problem based learning

This study aims to identify expert consensus on the indicators of authenticity in problem-based assessment tasks within higher education contexts. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 27 assessment and curriculum experts from universities and educational institutions in Tehran. Participants were selected purposively based on their expertise in assessment design and problem-based learning. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify major themes and subthemes, ensuring a rigorous and systematic exploration of expert perspectives. Analysis of the data revealed three overarching themes as key indicators of authenticity in problem-based assessment tasks: real-world relevance, cognitive demand and learner engagement, and assessment transparency and fairness. Within these themes, subthemes such as alignment with professional practice, societal impact, authentic resources, collaboration, reflection, clear criteria, equity, and student voice were identified as critical. Experts consistently emphasized the importance of simulating professional environments, addressing meaningful societal problems, fostering higher-order thinking, and ensuring transparent, inclusive assessment processes. The study provides a comprehensive, expert-informed framework for designing authentic problem-based assessments in higher education. By highlighting multidimensional indicators that span real-world alignment, cognitive complexity, and transparent, equitable practices, the findings offer practical guidance for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the relevance, effectiveness, and fairness of assessment. Adoption of these indicators may better prepare students for the complex challenges of contemporary professional and societal contexts.

Teaching and development of writing skill in foreign language education is very important, but it has been regarded as a challenging task for some teachers especially in the context of teaching English as a Foreign Language, In this respect, different teaching approaches, including Problem-Based Learning (PBL) have been developed to help learners improve their writing skills. This study sought to investigate the effect of problem-based learning on Iranian EFL learners’ argumentative writing performance. To fulfill the above purpose 46 EFL upper intermediate female learners within the age range of 16-18 were selected through a convenience sampling design, out of a population of 73 learners, based on their performance on a First Certificate in English test (FCE). Then, they were randomly assigned into two groups of problem-based and traditional product- based group. Both groups took a pretest at the beginning of the study to measure the amount of pre-existing knowledge on argumentative writing performance including its components of (Generic features, syntactical language, and spelling) and a post-test in the end to check the effectiveness of the treatment applied. PBL group benefited from PBL method and the control group received traditional writing instruction method. The results of the study, based on the analysis of covariance, indicated that PBL group outperformed the control group in writing performance, including its component of generic features, syntactical language, and spelling. Teachers, EFL learners, material developers, and syllabus designers can be the beneficiaries of this inquiry's outcomes.

The objective of the present investigation is to examine the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on the development of listening comprehension competencies in the Arabic language.

This research was conducted as a quasi-experimental study employing a pre-test-post-test framework inclusive of a control group. The statistical population under consideration comprised Arabic language students enrolled at Farhangian University of Bandar Abbas during the academic year 2022. The sampling technique utilized was a non-probability method, which resulted in the participation of 58 individuals who were randomly allocated into two distinct groups: an experimental group consisting of 29 individuals and a control group also comprising 29 individuals. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) technique was employed for the purpose of data analysis.

The findings of this study indicated a statistically significant disparity between the experimental and control groups, demonstrating that the participants in the experimental group exhibited more pronounced changes.

Consequently, one may infer that the PBL approach has effectively enhanced students' listening comprehension abilities, thereby encouraging both educators and learners to implement the PBL strategy within the domain of listening comprehension to foster oral communication skills.

Problem-based language learning approaches can prove advantageous in fostering meaningful language learning and enhancing language proficiency. The present sequential explanatory mixed-methods study aimed to explore the perspectives of Iranian EFL teachers regarding problem-based learning (PBL), and the challenges they confronted in its application. To this end, forty male and female Iranian EFL teachers from high schools and language institutes in Alborz province were selected using convenience sampling. In the course of the study first, a questionnaire was employed to gauge teachers' perceptions of problem-based language learning. To collect the required data, the Teachers' Perceptions of Problem-Based Learning (TPPBL)questionnaire was developed and validated. Afterwards, an interview was conducted to triangulate the data and provide nuanced insights into the challenges faced in implementing PBL. The gathered data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings unveiled that the participants held positive perceptions regarding PBL implementation in language classes. However, they addressed various challenges including role adjustment, inadequate training and experience, lack of suitable instructional materials, and time constraints while implementing PBL techniques. The implications of these findings extend to EFL teacher educators, teachers, learners, and researchers, offering valuable insights for enhancing language teaching practices and addressing challenges associated with PBL implementation.

The present study aimed at investigating an already-proposed problem-based model of writing on Iranian EFL learners’ writing skill.

In so doing, an experimental pre-test post-test control group study was designed. The participants of the study consisted of 60 female advanced EFL learners who were randomly selected from eighty-eight learners who were passing an IELTS preparation course at a private language institute. The study sample was randomly assigned into two groups (each consisting of 30 learners) namely, the experimental and the control groups. Two samples of IELTS Writing Task 2 were used for the purpose of measuring the participants’ writing skill at the beginning (pre-test) and end (post-test) of the study. To analyze the data, normality test, descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e., analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test) was used.

The results of data analysis showed that the proposed problem-based model of writing affects Iranian EFL learners’ writing skill.

The findings have pedagogical implications for EFL teachers and learners, and curriculum planners.

