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The pbl experiences from the horses’ mouth: so much more than it seem

The pbl experiences from the horses’ mouth: so much more than it seem Dr Elizabeth M. Anthony eliz@uthm.edu.my Humanities Department Faculty of Science, Technology and Human Development. overview. Background Introduction Context Methodology Findings Summary.

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The pbl experiences from the horses’ mouth: so much more than it seem

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  1. The pbl experiences from the horses’ mouth: so much more than it seem Dr Elizabeth M. Anthony eliz@uthm.edu.my Humanities Department Faculty of Science, Technology and Human Development

  2. overview • Background • Introduction • Context • Methodology • Findings • Summary E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  3. background 1. The PBL approach has been advocated by many higher education specialists like Biggs and Ramsden, 2003. 2. It encourages students to take a deeper approach to learning. 3. PBL is based on the notion of learning by doing. 4. It primarily began with the medical school curricular at the McMaster University over 30 years ago (Albanese & Mitchell, 1993). 5. Has taken its roots in several educational institutions around the world. 3 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  4. background 6. Recent literature in the field of language learning has dedicated a fair amount of attention to considering the methods for applying PBL as an instructional strategy in the context of foreign language and adult learners (Abdullah, 1998; Mathews, 2007). 7. These works have approached the application of PBL to formal instruction from a conceptual or theoretical standpoint, with little reporting on empirical research studying the effectiveness of this approach. 8. There are few studies concerning lecturers’ experiences in using PBL as the sole approach to learning in an ESP undergraduate program, where the purpose is to prepare and empower students to be competent language users. E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  5. introduction 1. The purpose of this paper thus, is to find how PBL works in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom in Malaysia. 2. Given that teachers’ perceptions can affect their practices; it seems useful to find out how the lecturers in the study context conceive of PBL. 3. Such an exploration is likely to contribute towards the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) body of knowledge, particularly to distinctiveness of issues relating to the student-centred learning approach, role changes and subsequently to ESP lecturers’ awareness E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  6. introduction • 4. This paper attempts to explore and depict how ESP lecturers’ conceptualise PBL and how they put this into practice in their classroom by investigating the following research question and sub-questions: • What are the perceptions and experiences of lecturers • involved in English for Specific Purposes PBL? • How do lecturers implement the PBL approach in the ESP • classroom? • How do lecturers modify the PBL approach to make it work • in the ESP classroom? • What do lecturers think of PBL as an alternative • approach? • What problems (if any) have the lecturers experienced? E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  7. context • PARTICIPANTS & SETTING • Seven ESP lecturers from University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) were involved in the study. • Of the 7 lecturers, 4 (57%) were female and 5 (71%) were with TESL background. • Collectively, they had accumulated 113 years of experience teaching English. • However, their backgrounds and exposure to the PBL approach differed and ranged from 1 – 4 years between them. E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  8. methodology Adopted an ethnographic interpretative (Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Davies, 1995; Holliday, 2002; Mason, 2002) research methodology which enabled study of the meanings attached by humans to their activities. DATA COLLECTION Non participant observation and interviews were central techniques used to collect data besides field notes. 8 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  9. methodology • DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE • Transcribed interviewsusing Trasana. • Read and sort raw data manually. • Look for words/phrases that reflect RQ (categories). • Coding based on the categories. • Re-categorise and recode. E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA] 9

  10. findings • IMPLEMENTATION The attitude towards the implementation was mainly positive, even though there seem to be some hesitation amongst some lecturers who were rather resistant towards change initially as identified by one lecturer in the following extract. “I read about PBL… some lecturers they don’t want to change to this kind of new things, they are very … they have the passion to what they have done before … so I think if we have something new … technique or what so ever why not we try it out!” [Jane] 10 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  11. findings • IMPLEMENTATION cont … • The intention to use PBL was discussed with students at the start of the course, and they were introduced to the idea that teaching and learning could be a legitimate area for collaboration; student-centred group work. • “Students are introduced to PBL via a “trigger” and FILA • table; … Facilitator distributes the trigger (a newspaper article) • to students and guides/assists them to complete the FILA table • as means of explaining how a PBL lesson would be carried out”. • (Field Note 1, January 7) • Students were not just thrown into the deep end but were instead • provided with guidance on the change that was deliberated in terms • of change in the teaching and learning approach. 11 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  12. findings 2. FACILITATION • The lecturers acknowledged that the primary role of the lecturer is to facilitate group process and learning, not to provide easy answers. • They were aware that the shift from lecturing to facilitating may involve problems which have no ready-made answers. To them it was a matter of trial and error. • It was a small part of a wider commitment towards establishing a more equal and open relationship with students that would ultimately support them in taking responsibility for their own learning experiences. 12 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  13. Findings 2. FACILITATION cont … • Consequently, these posed as the greatest challenge that they had to endeavour as the lecturers claimed that it was contrary to their years of habitual practice; teacher-centred classes. • “… people were not giving us that much support in the beginning because they will have to change their old way of delivery approach. They will have to change from just pure lecture …” [Ben]. • They even felt a little guilty initially when they were no longer imparting knowledge but just guiding and supporting the students in the learning process. • “…at the beginning I felt a bit guilty because all this while I’ve been so used to the conventional way of teaching and learning process where I will impart everything and suddenly now …however I realised it doesn’t affect my authority in class ... although it’s a facilitator students will still regard you as you know a person who has authority to say things …” [Nancy] 13 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  14. findings 2. FACILITATION cont … • The classroom authority issue could probably be due to the element of • students’ cultural influence in terms of teacher and student roles in the current • study context. • As the result of that, the lecturers seem to gain a certain level of comfort in • taking up the new role. • It was found that it did not deter the lecturers’ determination to explore and • use PBL in the language classes as claimed by one of them. • “No, no problem …the most important thing is convey the information and • I believe that the information seek by the students are more valued than • given hundred percent by the lecturer … I just guide and help if needed” • [Troy]. E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA] 14

