Problem-based learning: implementation of PBL in teaching foreign language

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PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING: IMPLEMENTATION OF PBL IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE

problem based learning language

Н.Є. Дмітренко, І.В. Доля, Вінниця, Україна

N.Ye. Dmitrenko, I.V. Dolia, Vinnytsia, Ukraine

Annotation. The article deals with problem-based learning (PBL) that combines theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the educational process of learning foreign language. It is considered that PBL is an effective learning method which helps students to become responsible and initiative. PBL main goals, principles and steps of application in the process of learning foreign language are observed in the article. It is cleared up that problem-based learning focuses on practical learning where students solve real-life badly structured problems. The participants of PBL process have to plan, monitor and evaluate the learning process actively, interpret personally their previous knowledge and experience and after their self-study and mutual interaction within the group, they are able to construct and reconstruct their knowledge networks. The authors state that implementation of PBL gives students a sense of ownership over their learning and empowers participants with valuable skills that motivate students to learn and gives abilities to achieve good results.

Combination of traditional and innovative methods of education stimulates creativity of students within their preparation for practical work. Problem situations with the use of foreign language allow to make mental activity of students active. Students have to think and resolve the problem. In the centre of their attention is the idea, and the language helps in formation and formulation of this idea.

Key words: problem-based learning (PBL); solution of the problem; motivation of students; a tutor; learning of foreign language, creative thinking.

ПРОБЛЕМНО-ОРІЄНТОВАНЕ НАВЧАННЯ: ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ПОН У ВИКЛАДАННІ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ

Анотація. У статті розглянуто проблемно-орієнтоване навчання (ПОН), яке поєднує в собі теоретичні знання і практичні навички, що застосовуються у процесі вивчення іноземної мови. Вважається, що ПОН є ефективним методом навчання, який допомагає студентам ставати більш відповідальними та ініціативними. У статті висвітлюються основні цілі, принципи і етапи застосування ПОН у процесі вивчення іноземної мови. Наголошується, що ПОН має практичний характер навчаючи студентів вирішувати проблемні ситуації реального життя. Учасники ПОН вчаться планувати, моніторити і оцінювати процес навчання, особисто інтерпретувати їх попередні знання і досвід, і, після самостійної роботи та групової взаємодії, вони здатні побудувати і реконструювати їх власні мережі знань і вмінь. З'ясовано, що реалізація ПОН на заняттях з іноземної мови робить студентів центром навчального процесу, водночас, викладач виконує функцію фасілітатора, а не джерела знань, стимулюючи студентів до пошуку власних рішень проблем. Доведено, що реалізація ПОН надає студентам відчуття причетності до навчання і наділяє цінними навичками і вміннями, що мотивують студентів до навчання і надають їм можливості досягати гарних результатів.

Проблемні ситуації з використанням іноземної мови дозволяють зробити розумову діяльність студентів більш активною і цілеспрямованою. Поєднання традиційних й інноваційних методів навчання у процесі вивчення іноземної мови стимулює творчість студентів в рамках підготовки до практичної роботи та професійної діяльності.

Ключові слова: проблемно-орієнтоване навчання (ПОН); вирішення проблеми; мотивація студентів; тьютер; навчання іноземної мови; творче мислення.

1. The central place of the course or the program is occupied by difficult, badly structured, original problem (Barrows, 2002).

2. The original problem is adhered to real vital situation and requires from students the application of wide spectrum of knowledge and skills.

3. The process of study is focused on students and it is expected, they will undertake initiative and responsibility for the process of educational knowledge (Barrows, 2002; Hmelo-Silver & Barrows, 2006).

4. An individual approach to students during the decision of problems.

5. Multidisciplinary approach to the decision of problems.

6. The teacher plays a role of accompanying facilitator, an instructor (tutor).

7. Students work in small groups to obtain knowledge and find the decision of problems.

8. The estimation of study experience contains tutor's evaluation, self-esteem and group-mates estimation.

9. The estimation is used as a tool for reflection and analysis of educational process.

The process of teaching foreign languages can become more effective with the help of input of problem situations in the educational process. PBL is considered as a principle and a new type of educational process, as a method of study and as a new didactic system. Problematical character, as the priority direction of the personal- guided approach in the process of learning foreign languages, can be realized at all levels of the organization of teaching materials and educational process itself. Problem submission of materials promotes the increase of efficiency of the process of education as it stimulates mental activity, independent search of information, and aspiration to the analysis and generalization. The application of the principle of problematical character allows varying teaching material, receptions of teaching in view of the contents of education, forms of the organization of educational process, a level of students' knowledge and their readiness for independent work.

