Abstract

• The major purpose of this research was to study the effects of project based learning on economics students’ academic performance at the high school level. This study was conducted with both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitatively, an experimental study was used to compare the students' economics achievement between the control group and experimental group. The posttest only control group design was used in this study. In this experimental study, the subjects were Grade Ten students selected from No.(1) BEHS Thanlyin and No.(3) BEHS Tharketa. For this study, (120) Grade Ten students were selected from both schools by random sampling method. These students were divided into two groups: control and experimental. The experimental group was treated with project based learning and the control group was taught as formal instruction. Subsequently, a posttest was administered to two groups. Independent samples t-test was used to test whether there was a significant difference between experimental group and control group. Examination of the means and t-test at No.(1) BEHS Thanlyin (t=12.17, df= 58, MD=5.10, p <.001) and No.(3) BEHS Tharketa (t=11.40, df=58, MD=4.80, p <.001). The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the two groups. The qualitative data also supported the findings from the experimentation. In this study, students from the experimental group from two selected schools were given a questionnaire. It develops of (15) items five-point likert-scale. The results showed that the students expressed their willingness to learn in project based learning and they had positive attitudes towards this project based learning. Research findings proved that project based learning has positive contribution to the economics teaching at the high school level.