The Prospects and challenges of Problem Based Learning in ELT

2011

NOR AZUANEE BINTI MUKHTAR MP 101439/820121035300 09/12/2011

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY (MPB1353)

THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING IN ELT

LECTURER: DR. HANITA BINTI HASSAN

PREPARED BY: NOR AZUANEE BINTI MUKHTAR MATRIC NO.: MP101439 / 820121035300

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Problem based learning or PBL is still young and new to the language practice world. Originally, PBL was defined as a curricular method, emerged from the medical sciences field three decades ago and in the field of language education, it is considerably young method of enquiry (Barrows, 2000) It is a methodological approach based on the contextualization of learning and teaching activities and the implementation is connected to the development of cognitive, social and communicative skills through the linking activities of the learners with the authentic tasks (Willis & Willis, 2007) In the local context, PBL is perceived as a language learning and practice, and which normally associated with the adult way of learning at the tertiary levels. The PBL at this levels are very much needed since most of the learners are adult learners which need to earn a certain degree of language competency for a specific purposes; either for their job or for their education purposes. They will need to attend language courses which here we will discuss on learning English as a second language; to improve on their language skills so that they will be able to achieve the goal to be as close as possible with the skills which the native speakers have. ____________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Problem based learning can be considered as one of a new learning approach in Malaysia. Its emerging can be seen at the tertiary levels and still cannot be seen applicable to lower levels. But yet, research of the adaptation is still ongoing since the approach itself is still very young to most of the develop country. Problem based learning is a learning method which combines cognitive and metacognitive teaching and learning. It was started as early as 1960s which consist of a method of how to learn language and at the same time, learners are also need to understand the contents of what they are learning (Neufeld & Barrows, 1974). It was also stated that the Problem based learning was rooted by the project handled by John Deweys project-based pedagogy which touched on the area of second language learning and teaching which aligned the approaches of learning language by application and practices of the language structure by the learners.

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

The different which the PBL tried to bring out is the focus on learning through solving real problems of language learning. And to discover whether learners really are having problem in learning the language, they will have to be let on working alone or be in groups and then we will be able to identify as well as understand the problem and start to dig on the solutions.

Issues of PBL. The concept of integrating problems with the learning focus or objective in the field of language learning is not something new. It has been practiced for quite a long time (in develop countries) and the development of related concept has been quite well diversed by the theorist. But there are some language teachers who are quite skeptical with the concept which is brought by the PBL. Research has been conducted and the result shows that, it is hard to shift the practices and beliefs which have been set up by some established teachers due to their assumptions that their skills and teaching experiences are genuine. As stated by Porter and Brophy (1988) that personal experiences, especially owned by teachers who used to be learners are represent as a very crucial determinant of how and what teachers are going to do when delivering their lessons. And it is true if we see the current phenomena which are now happening in our local school contexts. An easy example of the issue of applying the PBL; the adaptation of the new pedagogical approach of technology usage in the school. The experienced teachers normally will apposed of the teaching techniques due to the lack of personal skills and knowledge. And the learners or students acceptance will very much rely on the pedagogical applications which are being implemented by the immediate teachers. At this situation, teachers play a very important role in changing and shifting the learners perception so that it will very much relevant with the current learning style. If we apply the situation above with teaching and learning activities at the primary school, it is clearly seen that, if a teacher has been introducing and has been integrating the teaching and learning with the use of the ICT, learners or students will perceived the learning style as easy and adaptive. And when the learners are reaching at a certain point of learning skills, they will

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

be able to adapt and solve their leaning problems on their own style by manipulating the sources which they are able to find within their context.

PBL Learning Process. The roles which played by the teachers and learners in the PBL are different from the roles which they have in the traditional methods. Teachers of PBL will be facilitators or coach of learning and learners will have to run the learning activities on their own. Teachers do not merely give inputs to the learners or simply guide the learners on the task given. Teachers role on the other hand, will be the one who supply the learners with the problems and the learners will need to work on finding solutions on the given problems. And when learners are trying to solve the problem, teachers role will be the one who assist learners on seeking for materials, tools or equipments which are necessary as well as support them. But again; teachers are not the one who provide the answers of the problems. It is essential for the teacher to look into these points when applying the PBL into their tasks before applying them to the students or learners: The tasks given must be authentic, interesting and viable The develop task will leads to the final elaboration of the final product which will be used to serves the learning goal The addressee of the final product has to be determined at the planning stage

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Albion and Gibson (1998) has listed and describe four steps in implementing the PBL:
PROCESS FOR STUDENTS Preteach Make sure students understand the goal and benefit of a problem-based approach for language learning Emphasize the importance of using English in problem-solving activities.

