PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

NATURE OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING - Problem-based learning is an approach that involves a
process of inquiry and solving open-ended questions that serve as the main problem that the
learners will work on. The type of questions posited is focused on a specific content standard
and its application to real life issues.
GOAL: To ensure that the target, the learning competencies, are achieved in the process.

Ali (2019) described PBL as a process that is used to identify problems with a scenario to
increase knowledge and understanding.
Five principles of PBL:
1. It is a power of independent and self-directed learning.
2. Learning happens in a group and teacher is a facilitator.
3. All groups have to participate equally.
4. Students' learn about motivation, teamwork, problem-solving and engagement with the
task.
5. Materials such as data, photographs, articles, can be used to solve the problem.
BENEFITS OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
(Ghufron & Ermawati, 2018, p. 666-in n EFL writing class)
1. Promotes self-confidence and motivation
2. Reduces students' nervousness during the learning process
3. Increases students' responsibility in learning
4. Makes students easily learn the material through sharing of ideas
5. Promotes problem-solving skills
6. Promotes self-directed learning
7. Promotes active learning
8. Makes students explore many learning resources
9. Makes students develop positive attitude towards learning
For Baresh, Ali, & Darmi, 2019-EFL students:

 Enhances fluency in communication

 Improves grammar
 Increases comprehension
 Enhances good pronunciations and intonations
 Enhances self-confidence
 Increases range of vocabulary
 The study of Lin (2017) revealed statistically that the PBL participants showed more
improvement in their reading comprehension than the non-PBL participants. The study further
looked into the PBL active English learning attitudes of the two groups and found that the PBL
participants' "motivation intensity, their desire to learn English, and communication inside and
outside the classroom were significantly higher than those of the participants of the non-PBL
group" (p. 116). The research also found that the PBL participants' active English learning
attitudes are significantly related to their reading comprehension.
ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY
How is technology integrated in the PBL activity? As the learners embark on an open-
ended question collaboratively, there are a number of free online tools that they can use from
the commencement of the task to its completion especially that some of the group tasks will be
done outside the regular class hours. These online tools will allow the learners to be actively
connected and engaged in the group task while monitoring their own contributions.
The teacher acting as facilitator may also have the opportunity to peep into the
activities of each learner thereby enabling him/her to give feedback at any stage of the PBL
activity. Bower, Hedberg and Kuswara (2010) stress that technology is simply the mediator for
collaboration and representation and that it is the type of task and thinking processes in which
students engage that determine the quality of learning.
The WWW has opportunities for PBL that can be utilized by the learners to accomplish their
tasks. Web 2.0 technologies are characterized by collaboration, sharing and networking. These
may facilitate and enhance PBL activities (Tambouris et al, 2012) in its different stages. In the
study of Kung (2018), it was found that advanced language learners had positive perception
about the use of Web 2.0 technology in writing instruction.
Productivity tools such as those for writing, presentations, spreadsheets, calendars,
organizers, citations and others are also available to assist learners and teachers in
accomplishing required tasks and outputs from a PBL activity. There are free tools that can be
downloaded for mobile phones, laptops or desktops. Before using or recommending these tools
to learners, it is important that teachers take note or try out the tools first to be familiar with the
most appropriate tool for the PBL activity.

PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING AND

LEARNING

OPEN-ENDED TOOLS AND THEIR USES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