The core subject matters of PBL are focused on:

- topicality which is caused by necessity of active participation in complex projects. It provides the development of abilities, creative thinking and independence of students, application of obtained theoretical knowledge, practical skills and competences;

- interdisciplinary character of study is connected with constant need of using students' knowledge for the performance of tasks and their effective decisions;

- complex solution of tasks which is set for the statement and common research of challenges, analysis and generalization of the material investigated and collected independently with the purpose to search the optimum way and reveal probable variants of problems decisions;

- motivating character of learning is directed to the development of students' interest in educational process, intent for constant self-improvement, self-education by offering them to choose, opportunities to supervise process and to cooperate with group-mates;

- reliability and accuracy of learning is directed to realization of such projects which are of interest for modern society, science and education;

- adjustment for cooperation is predetermined by need of the common performance of tasks, the decision of challenges, setting partner relationships with the teacher;

- positive mood results from stimulation of cognitive activity of students, gives them freedom of choice and independence (Beringer, 2007).

On the contrary of traditional instructions, which are quite frequently received by students during the conventional lectures, learning of material within the process of PBL usually passes as practical classes in small groups of students, in the form of discussion which is directed by the teacher. By virtue of that, the volume of direct instructions in PBL is erected to a minimum; students incur the big responsibility for their own learning. Thus, the role of the teacher can be reduced from the expert of the discussed problem and the sources of information to the adviser and facilitator of the group task performance (Hmelo-Silver, 2004). In theory, this approach enables the students to become more effective collaborators, develop self-directed learning and problem-solving skills, construct extensive flexible knowledge which goes beyond the learning of facts and raises the intrinsic motivation (Dmitrenko, 2016).

Hence, PBL allows to form and fix skills, to develop them, and to achieve a consensus, to guide around information fields and interdisciplinary situations. One of the main requirements of PBL is active cooperation with the purpose of all-around learning of the problem and formation of viable decisions. The application of PBL is possible in any scientific branch, but demands thorough training in the organization of teaching and educational process and taking into account features of studying that inherent in different disciplines.

The authors elaborated the survey to reveal the level of knowledge and skills of PBL implementation at the lessons of foreign languages. Using the questionnaire among 80 students and educators of Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University they have investigated a) educators' experience of problems during guiding students' PBL usage b) whether participants feel competent in dealing with PBL c) the need of methodological support in the process of PBL implementation.

The conducted survey has shown that 100% of recipients would like to use PBL at the lessons of foreign languages. But only 30% have been aware of PBL structure, stages of realization, and how to create problem situations. The analyses reveal that both students and educators have lack of knowledge, abilities, and skills as for the implementation of PBL during the lessons of foreign languages. The article aims to present the model of implementation of PBL; find out the main stages of its implementation at the lessons of foreign languages; clear up the role of the educator and students in PBL.

PBL at the lessons of foreign language allows to develop creative activity of students; to raise their motivation, independence, awareness about the contents of the future profession; to develop mental skills.

The model of the process of PBL at the lessons of foreign language contains:

1. Introduction to the problem, supervision, and discussion of the received information: students are offered to discuss the problem submitted by the teacher, find out terms and concepts.

2. The formulation of questions, ideas, and hypotheses: for the best understanding of the problem students use knowledge of their previous life experience and find out, what remains uncertain and formulate a question for further research.

3. Gathering information for decision of a problem: distribution of roles and tasks, the search for the necessary information, self-study.

4. A plan of actions: students integrate the received information; compare results, exchange arguments and offer ways of the problem decision.

5. A reflection: students discuss what knowledge and skills they have got while solving the problem and evaluate each other.

The contents of teaching material determine the levels of PBL which depend on the existence of the certain conditions for creation problem situations of different levels of complexity. Taking all this aspects into consideration the authors allocate four levels of problematic character:1) level which provides application of preliminary acquired knowledge in new situations; 2) level which provides the activity based on the reproduction, repetition; 3) searching and reproductive level; 4) creative level.