ROLE OF TEACHERS

Introduce problem and vocabulary Meet the problem Introduce students to the problem using pictures, videos and texts Introduce vocabulary related to the problem Ask students about their previous personal experiences with the problem Provide pre-reading exercise about the problem.

Group students, provide resources Explore known and unknown Generate possible solutions Make sure that students understand the problem and the expectations of them Emphasize that there is no single answer or solution, and that they need to choose what appears to be the most viable solution to them and be prepared to explain why they choose that solution Give students access to resources such as the internet and books. Make sure that students are aware of the range of resources available and know how to use them. Group students, preferably in groups with different language background and proficiency levels.

Observe and support Observe students andprovide support as needed but do not temp to direct their efforts or control their activity in solving their problem Observe, take notes, and provide feedback on students participation in the activity and on language used

Consider consequences and choose the most viable solution

Follow up and assess progress Provide students with opportunities to present and share result of their works Provide follow up activities based on your observations Assess students participation and success in the activity

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Aspects to be considered in conducting a PBL lesson. By referring to the chart by Albion and Gibson above, we will be able to see that teachers is playing an important role in PBL. In the pre teach level, it is the teachers responsibility to teach students of the rationale and the structure of a PBL. And for the students who are more familiar or has been exposed to the traditional approach, it will be important for the teacher to guide them by follow up the instruction given but without the teacher being diverted from the gist of the whole PBL concept which is teacher as an observer. At this stage, students are also need to be understood the goal or the objective of the whole exercises. The importance of understanding and providing the learners with the needed input is also need to be taken into consideration because it will be much needed especially I solving the problem of their language aspect. Selecting problems for the learners will be difficult for the teachers. Here are some suggestions: Problems should be related to the learners lives so that they will feel related and rises the interest towards the lesson problems required the learners to digest some ideas and judgments will help them perceived them as a meaningful exercise rather than just an activity of collecting data Include open ended questions which will help to diverse learners opinions.

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Benefits of PBL Second language acquisition is very much related to the interaction among learners, teachers and the available resources which guide the whole process of negotiating the meaning of inputs (Ross and Ross-Feldman,2003). This mutual interaction has been understood since 1970s and it triggered the development of the communicative approach in language teaching and learning (Brumfit and Johnson, 1979).and now, language teachers are forwarding their approach to the PBL methods. The real-world interaction in solving problems and issues is perceived as more meaningful interactions and learners will be more enthusiast as the learning progressing because of the ability to understand the reason and the meaning of the contents compare will activities which involves repetitions of dialogue and role play. The traditional approaches seem to have a predictable ends which gradually will lower the learners interest of learning (Mackey, 1999). Challenges. PBL is a new approach which is not very common applied in the local context. Some room still needed to improvise as well as improve the approach so that it will be more adaptive with the local education atmosphere. The systems of the local education can be well adapted to the PBL but teachers as well as school itself need to play a very active role to make sure the PBL is successful. In applying the PBL approach, teachers will find a challenge of making sure the students or learners to participate in a lesson of English especially among learners who share the same first language. A clear example is what is happening during the English lessons. When teacher is asking the learners do discuss on certain topic, the learners will be using their first language because of the commonly use aspect as well as they are being more expressive when they are using the language. One way to address this problem is by placing learners with different language backgrounds in the same group. The next point to be put into consideration is the thought of the PBL is only appropriate for beginners which their oral and reading skills are at the lowest line. These weaker learners will find the PBL approach is not suitable for their level of proficiency. And suggested solution for this is by mixing the stronger language skills students with the weaker so that they will be helping each other to cope with the learning contents through the observations and interactions among them.