Transactional distance as an instrumental concept affects the learning process, particularly in distant education. This quasi-experimental study aims to implement problem-based learning (PBL) in EFL online education and investigate its impact on transactional distance and comprehension ability. Two groups of participants from the basic level participated in this study. One participated as an experimental group (N = 40) and the other as a control group (N = 40). The participants’ language proficiency was checked by the Ket English Test (KET). These two groups followed PBL and lecture-based methods respectively. These two groups accomplished pre-testing and post-testing on Transactional Distance Scale (RSTD) by Paul, Swart, Zhang, and MacLeod, (2015) and a reading comprehension test constructed by the researcher. Based on multivariate and one-way analysis of variance, the findings showed that the experimental group had a low level of transactional distance and a high level of comprehension ability. Practitioners should draw their attention to constructivists’ methods of teaching if they want to provoke deep meaningful learning in EFL educational contexts. The results of this study can demonstrate that it is possible to bring about changes in EFL educational settings to promote language learning and class is the main place where the change can occur.

Since writing is characterized with a cognitive nature, one practical approach to improve EFL learners' writing skill is to resort to inquiry-based learning approaches such as problem-based learning (PBL) which is characterized with a high cognitive demand and often contribute to high retention of knowledge. This study aimed at exploring Iranian EFL learners’ perceptions of problem-based learning. In so doing, a content analysis design was used within the qualitative paradigm. The participants consisted of 15 (8 females and 7 males) advanced EFL learners who participated in the study through purposive sampling from different language institutes in Tehran. The data were gathered through a semi-structured interview. Data analysis was conducted through thematic analysis. Based on the interview data, the following themes were extracted: Engagement, collaboration, personal preferences, sharing knowledge, novelty, less supportive teachers, joyful learning process, and use of adequate technologies, time requirements, affecting vocabulary learning, changing students' perception about the learning process and the teachers' role. The results have some implications for EFL teachers and learners, and curriculum planners. Key Words: Collaboration, Engagement, Writing, Problem-based Learning.

In early 2020, the coronavirus outbreak compelled higher education institutions worldwide to cancel campus-based teaching and conduct a variety of electronic learning which led to assessment of the quality of e-learning and its results, such as learning and self-efficacy. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of problem-based e-learning (PBe-L) on the learning and academic efficacy of students during the COVID-19 pandemic in ‘An Introduction of Educational Technology Course’. The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test/ post-test design with experimental and control groups. The statistical population of this study consisted of undergraduate students in the field of educational sciences studying in the University of Tehran. 38 students were selected as the research sample using the available sampling method and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. PBe-L was conducted for the experimental group and the control group experienced the direct learning approach. A researcher-made learning test and Morgan-Jinks Student Efficacy Scale (1999) were used. The results showed that the mean of learning and self-efficacy of the experimental group increased from 7.92 and 57.00 in the pre-test to 18.51 and 76.57 in the post-test respectively. The results of covariance showed that the mean scores of the post-test of the two groups were statistically significant (p≥0.005). The results of this study showed that the use of PBe-L during the COVID-19 pandemic can be effective in increasing the students’ learning and academic efficacy.

This study aimed at designing a problem-based model of writing development for Iranian EFL learners. To this end, a qualitative content analysis method was used. The participants included EFL teachers (N=10) and learners (N=15) with teaching and learning experience in writing courses at different language institutes of Iran. They were selected through purposive sampling. To collect the data, a semi-structured interview was used. More particularly, initially, the respondents in this study were interviewed to find out what their views about PBL is. The researchers began the qualitative data collection procedure and continued until data was saturated. The semi-structured questions administered to the respondents dealt with various aspects of PBL including: searching for answers, collaborative learning, cognitive thinking, learner-centered learning, diminished rule of the teacher, feedback dynamics in PBL, synthesis of data, and application of findings. By using the views of participants with regards to PBL, a new PBL model for the writing skill were designed. The findings can have implications for EFL teachers, learners, and curriculum planners.

Problem-based learning (PBL) has recently gained prominence because of its potential to engage learners in learning process and to encourage deep meaningful knowledge construction. This quasi-experimental research, hence, aimed at implementing PBL in an EFL context to investigate its impact on participants’ engagement and reading comprehension. Two groups of elementary level students, one as experimental group (N = 40) and one as control group (N = 40) whose homogeneity in language proficiency was examined by Key English Test (KET) were selected. The experimental group received PBL and the control group received lecture-based method. The two groups completed pre- and posttests of PETALS engagement instrument (PEI) and reading comprehension. The results, based on multivariate analysis of covariance and one-way analysis of covariance, indicated that the PBL group had higher engagement and more enhanced reading comprehension ability. To have highly engaged successful learners in reading comprehension classes, practitioners in EFL context should pay special attention to student-centered methods like PBL.

To cultivate effective reading, all teaching practices must develop higher-order processing, which involves enhancing reading comprehension and its components of vocabulary, grammar, and text structure. This quasi-experimental research aimed at implementing problem-based learning (PBL) with hard scaffolds in a general English course in the Iranian EFL context to investigate its impact on the participants’ reading comprehension. Two intact groups of elementary students, one as the experimental group (N = 40) and one as the control group (N =40) whose homogeneity in language proficiency was checked through the Key English Test (KET) were selected. The experimental group underwent the PBL method with hard scaffolds and the control group received a mainstream reading instruction method. The two groups completed pre-and posttests of reading comprehension. The results of the study, based on multivariate analysis of covariance, indicated that the PBL group with hard scaffolds outperformed the control group in reading comprehension, including its components of vocabulary, grammar, and text structure. The results of the study suggest that practitioners could pay special attention to the PBL method in EFL educational contexts to enhance students’ higher order processing, vocabulary and grammar learning, and text structure knowledge.