Title

Creating Meaningful Problem-Based Learning Activities for

Beginner EFL Learners

Author

Luh Putu Artini

Ganesha University of Education, Bali, Indonesia

Bio-Profile:

Luh Putu Artini is a senior lecturer of Ganesha University of Education, Indonesia. Her research
interests include ELT methods and strategies, TEYL, and Bilingual Education. She has a Ph.D. in
English Education from Newcastle University, Australia and currently teaches ELT Methods and
Reflective Teaching. She can be reached at putu.artini@undiksha.ac.id

Abstract

The objectives of this research are: to describe problem-based learning activities that can be
developed for EFL beginner learners; to analyze the quality of the developed activities; and to
describe how the activity affects EFL teaching and learning. The activities were designed with the
reference to the syllabus and characteristics of problem-based learning (PBL). The quality of the
materials was tested through Gregory agreement model of the responses by the expert judges. The
impact of the implementation of PBL activities on the teaching and learning process were described
based on classroom observation and interview. The results of the research showed that there were 8
topics from the syllabus that could be ‘translated’ into PBL tasks. The developed materials were
found to have the consistency index of 0.82 which means that the quality of the developed materials
was in the category of ‘very good’. PBL activities were found very engaging and the students were
very enthusiastic to work in groups for task fulfillment.

Keywords: beginner EFL learners, problem-based learning activities

Introduction

This study aims to develop problem-based learning activities that build learning autonomy for
beginner learners of English as a Foreign Language in Bali, Indonesia. The material development was
based on the expectations of the latest curriculum which is scientific-based and recommend the
implementation of PBL approach to learning (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2013). There are
four main characteristics of PBL that meet the expectations of the new curriculum: constructive, self-
directed, collaborative and contextual (Dolmans, et al., 2005).

PBL might be relatively new for many EFL teachers in Indonesia even though it has been popular
since the 1980’s (Burrows, 1996) and was reported as an effective teaching method in 1993 (Norman
and Schmidt, 2000). Hung, et al., (2008) reported a list of advantages when PBL is applied in the
classroom across subjects. These include the increase of problem solving skills, high order thinking
and autonomous learning. When applied in EFL classes, students have good opportunities to use
language communicatively through the activities of sharing ideas and making consensus in group
discussion. Ross (2001) asserts that in solving a problem, a student should make strong connections
between key concepts from the lesson, prior knowledge and real life that results in the attainment of
academic and non-academic achievement.

PBL has all the characteristics that help learners develop their problem solving skills and guide them
to become autonomous learners (Barrows, 1996). In PBL activities, teachers take the role of
facilitators (Hmelo-Silver, 2004) to guide students to identify what they need to learn to solve a
problem. In her latter publication, this author classified two types of problems that may be used by a
teacher to create PBL tasks: decision making or trouble shooting (Hmelo-Silver, 2012).

Research Method

This study employed the research and development model proposed by Sugiyono (2011) with ten
steps of procedures: identifying potential and problems, collecting data, designing product, validating
design, administrating product usability, revising product, product try out, revising design, revising
product and mass production. The first and second steps were conducted by administering
questionnaire, interview with English teachers and school principals and classroom observation. The
third step, designing product, was conducted by analyzing English syllabus for Grade 7 and
identifying the potential topics to be taught using

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PBL activities. The next step (product usability) was done through expert judgment, and the step of
revising the product was based on the judges’ feedback. Product try out was conducted to 40 students
and further try out involving bigger number of subjects and schools has been planned prior to mass
production of the book product.

Findings and Discussion

The first and the second steps of the research found that English teachers in junior high schools were
not confident in designing PBL activities. The interview showed that all the English teachers had had
the opportunity to participate in a speacial training on the implementation of the new curriculum.
They perceived that the training was lack of practical modelling about how to plan, implement and
evaluate student-centered methods, one of which was PBL. The analysis of the syllabus identified
nine topics that were potentially appropriate to be supported with PBL tasks. The topics comprised of
asking and giving opinions, giving compliment, making an invitation, expressing routines, expressing
past experience, expressing events in progress, making a description, making short massages or notice
and telling stories. PBL activites were then developed based on the identified topics, PBL
characteristics and the targeted competences of the curriculum. The task blue print is illustrated in the
following example:

Table 1. Example of blueprint for developing PBL tasks

Topics

Task

PBL Activities

Asking and giving opinion

Editing 2 mixed up dialogues

Finalizing unfinished simple drama script

Publisher mixed up 2 dialogues by mistakes. Students should find the two dialogues (pair work)

A simple drama script (developed from a popular story) is left unfinished and students have to
continue (small group work)

Making a description

Describing an animal from a cartoon movie

Choose an animal from a cartoon movie to be kept for pet. Give the reason why you choose it (small
group work)

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Describing partner’s physical experience in 30 years from now

Imagine, draw and describe how your partner would look like in 30 years from now (Pair work)

As seen above, the tasks were designed to follow the charactereistics of PBL with the emphasis on
student-centered learning. Contextual problems were intended to stimulate active learning. From the
task of editing two mixed up dialogues, the learners were required to read the dialogues repeatedly
and utilised their language intuition, logical and critical thinking to identify and solve the problem. To
do so, they work cooperatively in the group and make decision. This activity exercises their analytical
thinking and reasoning skills and at the same time strengthens the character of teamworking and
taking responsibility to own learning (Maurer & Neuhold, 2012). PBL activities can make learning
more natural and meaningful and additionally, learners are trained to develop their problem solving
skills and use English contextually and spontaneously.

The materials were then sent to the expert judges for construct and content validation. Gregory
agreement model was employed to analyse the consistency of the judgement. The data analysis found
the consistency index of 0.82 which indicates that the developed PBL materials had very high
validity. A three-week classroom observation was then conducted during the product try out, and it
was found that the PBL activities were very engaging. All the students demonstrated positive attitudes
and group effort to fulfil the tasks . These seemed to be very promising since for a long time, English
classes in Indonesia, especially for beginner learners, mostly involved students with controlled
activities in which students were assigned to work on an assignment and then the teacher checked if it
was right or wrong. PBL activities have been found to be very important in medical classes where
learners are trained to develop their reasoning and analytical problem-solving skills (Maurer &
Neuhold, 2012; Savery, 2006). In this research the additional importance was foreseen as the students
tried their best to decide on what language to use to express their ideas and integrate the newly
acquired language fuctions with their background language.

Conclusion

PBL tasks developed in this research could be treated as a model for material development
procedures. The tasks provide learners with opportunities to develop their English

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through meaningful activities such as discussing, comparing and reasoning. PBL activities could also
be expected to develop characters such as taking responsibility to own learning, working in team and
making use of high order thinking skills in solving contextual problems.

References

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Bandung: Alfabeta