LANGUAGE
Open-ended tools or productivity software applications are ICT tools, which help the teachers
and the learners make their learning together concrete, efficient, encouraging, and meaningful.
In any teaching-learning process, the use of the tools play a vital role as it helps meet the
demands of the learners in the 21stCentury classrooms.
Palmer (2015) 21st Century Characteristics of Teachers in the Context of Language
Teaching
1. Create a learner centered classroom and make instruction personalized because
learners have different personalities, goals, and needs;
2. Facilitate the students' productivity skills so they can produce, when assisted and given
the chance, movies that are helpful to enhance their language proficiency;
3. Learn new technologies since technology keeps on developing and learning a tool
once is not an option for teachers.
4. Go global to allow students to learn languages, culture, and acquire communication
skills virtually;
5. Be smart and allow the use of devices as aids to language acquisition;
6. Do blogging. This will give teachers real experience to see the value of writing for real
audience and establishing their digital presence;
7. go digital to help promote the "go paperless" advocacy and to help level up the
language learning experience of the students through digital discussions and alike;
8. collaborate with other educators and students to give opportunity for the sharing of
great ideas beyond a conversation and paper copy;
9. use web chats to share research and ideas and stay updated in the field;
10. connect with like minded individuals through using media tools like the social media;
11. Introduce Project -Based Learning to allow students to develop their driving questions,
conduct research, contact experts, and create their projects for sharing with' the use of
existing devices present;
12. build positive digital footprint that aims to model appropriate use of social media,
produce and publish valuable content, and create shareable resources;
13. code as it is today's literacy which helps boost students' writing skills as the feeling of
writing a page with HTML is amazing;
14. innovate to expand their teaching toolbox for the sake of their students by engaging,
social media for discussions and announcements and using new formats like TED talks
in presenting their lessons; and
15. Keep learning
USING OPEN-ENDED TOOLS IN FACILITATING LANGUAGE LEARNING
Microsoft Word - is a word processing program and a free Instructional software that allows
users to type and save documents. It also provides tools to insert pictures, edit, photos, draw
objects, etc. It has general purposes by using pre defined templates available in Microsoft
Word like writing resume, essay, letter, reports, articles, brochure, reflective diary etc.
USES OF MICROSOFT WORD FOR TEACHERS:
Microsoft Word is one of the most commonly used word processing tools by teachers. Word is
used for many purposes including creating worksheets and notes, letters, memos and
permission slips, student reports and to compile school newsletters or newspapers.
USES OF MICROSOFT WORD FOR STUDENTS:
Microsoft word is a productivity tool that helps to transmit educational materials and practice
systematically in school and university faster with higher quality.
USES OF MS WORD IN TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS:
Microsoft Word has become the most commonly used software in education. It offers many
general relative advantages to teachers and students for teaching-learning process. Teacher can
make learning process very effective.

MICROSOFT EXCEL - is a spreadsheet program that is used to record and analyze

numerical data. In the excel spreadsheet, it is the collection of columns and rows that form a
table. Alphabetical letters are usually assigned to the columns and numbers are usually
assigned to the rows.
USES OF MICROSOFT EXCEL
1. Using Excel provides a visual representation of data that makes it easier to analyze.
2. Excel reduces the difficulty of plotting data and allows students a means for
interpreting the data.
3. It helps in analyzing data by giving students a completed chart.
4. Excel can easily convert any chart or data set into a web page, making it very easy to
share information among groups.
5. Excel's ability to dynamically generate charts and graphs in seconds makes it easy to
quickly demonstrate relationships between numbers.
6. As a teaching tool, students can see how different types of graphs and charts can be
used to represent the same series of data.
LIMITATIONS OF MICROSOFT EXCEL
1. Many students have little prior Excel experience.
2. Excel makes data analysis so easy that some students may think that they came to their
conclusions too quickly without checking for accuracy and reliability.
 3. Students find it easier to work on numbers in Excel which can lead to be complacent
on the result without further checking of work.
4. There are many ways in representing data which can be overwhelming for students
who need less choices.
5. The function formulas are hidden when using Excel, and it may make it difficult to
check student work
MICROSOFT PUBLISHER - is an office application and a free desktop publishing tool that
allows you to create professional documents such as newsletters, postcards, flyers, invitations,
brochures, and more using built-in templates.
USES OF MICROSOFT PUBLISHER:
1. Provides students meaningful learning.
2. Enhances decision making skills
3. Improves students' creativity
4. Develops higher level thinking skills
MICROSOFT POWERPOINT - PowerPoint refers specifically to using a Microsoft Office
Program, which enables a person to create slide-based presentations. PowerPoint can be used
as a tool for teachers to create visually content rich presentations with multimedia.
HOW TEACHERS CAN USE POWERPOINT:

 Notes and Lessons

 Images
 Daily Routines
 Classroom or Student showcase
 Meeting Agendas
HOW STUDENTS CAN USE POWERPOINT:

 Creative writing classes

 Creating self quizzes
 Displaying student work
 Slideshows of class events and activities
 Problem Based Learning
 Creating games
 Presenting information to the class
 Creating graphs
 Creating instructions
 Poetry
 Visual interpretations
TOP 10 SLIDE TIPS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS:

 Use appropriate charts

 Choose your fonts well
 Use video or audio
 Use color well
 Limit transitions and builds (animation)
 Use high quality graphics
 Spend time in the slide sorter
 Have a visual theme, but avoid using PowerPoint templates
 Keep it simple
 Limit bullet points and text