Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty: Philosophy & Humanistic Sciences

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2022, Volume 10, Issue 1, pages: 45-52 | doi: https://doi.org/10.18662/lumenphs/10.1/63

Abstract: This article is based on a Project-based Learning

Project-based (PBL) experience which has been successfully developed
during the last academic year, 2021-2022, with the students of
Learning as an the 2nd year of study, Faculty of Psychology and Educational
Efficient Way of Sciences, Specialization Pedagogy of Primary School and Pre-
school Education, in the context of promoting and sustaining
Studying English for innovative learner-centred methods. In fact, it was an attempt
to move from theory to practice as a result of my recent
Specific Purposes participation within a project, financed by the EU through the
Erasmus+ programme, the Restart for Education in a Digital
Iuliana LUNGU1 Era through Project-Based E-learning (Restart4EDU).
1 Lecturer,
Therefore, the paper aims to share my first project-based
PhD, “Ovidius” University of
learning (PBL) experience designed and implemented in an
Constanta, Romania,
[email protected] English as a Foreign Language (ELF) classroom, as a way of
involving the students in an simultaneous process of learning
language, content and skills. The learning outcomes did not
take long to appear. On the one hand, the students received
PBL very well. They acquire not only the 21st century skills,
but also those related to language such as listening, reading,
speaking, and writing skills, with their related components,
vocabulary, gramma rand pronunciation). Moreover, they
come to use authentic language materials and improve
communication competences. On the other hand, there were
some challenges that should be considered before using this
approach in the classroom. Further studies focusing on
implementing PBL are needed, in particular on measuring its
efficiency, and finding ways to overcome its disadvantages.
Finally, PBL should become part of the university curriculum.

Keywords: Project-Based Learning, English as a Foreign Language

teaching, learner-centred method.

How to cite: Lungu, I. (2022). Project-based Learning as an

Efficient Way of Studying English for Specific Purposes.
Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty: Philosophy &
Humanistic Sciences, 10(1), 45-52. doi:
https://doi.org/10.18662/lumenphs/10.1/63

©2022 Published by LUMEN Publishing. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
 Project-based Learning as an Efficient Way of Studying English for Specific …
Iuliana LUNGU

1. Introduction
Historically speaking, the theory of PBL has its roots in John
Dewey’s educational philosophy and the principle of learning through
practical action with real purpose - "learning by practice" (learning by doing),
and has advanced the idea of teaching and learning into a methodology
known as "project-based learning”, clarified by William Heard Kilpatrick. In
1918 he introduced the project method as a component of Dewey's problem
method of teaching, in an article, The Project Method. According to his
conception of "project-based learning," all teaching must begin with
experience and be organized through productive work. Project pedagogy is
then a pedagogical practice that can be qualified as active, producing learning
by making a concrete production.
In the 21st century we are watching a revival of the project method
under the auspices of project-based learning (Problem Based Learning -
PBL). The Buck Institute for Education (BIE) in Novato, California, USA,
offers the following definition for project-based learning: "Project-based
learning is a systematic teaching method that engages students (pupils) in the
process of skill formation and learning through a research process structured
around authentic, complex questions and carefully designed tasks and
products". http://www.bie.org/about/what_pbl).
“The main objective of project-based learning is to produce a
product or artifact by students’ working together in a team to execute the
project” (Esch, 1998). “In PBL, by asking questions, cooperating with
others, analyzing data, and communicating with each other, students can
create a student-centred learning environment or learning community”
(Blumenfeld et al., 1991; Marx et al., 1997; Erstad, 2002). „In practice, PBL
has the potential to achieve a number of objectives and benefits. Lam (2004)
suggests that PBL is used to the necessity for teamwork in solving complex
problems.
Melo and Azevedo (2022) in a research showed that the PBL acted
in the integral human formation of students, of the Higher Secondary
Technical-Professional Education, in the following aspects: it allowed
reflection and action about the community problems; it allowed an attentive
look to the environment and environmental culture; it favored the
understanding of research as a tool for the construction of scientific
knowledge; it allowed the recognition of the need to use technological
resources as a tool for the propagation of scientific Knowledge.

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Simonton et. al (2021) consider that „the principles of this learning

theory include that, knowledge is constructed and continually built on
previous knowledge and experiences, students learn how to learn while
engaged in learning the course content, students determine what new
knowledge is required, and that learning is both active and social” (Simonton
et. al, 2021). They also suggest „this means learning is not simply transmitted
from teacher to student, but that students are required to seek out
information and create connections to their personal lives” (Simonton et. al,
2021).
Three of the 21st century skills are crucial for. Project-based
learning: 1. critical thinking and problem-solving ability, 2. cooperation, 3.
self-organization ability (we manage our time and responsibilities
independently). Critical thinking is the basic element of this method,
students are encouraged to think critically, to ask questions, to look for
answers, to overcome the obstacles encountered in solving the problem.
Project-based learning presents the context, tools and tasks of the real world,
so students are constantly connected to reality and better understand that
everything they learn has applicability in real life and that learning always has
a purpose. Project Based Learning teaches students to give and receive
feedback to improve their process, but also the final product. They learn to
organize their time and priorities so that the project is delivered completely
and well done on time. The method involves work, involvement,
collaboration and responsibility, and as the teacher frequently uses it,
showing consistency, Project Based Learning becomes a way of life in that
class, and students become more and more excited and more well prepared
to face the real world. The challenge of this method is even greater when
students have to work in a team.

