American Journal of Educational Research, 2017, Vol. 5, No. 3, 316-323 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/5/3/13 ©Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/education-5-3-13 Development of Student Accountability in a Project-based Learning Environment Abu-Hussain Jamal * , Oleg Tilchin Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education, Baqa El-Gharbieh, Israel *Corresponding author: jamal_ah@qsm.ac.il Abstract In this paper, we propose an approach to development of student accountability for study of a subject in a PBL environment through its specific organization by a teacher. It allows to include process of developing accountability of students for PBL to accountability area of a teacher. Accountability of the students for PBL is developed by a seven-step process for the specific organization of the PBL environment. The steps are preparing the sample-project, setting initial knowledge assessments, ensuring study of a subject by a class through performance of the sample-project, promoting self-formation of collaborative student groups for performing projects of different levels of complexity, adapting PBL to knowledge dynamics of students by setting the adaptive assessments of knowledge, sustaining collaborative performance of the project tasks, and measuring student accountability. The stages of development of student accountability for PBL conformed to the steps of organizing the PBL environment are determined. The stages are engendering concern about the need to take accountability for studying the subject matter in the PBL environment, motivating students to take accountability for acquiring the subject-relevant knowledge while performance of the sample-project, the habituation of students to take accountability for study of a subject through performing a sample-project, inducing and guiding of students to take accountability for collaborative performance of projects of different levels of complexity, stimulating students to hold accountability for collaborative performance of the projects, reinforcing student accountability for collaborative performance of the project tasks, and evaluating development of student accountability and a level of accountability skills. Keywords: accountability of students, project-based learning Cite This Article: Abu-Hussain Jamal, and Oleg Tilchin, “Development of Student Accountability in a Project-based Learning Environment.” American Journal of Educational Research, vol. 5, no. 3 (2017): 316-323. doi: 10.12691/education-5-3-13. 1. Introduction A modern knowledge-based society requires developing progressive approaches to education. It causes the need of formation of a student –centered learning environment. The environment promotes independent, active, individual and collaborative learning by doing of students; involves students in what they are studying; encourages their interest in problem solving and critical thinking; allows teacher's monitoring of the development of students’ knowledge and skills; and provides adaptability to each student [4,8,11,14,28]. A central teaching strategy fostering formation of the student –centered learning environment is Project-Based Learning (PBL). The strategy encourages independent and effective learning through performance of projects by students, improves ability to reach consensual decisions, and favors acquiring critical thinking, problem solving, learning to learn, communication, collaboration, and accountability skills [1,6,7,22,27,29,34,36]. The student –centered PBL environment assumes taking accountability by students for learning while performance of project tasks by them. Accountability is “the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions” [25]. Willingness of a student for performance of project tasks incorporates his (her) ability and desire to perform the tasks. Hence, accountability of a student for learning in the student –centered PBL environment can be determined as his (her) ability and desire to accept responsibility for performing the project tasks. A teacher should be accountable for encouragement of students’ willingness to learn in the student –centered PBL environment [2]. It causes accountability of a teacher for specific organization of teaching, collaborative learning, and assessment inducing students to take accountability for their learning in the PBL environment. The ability of a student to perform a project task can be revealed by comparison of his (her) knowledge with task-relevant knowledge (knowledge needed for performance of task). There are four knowledge levels according to their determined roles in education. Thus, the know-what level represents cognitive knowledge; the know-how level deals with practical problems of design based on a synthesis of knowledge; the know-why level refers to deep knowledge of complex cause-and-effect relationships; and the care-why level represents self-motivated creativity [37]. The desire of a student to perform a project task can be motivated by perception of PBL as a convenient learning