  15. Findings 2. FACILITATION cont … • It is discovered that as the facilitator, at the start of the course, they needed to guide students in directions that they regarded as acceptable, but as they • stood back, the peer group progressively assumed authority to negotiate their • own learning on more equal terms via self-directed learning. • “… it took them about something like three weeks before they felt • comfortable learning English using this new setting … on their own” • [Ben]. • “ After some time … usually about two or three weeks, the students sort • of knew what to do, I need not tell them much …”[Troy]. • “ In the first few lessons, my students tend to wait for me to direct them • or rather ensure them that they are doing it correctly … but later they just • did it on their own” [Jane]. 15 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  16. Findings 2. FACILITATION cont … • The lecturers did not rush or intervene immediately but rather stayed back and let students work according to their own pace. • Nothing seemed imposed on the students drastically but rather students were allowed ample time to get better of it. • Affording students the time to settle in to the student-centred learning system is seen as part of the facilitation process in the sense that the lecturers not taking authority into their hands again but letting go the power and treating students to gather knowledge independently. • However, the lecturers did experience uncertainty and difficulties regarding • the way the course was preceding, and their own attitudes towards the • students. • There was the sense of whether they are doing enough to facilitate and guide • the students in terms of learning. The thought of are they doing the right thing • too did seem to creep into the lecturers: • “I sometimes do wonder if … if I should kind of sum up the lesson … you know to make sure they have learnt all that is needed but …” [Irene]. 16 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  17. findings 3. CHALLENGES • [i] CURRICULUM • It seems that no matter how clear the curriculum is, the students appeared not • to be prepared for extra load of library or field study and shared team work. • Students tend to interpret it as the lecturer’s reluctance to teach them; • “However, I found that some students ended up with frustration because • they might have this misconception of the lecturers not doing their jobs” • [Nancy]. • In addition, the legitimate concern of the students might be the question of how • the lecturer is going to assess their individual progress. • One lecturer felt strongly that a minority of students would feel very threatened • and underachieve and that a ‘hybrid’ curriculum was more likely to meet their • needs. • “Working in groups is not always something beneficial. I have had • good experiences with it, but some people cannot cope at all and • are better off with a solitary type of learning” • [Irene] 17 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  18. findings 3. CHALLENGES cont … • [ii] DELIVERY & ROLE • The lecturers must re-evaluate their role when using PBL and focus on how to facilitate the learning process rather than being the supplier of knowledge in a highly didactic, teacher-centred environment. • It involves letting go of decisions about students learning, trusting students • and accepting that students will learn even if they have not been supplied with • a lecture or handout. • The conflict for these lecturers was in allowing students to manage • knowledge for themselves, when in previous roles and relationships with • students they have invariably been the controllers of knowledge for a very long • time. • “Actually in the beginning it was quite hard because I wasn’t too used • of not having students doing all the things whereby I just like facilitate • them but as I went along I got on quite well with it” • [Nancy]. 18 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  19. findings 3. CHALLENGES cont … • [iii] GROUP SKILLS • The lecturers learned that the best way to support collaboration was to intervene • as little as possible, and let students to make their own decisions and work out • their own problems. • However, in standing back it became more difficult for lecturers to scaffold • student learning and keep an eye on those who were finding new ways of • learning difficult. • They were also aware that previous experiences of group work had turned-off • most students and thus initially needed to be pro-active in dealing with some • negative attitudes. • “… if it involves group, the chances are there will be a few people • who will be very dominant, who will control the class or control the • group and the rest will be sided partners” • [Nick]. • “… it happen to be that we are working in a group but it turns up that • a few become passengers … a friend of mine and I were the ones • who did all this stuff actually” • [Yvonne]. 19 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  20. summary • Lecturers’ opinions appear to confirm that the PBL approach is well received by ESP lecturers. • PBL was initially adopted as an interesting way of designing a curriculum that appeared to offer potential for student learning. • However, the complexity of undertaking it soon became apparent that the lecturers began to understand PBL as more than simply an approach to teaching. • Upon evaluation and reflection of the one or two years of practice, they have recognised that their particular interpretation of this educational strategy was heavily influenced by personal conceptions of teaching and the unique context in which they operated. • it also means a dramatic change in the classroom culture • They have also recognised that the characteristic of PBL provided a notable challenge and collaborative learning has become a particular focus for research and development 20 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

  21. summary • It is discovered that working in this manner has opened the students’ eyes to new possibilities in their education generally and language learning in particular; new ways of thinking about themselves as learners and new ways to learn. • It is also apparent that although the course was grounded in a language learning communication discipline, knowledge areas had become more specialised than have been expected at this level because of the emphasis placed on the affordance of flexible self-directed learning and enquiry. • Embarking on such an educational strategy inevitably requires lecturers and students to challenge their conceptions of teaching and learning, and considerable energy is required to undertake such an initiative. • Students and lecturers in our Malaysian context who are so used to more traditional teaching are definitely to experience initial difficulties adjusting to PBL but those willing to go the extra mile and undertake such a journey are apt to realise its full potential. 21 E. Anthony [EDULEARN, 2011 BARCELONA]

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