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

As reported by a researchers from Portland (smith, Harris and Reder, 2005), the interactions among student will immediately changed as the teacher is approaching. It is really true because in the local context of our students behavior is also the same. They will have no problem in discussing the problem given by the teacher but as the teacher is near or at them, they will start asking the teacher to help them solving the problem. This challenges is actually closely related to the previous mentioned point; which the learners or the students have the tendency of using their first language when communicating among them. Based on this also, our local teachers will really have problem in controlling the students as well as the whole class since the numbers are quite large compare with the overseas. For the teachers side, the vulnerability of the skills and experiences need to be observed. The ideas of having training causes for the teachers might be an idea to be put into consideration. Teachers need to be really equipped so that the teaching of language can be execute meaningfully. PBL in language learning at some points always been associated with the incorporation of ICT materials in its lesson contents. By this teachers need to learn how the media technology works and learn on the implementation so that learners will be able to participate in the learning process actively.

Activities of PBL: Project-based activity The nature of implementation of the PBL is the interaction and the correlation between the process (how) with the content (what) of leaning. As a teacher trying to start or trigger the PBL approaches within a lesson, there are points to be put into consideration (Woodward,2003): The goal should be authentic and viable The tasks given should lead to elaboration before having the final product The addressee of the final product has to be determine before the planning stage

But it is the nature of PBL, which is does not reveal the real objective of the teaching unit as learners will be able to detect the reason of learning as they went through the discussions in finding the solutions of the tasks given. Below is a suggestion of a project on video editing and has been used as a class material which applies the PBL approach (Dooly and Masat, 2010):

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Understand instructions Creating texts using appropriate features for discourse format Construct visual or oral narratives Recognize relevant information Knowing how to use the term

Producing a storyboard Understanding and applying filming procedures Using camera efficiently (framing/shooting) Knowing how to use video editing Capturing/selecting ICT Competencies Competencies 3-minutes video clip Sub products Storyboard Script Video recording Sound files Music files Score Clips Tittles and heading

Taking decisions Reaching consensus Projecting yourself into another role Adopting a cooperative attitude Inter and intrapersonal Competencies Materials, equipments and resources

Audio-lingual an linguistic communicative Competencies Tasks Repairing the ground (using video in SL classroom) Warm up (creative writing) Planning the video Story board writing Learning about camera shots Negotiating roles and responsibilities Filming Capturing film Editing viewing

Repairing the ground (using video in SL classroom) Warm up (creative writing) Planning the video Story board writing Learning about camera shots Negotiating roles and responsibilities Filming Capturing film Editing viewing

By referring to the materials for the lessons above; there are several steps has been implemented: Planning process Presentation of projects by the participants Progress and development Presentation of project Assessment

All sessions are student-centered where students will need to prepare their very own clips, planned and look for the needed information. Each person within the group need to play their roles which they need to delegate among them.

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

All of the outputs of discussions are clearly leads to the students participation and teacher acts as a consultant of the lessons contents. ___________________________________________ At the Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (office of research and development), the members of the university had a chance of observing a group of medical students learn about the process of PBL. Below are summarized of the observations: Step1: term clarifying Step2: problem listing Step3: brainstorming Step4: hypothesis setting Step5: learning objective identification Step6: analysis Step7: synthesis

It is obviously seen that, the contents of the PBL approach which is based on the authentic tasks leads to the integration of learning skills among the students. To proceed on the next step of the above steps need the students or the learners to master the current step which they are working at the current stage. Each learners need to play they role in order for the group to work as a team and able to produce the final outcomes. Mathews-Aydinli (2007) has also concluded several main steps of PBL in language and literacy skills: Students are being introduce to the problem Students to explore of their understandings of the problem Students to generate possible solutions Students to consider possible consequences of the most viable solution.