The key question of PBL is "the problem situation" which is created by the teacher with the certain purpose. It contains difficult theoretical and practical question which demands learning, expansion, research in ratio with certain conditions and circumstances. The problem situation, as a rule, has two sides: Subject and semantic, which is connected with allocation of contradictions of the basic knowledge, insufficient volume of certain essential information; Motivational, which is directed to comprehension of contradictions and stimulation of desire to overcome them under condition of mastering by students of certain new knowledge.

The basic features of the successfully developed problem are: connection with a real life and motivation of students; description of several connected phenomena and events; complex problem is unsatisfactorily formulated; need for decision-making, judiciousness and moderation; necessity of group decision-making; demand of full answers which induce to discussion; need for learning new key concepts; it is connected to the educational purposes and problems; adapts with the previous knowledge; it is submitted in a corresponding authentic context; stimulates interest; includes integration of thinking; has final result which can be applied in a real life.

The speech problem situation requires its successful decision, promotes independent search activity of students, stimulates their cognitive interest, provides development of critical thinking and creative abilities of the participants involved in the discussion.Such form of dialogue allows to discuss successfully all questions, to achieve their essence, and what is more important, leaves deep trace in their memory, than "scoring" authoritative opinion of the teacher.

While PBL, teacher does not share his knowledge (information) but raises a problem and awakens the interest to it, stimulates students' desire to find ways to solve it. In this case, we are not talking about the decision of the problem which is given, but about the form of representing (teaching) of the known educational information through statements and discussions of questions which have not been developed, excluded and solved by science in practice. Thus, the role of teacher is to encourage active discussion of the problem, organization of complementary work of students, possibility of reception of corresponding information, maintenance the essence of the problem during the discussion.

Working with the group the teacher (tutor) should: promote interaction between students and cooperation in groups to achieve the purpose; listen attentively to students and prepare them for new problems; ask questions and induce to the discussion; explain how the teaching material is organized; observe the progress and performance. It is necessary for the tutor to avoid the following actions: to represent himself as a head, chairman; to read lectures on traditional basis; to impose to group his own knowledge and standards; and to help students to investigate the problem.

The teacher-facilitator has the following competences: possession of internal motivation, that is strong belief in the approach, directed to the student; awareness in creation of good problem situation; possession of subject knowledge and internal resources; ability to accompany the process of study effectively, to help students to conduct their own cognitive activity independently; adequate group-work management; skilful aspiration of students to the usage of additional resources; ability to apply technologies effectively as informational source and instrument of development.

While teaching foreign languages, the most effective is the development of another language professional communicative competence. Thus, tasks in PBL have strongly denominated professional character, and statement of the problem, substantiation of its topicality, description of methods and course of research, representation of conclusions and results occur to active lexicon and phraseology of foreign language. Problem situations with the use of foreign languages allow to make mental activity of students active. Role-playing of various situations at the lessons of foreign language in oral and written forms of dialogues helps students to be integrated into the process of speaking another language professionally to adapt and to be ready for the realities of future professional career.

Particularity of the subject "Foreign Language" and the degree of its complexity cause application of problem-based tasks which promote optimization of students' speech activity and practical formation of skills. In the context of studying foreign languages special attention is paid to such groups of problem tasks as: searching and game tasks, communicative and searching tasks, communicatively guided tasks, cognitive and searching tasks, cultural tasks. The basic properties of problem-based tasks are authentic dialogues at the lessons; topicality of the task for participants; the complexity of the task; an information inequality of partners (participants who have different interests and supplementary hobbies); creative character.

To develop students' communicative skills outside of the language environment, it is not enough to fill the lessons with conditional and communicative or communicative exercises which allows to solve communicative problems. It is important to suggest the students to think, to resolve problems with generate ideas, to think about the ways of solution of these problems so that students could focus on the contents of the statement but in the centre of attention there is an idea, and the language acts in its direct function - formation and formulation of this idea.

Conclusions

Mastering the method of PBL the student becomes an expert of the new level, allocated by creative abilities, critical thinking, professional competence, ability to produce and make decisions in changeable situations by means of foreign language in view of other people's culture, provides application of PBL. Such study allows future experts of any branch to form certain models of scientific research; test themselves for professional eligibility; search the most effective ways of solving the problem; and predict the results of their decisions by means of foreign language communicative competence.

References

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