AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPLICATION OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSES IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE

i MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN MANH CUONG AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE APPLICATION OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSES IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Code: 60.14.01.11 MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION SUPERVISOR Tran Ba Tien, Ph.D Nghe An, 2017 i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself Nghe An, July 28th, 2017 Author’s signature Nguyen Manh Cuong ii ABSTRACT Project-Based Learning is a student-centered and directed approach, which has been introduced in some high schools in Viet Nam for several years and partially met student’s needs However, how to apply Project-Based Leaching effectively in English classes is still a challenge for administrators and teachers This study describes how high school teachers and students actually perceived Project-Based Learning and how the method was applied in English classes in Quang Binh province The research was conducted among 20 teachers and 60 students of two upper secondary schools To complete this study, such tools of data collection as survey questionnaires, classroom observation and interviews were employed The findings indicate that most teachers and students were fully aware of the necessity and benefits of Project-Based Learning in teaching and learning English However, some young teachers did not know how to instruct students to carry out the project In addition, most of the participants still faced many difficulties when implementing the method Basing on these findings, some necessary solutions were suggested to make the application of PBL more effective Key words: Project-Based Learning, Project-Based Teaching, studentcentered, motivation, implementing, application, pilot textbooks of English iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Tran Ba Tien - my supervisor for his invaluable advice, constructive criticism, precious correction and helpful encouragement in the completion of my thesis.Without his valuable instructions and assistance, this paper would never be finished My special thanks go to the staff of Vinh University, faculty lecturers from Department of Foreign Languages for their providing helpful guidelines and support in ensuring the success of my thesis I also express my deepest gratefulness to the leaders of Quang Binh Department of Education and Training, the leaders and the specialists of the Secondary Education Department for providing me with the most favorable conditions to my further study Hereby, I wish to sincerely thank all the teachers and students of Foreign Language Department at Vo Nguyen Giap Gifted High School and Ninh Chau High School for answering the questionnaires and interviews, which are indispensable for the analysis and discussion in my study I also would like to thank my beloved friends - Le Thi Kieu Oanh and Nguyen Thi Ai Lien, who are always ready to share all my happiness and sorrow and give me useful advice when needed Finally and always, my heartfelt thanks go to my family whose support is indispensable for the fulfillment of my thesis iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY i ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii TABLE OF FIGURES viii TABLE OF TABLES .ix Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the study .4 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Design of the study Chapter THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Project-Based Learning 2.1.1 Project 2.1.1.1 Definitions of project 2.1.1.2 Types of project 2.1.2 Project-Based Learning 2.1.2.1 Definitions of Project-Based Learning .9 2.1.2.2 Key features of Project-Based Learning 11 2.1.2.3 Benefits of Project-Based Learning 13 2.1.2.4 Drawbacks of Project-Based Learning 16 2.1.2.5 The procedure to a project 17 v 2.1.2.6 Roles of teachers and learners in Project-Based Learning 18 2.1.2.7 Assessment of project work 23 2.2 Researches on PBL 28 2.3 An introduction to the upper secondary pilot curriculum and textbooks 30 2.3.1 The objectives of the upper secondary pilot curriculum and textbooks 30 2.3.2 The contents of the upper secondary set of pilot textbooks 31 2.3.3 The structure of the upper secondary set of pilot textbooks 33 Chapter RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 34 3.1 Context of Study .34 3.2 Participants .36 3.3 Data collection instruments 37 3.3.1 Questionnaires .37 3.3.2 Class