Obviously the steps are towards promoting the reasoning strategies and very effective in selfdirect learning strategies. It will be able to increase motivation for learning and a successful ground for collaboration works among the learners (Hmelo and Evensen, 2000) *Refer at appendix for the example of lesson note copied from Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (office of research and development),

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Conclusion. PBL might be perceived as one new approach in this country but it has very much to offer as the time helped to develop and adapt within our local context. The meaning-focused interaction in language learning which PBL offers help to raise the students motivations and help them to use the language beyond the classroom as they are able to see and understand the whole reason of learning the language. This attitude of PBL is very different from the traditional approach which rely very much on students to be able to just understand the theory and able to answer the exam question. The application is not the main focus or not at all the objective of the traditional approaches. The principle of PBL also need the learners or the students to be actively participate in solving the issues or learning contents which will lead the to dig all the available resources in order to achieve the goal will lead to raising interest and at the same time students will really understand the whole reason and content of the learning process. PBL has the potential in providing the learners of the second language or the foreign language an optimum conditions of learning from the various advantages such as exposure to authentic materials as well as authentic reason for using various methods of teaching).

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

Appendix. Lesson Plan 1 Course title: 155511 Advanced Academic Listening and Speaking 3(2-2-5) Class: M.A in TEFL Room:9.10.11 Time: 1.00pm- 3.00pm

Tutors: i. Asst. Prof. Dr. Chalemsri Jogthong ii. Ajaan Laotip Weerarak Objective: be able to clarify the problems of ELT in NRRU Scenario 1: All undergrads attending NRRU are required to complete three English foundation courses by their second year. Most of them are successful for these classes in term of grading. Apparently, however, after their completion of the three courses, their English language performance is still unsatisfactory. Learning objectives Clarifying ELT problems in NRRU English language performance English foundation courses Grading ____________________________________________________________________

1. Term clarifying: a. NRRU undergrads b. English foundation courses c. Successful for the classes d. Grading e. English performance f. g. 2. Problem listing: a. Why is their English language performance still unsatisfactory? Unsatisfactory

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

b. How has English been taught in NRRU? c. What about the evaluation? d. What is the learning environment like? e. How many students are there in each normal class? f. What are the English backgrounds of the students?

g. What is the workload of the instructors?

3. Brainstorming. a. Why is their English language performance still unsatisfactory? i. Not have enough time to practice/ not have an opportunity to use it in daily life or with foreigners. b. How has English been taught at NRRU? i. Teacher-centered/use traditional method/use first language instruction/ c. What about the evaluation? i. Multiple choice exam/the test is not standardized/students cheat d. What about learning environment? i. Small rooms/old rooms/crowded rooms e. How many students are there in each normal class? i. Big/small/medium class f. What are the English backgrounds of the students? i. Low motivation/poor/late class attendance g. what about the instructor? i. Over teaching load/not qualified

4. Hypothesis setting a. The students fail to communicate in English because they do not have time tp practice b. At NRRU, English has been taught as teacher-centered/traditional method c. Examination is based on multiple choices d. Test/grading not standardized e. The students cheat in the exam f. Learning environment is not suitable for effective learning

g. Students have low motivation/miss class frequently h. The instructors work overload/not qualified/inexperienced

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

5. Learning objectives identification a. Clarifying ELT problems in NRRU

6. Analysis a. Study a particular ELT problem in NRRU

7. Synthesis a. Propose the significant of the problems

THE PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ELT.

References: Barrows,H.(2000) Preface. In D.H Evensen, and C.E Hmelo. (Eds) Problem-based Learning: research Perspective and Learning Interactions. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford: oxford university press. Hmelo, C.E and Evensen, D.H(2000). Problem-based Learning: research and perspective Learning Interactions. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Masats, D. and M.Dooly. (2008). Applying mixed media to teacher training: the OVIDE experience in L. Gomez Chova, D. Marti Belenguer, and I. Candel Torres (eds.). INTED2008 proceedings, Velencia, Spain: international association of technology, Education, and Development (IATEDO Mathews-Aydlini, J. (2007). Problem-Based Learning and Adult English Language Learners. In Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA). Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Neufeld, V.R., & Barrows, H.S.(1974). The McMaster philosophy: an approach to medical education. Journal of medical education, 49(11):1040-1050 Porter, A.C., and J. Brophy (1988). Synthesis of research on good teaching: insightsfrom the work of the institute for research on teaching. Educational leadership 45/8:74-75 Smith, C., Harris, K., and Reder, R., (2005). Applying research findings to instruction for adult English language learners. Washington, DC: Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA). Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.