them to co-
operate, to think and act together of a common goal. Teaching students to be responsible,
it gives them freedom within the framework of cooperative democracy.
- Practical
Project method provides learning through practical problems by encouraging pupils to
achieve a deeper insight into principles through actually seeing them in operation.
- Growth
Both the student and the teacher grow through project method. Stimulated by and
encouraged in his exploration of many materials the student approaches other areas of
learning in a similar manner. The teacher also grows in his understanding of a child’s
creative development.
- Evaluation
An intrinsic standard of evaluation is set up in project method. As the pupils learn to
evaluate their own work, this evaluation reveals the mistakes and helps in rapid progress
and true learning.