2. PBL and EFL

„Problem Based Learning (PBL) which is a learning method based
on the principle of using real-world problems as a starting point for the
acquisition and integration of new knowledge appears to be a suitable
approach or an alternative method to be implemented in the English
language classroom in universities to enhance the teaching and learning of
English” (Legg, 2007). PBL plays an important role in developing learners’
English language for real-world purposes. In addition, it combines the
language with the content of the specific discipline, in this case, Pedagogy of
pre-school and primary school education.
From this point of view, PBL has been seen as an efficient way of
students’ engaging in „simultaneous acquisition of language, content and

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Iuliana LUNGU

skills” (Beckett & Slater, 2005, p. 108). „PBL would, therefore, help language
learners relate to the task, to the language in the learners’ communicative
competence and make the language more relevant to their needs and enable
them to communicate and understand the target language’s culture”
(Hutchinson, 1996).
“The PBL method helps to create meaningful ESL activities. When
students work on solving problem cases or situations, the activities involved
tend to trigger motivation and engagement” (Bosuwon & Woodrow, 2009).
“Moreover, the problem-solving process in PBL requires students to look
for materials and to constantly relate what they read to what to do with the
information” (Torp & Sage, 2002). Therefore, students that focus on
developing communicative skills in a particular field or occupation, in other
words, they can combine content knowledge of their field of study with their
knowledge of English.
Recently, a few ELT practitioners have come up with a framework
to make PBL applicable to ELT class. The best example is the PBL
framework below by Jane-Maria Harding Da Rosa (2022).

Source: https://oupeltglobalblog.com/tag/jane-maria-harding-da-rosa/ (2022)

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3. Research methodology
Inspired by the PBL framework I have designed my own PBL
framework but for an EFL class and for a target group of students in the 2 nd
year of study, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,
Specialization Pedagogy of Primary School and Pre-school Education (future
kindergarten and primary school teachers).
Starting from the driving question, What is representative for my teaching
career? the target group of students through their collaborative work, access
to authentic sources such as university syllabus, scientific articles and
Internet resources and through teacher’s language input, has come to
different topics turned into teams’ projects (1. The impact of junk culture on
children’s education, 2. Speech and learning disorders in the school-age children, 3.
Universal children’s day, 4. 21st century teacher, 5. The effects of media on children’s
education, 6. Inclusive classroom). Since the learning objectives have been set-up
in the form of - language proficiency - 21st century skills - awareness of
CLIL (Content and Language-Integrated Learning) – and all the activity
planning has been done, the actual research has been carried out - the
development of the content elements, including making materials (the
materials and equipment used, the method and the project plan) and leading
to some amazing final products or learning outcomes embodied in
PowerPoint presentations, YouTube videos, posters, questionnaires,
illustrations, even methodological tools for identifying people at risk of
diagnosing specific language and learning disorders.

4. Results
Based on their PBL experience, the students reportedly a positive
perception in the way that they have been offered all the opportunity to
investigate authentic topics and issues of interest to them, and in this way,
they have felt actively involved in the learning process. They also
demonstrate significant levels of motivation compared to traditional English
classroom. Furthermore, students not only enhanced their language skills,
but also their social communicative skills that require interpretation, critical
thinking, negotiation, reasoning, and last but not least, cooperation and
collaborative work.
In terms of the four basic language skills, productive skills have been
developed, particularly speaking and writing through their presentations with
the greatest impact on their confidence in using the language. This is
important in language learning because the students have become unafraid

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of making mistakes. As they continue to speak and use the language

production, they will eventually improve their language accuracy.

5. Challenging PBL – some of classroom critical moments

In my work supporting PBL implementation I came across some
critical moments but they can be turned into opportunities to strengthen
PBL in classrooms.
1. Student motivation/engagement with the more independent
nature of PBL.
2. Students lacking familiarity with peer and self-assessment (used to
very teacher-centred methodology)
3. Providing the right amount of support that, one the one hand,
encourages students to learn independently, and on the other hand, makes
the completion of the task realistic.
4. Getting not-so-successful students interested; helping students
organize great amount of info in a presentation and poor grammar when
they start speaking without preparation.
5. Some disagreements or clashes may happen during teamwork, and
as a result, it may be difficult for teachers to detect and realize these features
in the implementation of PBL.

6. Conclusions
The obvious element of implementing PBL in an ESP classroom is
the motivating element. Certainly, with PBL practices, students’ boring
school life becomes more attractive and livelier, and this thing motivates
students a lot.
In EFL classes, PBL not only develops students’ language
proficiency through lots of language production opportunities, it also
promotes various non-linguistic skills, so-called life skills. When we talk
about skills for the 21st century, three are crucial for project-based learning:
1. critical thinking and problem-solving ability, 2. cooperation, 3. self-
organization ability (time management and managing responsibilities
independently).
Although there are many benefits to PBL, some pitfalls should be
avoided before using this approach in the classroom, for example a
considerable amount of work and background research that are required
before classroom project implementation. If teachers are not properly
trained or equipped with needed skills and abilities, they might not be able to

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help their students learn key concepts effectively. That is why, project
planning and supervision can be difficult for an inexperienced teacher
As the most important moment of PBL practice is the public
presentation of the results when knowledge is demonstrated by putting them
into practice, and the results are subject to external analysis and evaluation.
It is hard to assess how much each learner contributes to a group project,
which could mean that while some students are active and responsible,
others are taking the easy way out and letting their peers do the hard work.
However, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of project-
based learning applied through this experimental approach, one of the
conclusions is that improvement of learning results is much greater than the
small inconveniences that have arisen.
To conclude, project-based learning can become a way of life in the
class while students can and should become more and more excited and
more well-prepared to face the real world. The efficiency of PBL compared
to traditional education also has to be studied further by quantitative
methods.

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