observations .38 3.3.3 Ethnographic in-depth interviews .38 3.4 Procedures 39 3.5 Summary 39 Chapter FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 41 4.1 Introduction 41 4.2 Teachers’ and students’ perception of Project-Based Learning 41 4.2.1 Teachers’ perception of PBL 41 4.2.2 Students’ perception of PBL 45 4.3 Teachers’ and students’ implementation of PBT and PBL .47 4.3.1 Teachers’ implementation of PBT 47 4.3.2 Students’ implementation of PBL 51 4.4 Teachers’ and students’ difficulties in PBT and PBL .53 4.4.1 Teachers’ difficulties in PBT 53 4.4.2 Students’ difficulties in PBL 55 vi 4.5 Teachers’ solutions to difficulties in PBT .56 4.6 Students’ solutions to difficulties in PBL .59 4.7 Discussion 61 4.7.1 Teachers’ and students’ perception of PBL 62 4.7.2 Teachers’ and students’ implementation of PBL 62 4.7.3 Teachers’ and students’ difficulties in PBT and PBL 64 4.7.4 Teachers’ and students’ solutions to difficulties in PBT and PBL .65 Chapter CONCLUSION 67 5.1 Summary of the key findings 67 5.2 Implications 69 5.2.1 Implications for administrators 69 5.2.2 Implications for high school teachers 70 5.2.3 Implications for high school students 72 5.3 Limitations of the study 72 5.4 Further research 73 REFERENCES 75 APPENDICES .80 APPENDIX 80 APPENDIX 85 APPENDIX 90 APPENDIX 92 APPENDIX 93 APPENDIX 94 APPENDIX 96 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DOET MOET PBL PBT VNG Department of Education and Training Ministry of Education and Training Project-Based Learning Project-Based Teaching Võ Nguyên Giáp viii TABLE OF FIGURES Page Figure 2.1 The teachers’ roles in PBL 20 Figure 2.2 The learners’ roles of learning through doing projects within the social context 23 Figure 4.1 Teachers’ perception of the necessity of PBL .42 Figure 4.2 Teachers’ perception of the benefits of PBL .43 Figure 4.3 Teachers’ perception of the procedure of doing a project 44 Figure 4.4 Students’ perception of the necessity of PBL .46 Figure 4.5 Students’ perception of the benefits of PBL .47 Figure 4.6 Teachers’ opinion about the implementation of PBT 47 Figure 4.7 Teachers’ opinion about class organization 48 Figure 4.8 Teachers’ opinion about time allowed to finish the project 49 Figure 4.9 Students’ opinion about the implementation of PBL 51 Figure 4.10 Students’ opinion about class organization .52 Figure 4.11 Students’ opinion about time allowed to finish the project .53 Figure 4.12 Teachers’ difficulties in PBT .53 Figure 4.13 Students’ difficulties in PBL .55 ix TABLE OF TABLES Page Table 2.1 Themes and topics in the high school pilot curriculum .32 Table 4.1 Result from class observation 50 Table 4.2 Teachers’ solutions to difficulties in PBT 57 Table 4.3 Students’ solutions to difficulties in PBL 60 91 B Đồng ý  C Khơng có ý kiến  D Khơng đồng ý  E Hồn tồn khơng đồng ý  Trong trình tiến hành làm “bài tập dự án-projects” em có hội luyện tập kỹ ngơn ngữ Nghe, Nói, Đọc Viết A Hoàn toàn đồng ý  B Đồng ý  C Khơng có ý kiến  D Khơng đồng ý  E Hồn tồn khơng đồng ý  SECTION II: STUDENTS’ IMPLEMENTING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (QUÁ TRÌNH LÀM CÁC BÀI TẬP DỰ ÁN CỦA HỌC SINH) Hãy đánh dấu () vào ô tương ứng với câu trả lời mà em lựa chọn Thầy/cô hướng dẫn nội dung “bài tập dự án- Projects”, em tự thảo luận chọn cách làm riêng cho nhóm A Hồn tồn đồng ý  B Đồng ý  C Khơng có ý kiến  D Khơng đồng ý  E Hồn tồn khơng đồng ý  92 Thầy/cô thường thông báo trước cho em tiêu chí chấm điểm “bài tập dự án- Projects” A Hoàn toàn đồng ý  B Đồng ý  C Khơng có ý kiến  D Khơng đồng ý  E Hồn tồn khơng đồng ý  Thầy/cô thường cho em làm “bài tập dự án” theo A Cá nhân  B Cặp  C Nhóm 2-3 người  D Nhóm 4-5 người  E Nhóm người  F Nhóm nhiều người  G Cả lớp  Thầy/cô yêu cầu em làm tập dự án bao lâu? A tuần  B tuần  C tuần  D Hơn tuần  SECTION III: STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN PROJECT – BASED LEARNING (KHÓ KHĂN CỦA HỌC SINH TRONG QUÁ TRÌNH HỌC THEO DỰ ÁN) 93 Hãy đánh dấu () vào mà em lựa chọn (Có thể chọn câu trả lời cho câu hỏi đánh dấu () vào tất câu trả lời em lựa chọn Trường hợp có câu trả lời khác, viết vào phần trống lại) Em thường gặp phải khó khăn làm tập dự án? A Chủ đề tập dự án không quen thuộc, gần gũi với em  B Em cách làm tập dự án không hiểu hướng dẫn giáo viên  C Em khơng có đủ thời gian để làm tập dự án  D Em gặp khó khăn tìm tài liệu, tìm kiếm thơng tin liên quan đến dự án  E Hình thức trình bày kết dự án chưa đa dạng phù hợp  F Tiêu chí đánh giá kết dự án giáo viên chưa phù hợp  G Các khó khăn khác: …………………………………………… ……………………………… …………………………………………… ……………………………… …………………………………………… ……………………………… SECTION IV: SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES IN APPLYING PBL (GIẢI PHÁP GIÚP HỌC SINH VƯỢT QUA KHÓ KHĂN TRONG HỌC THEO DỰ ÁN) Hãy đánh dấu () vào ô mà em lựa chọn (Có thể chọn câu trả lời cho câu hỏi đánh dấu () vào tất câu trả lời em lựa chọn Trường hợp có câu trả lời khác, viết vào phần trống lại) 94 Theo em, giải pháp giúp em làm “bài tập dự án” tốt hơn? A Giáo viên cho học sinh nhiều thời gian  B Giáo viên nêu rõ yêu cầu việc sử dụng tự vựng, ngữ pháp dự án gắn liền với học  C Giáo viên cung cấp cho học sinh tài liệu có liên quan đến tập dự án  D Giáo viên cho học sinh tham khảo dự án mẫu  E Giáo viên nên gặp riêng nhóm đến lần q trình thực dự án để tư vấn giúp đỡ  F Giáo viên nêu rõ tiêu chí đánh giá kết trước học sinh thực dự án  G Giáo viên hướng dẫn cách làm kỹ qua guildlines, rubrics and checklists  H Giáo viên nên cho học sinh trình bày dự án theo cách khác  I Các giải pháp khác: …………………………………………… ……………………………… …………………………………………… ……………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… 95 APPENDIX ASSESSMENT SHEET FOR CLASSROOM OBSERVATION Teacher’s name: ………………………………………………………… School: ………………………………………………………………… Class: …………………………………………………………………… Lesson: ………………………………………………………………… Content Yes(v)/No( x) The procedure to implement the project Step 1: Students and instructor agree on a theme for the project Step 2: Determine the final outcome Step 3: Structure the project Step 4: Instructor prepares students for the demands of information gathering Step 5: Gather information Step 6: Instructor prepares students to compile and analyze data Step 7: Students compile and analyze information Step 8: Instructor prepares students for the language demands of the final activity Step 9: Present final product Step 10: Evaluate the project Criteria used for assessment The assessing criteria are clear and suitable Teacher lets students know the assessing criteria before asking them to the projects Comment 96 97 APPENDIX INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Do you know the procedure to implement a project? Can you describe it? Do you think high school students benefit a lot from PBL? What difficulties you often meet when applying PBT? Which are the most common ones? What solutions you thinks are the most necessary to minimize the difficulties when implementing PBT? 98 APPENDIX GUIDELINES ON ORAL PRESENTATION Name of the Project: Names of the Group members: _ I INTRODUCTION Group members Introducing name of project Reasons for choosing the topic II CONTENT A …… B …… C …… III CONCLUSION Concluding the contents Giving some key values IV QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Answer questions related to the topic from the teacher and the audience 99 APPENDIX Oral Presentation Rubric: ……………………………… Teacher Name: …………………………………………………… … Student’s full name: ……………………………………………… … 100 CATEG ORY Shows Content a full Shows a Shows a good Does understanding not of the topic understandin of parts of the understand of the topic seem the to topic topic Student is able Student very well is Student is able Student is to to to accurately able all almost accurately accurately unable posted by questions answer posted classmates posted about the topic classmates by questions by classmates about posted about and speech all and and distinctly mumbles or and the time, and (100-95%) pronunci mispronounces the time, but Mispronounce ation no words mispronoun (100-95%) distinctly all most (94-85%) cannot Enthusias Facial of the expressions and expressions be time understood OR s no more than mispronounc one one word word Facial body language and the topic Speaks clearly Often Clear ces by the classmates the topic topic Speaks clearly Speaks distinctly clearly to answer a few accurately questions answer most questions about m E good answer ension SCOR understanding g Compreh es more than Facial one word Very little expressions use of facial body and body expressions 101 generate strong a language language interest sometimes and enthusiasm generate a generate enthusiasm topic Student completely Prepared ness prepared has rehearsed Did enthusiasm, interest and but about not generate seem much somewhat interest the pretended topic with the others is Student body used to try to language about the topic strong with the others are or in being presented The student is Student does seems pretty somewhat not seem at and prepared but prepared, but it all prepared fully might have is needed clear that to present a rehearsal was couple more lacking rehearsals Total score … 20 / 102 18-20: Excellent, 16-17: Good, 14-15: Satisfactory, 12-13: Unsatisfactory,