Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: Using Problem-Based Learning to Foster Language Competence, Critical Thinking, and Learner Autonomy
By: Aleksandra Sudhershan
Introduction
As John Adams put it, “Every problem is an opportunity in disguise” and this is certainly true when it comes to analysing and solving problems using problem-based learning (PBL). It was originally developed in the field of medical education and gradually embraced by other disciplines. English language teaching, in contrast, has been a slow adopter (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, p. 39). This is surprising, considering that challenging language learners to solve problems collaboratively can foster not only authentic communication, but also critical thinking and self-reflection (Hearn & Hopper, 2008). With three out of the 11 most in-demand professional skills comprising communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills (Brodnitz, 2024), PBL also seems like the go-to approach when it comes to preparing language learners for the challenges of the workplace.
It has been a few years since I started using PBL in my ESP (English for Specific Purposes) classes and I have truly enjoyed the experience so far. Engineers see themselves as problem-solvers (El-Zein & Hedemann, 2013, p. 1) so applying PBL in my Technical English classes seemed like a no-brainer: I was quite confident my students would rise to the challenge. And I definitely have not been disappointed. Whether it is solving an urban housing crisis, smartening up a university campus or addressing the issues with micromobility, my students have been able to collaboratively research problems, generate viable solutions, and present the results of their work in a professional manner. And all this while communicating in English.
Convinced of its potential for my students and encouraged by their positive feedback, I have gradually embraced PBL in all my ESP courses and I whole-heartedly recommend the approach. However, with the approach still being somewhat underrepresented in the EFL / ESP literature, teachers who are interested in trying PBL out may find it challenging to get started. With this in mind, the following sections give a short overview of the main principles of PBL and things to consider in the language classroom.
Before we get started …
Before learners are exposed to the problem they will be analysing, the first step should involve walking them through the benefits and the main principles of PBL, including target language use (Mathews-Aydinli, 2007, p. 2). This can include, for example, creating a poster or a chart that outlines the main steps of the PBL process to “alleviate students’ discomfort” (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, p. 49) that may be caused by their unfamiliarity with the approach.
In addition, depending on the nature of the problem to be solved, language learners may not always have enough background information or the lexical knowledge to just dive into problem-solving. That is why it may be necessary to introduce the key vocabulary and to provide some reading exercises first which can also help to activate prior experiences (Mathews-Aydinli, 2007, p. 2).
In a module I am currently teaching, I am combining this step with the flipped classroom approach (FCA) in which learners “carry out online guided learning at home before entering the classroom.” Since one goal of this approach is “to provide opportunities for communication between students during class time as they work together to solve a problem” (Kerr, 2020, p. 3), FCA and PBL go together very well. More specifically, I first expose my students to key concepts and vocabulary through various listening, reading, grammar, and vocabulary exercises that I make available on Moodle and which they have to complete prior to the session in which I introduce the problem. This way, when I present the case to them, they are already familiar with some key language and we can use the class time for collaboration.
What’s the problem?
Let’s face it: the world does not exactly lack problems that need our attention, so selecting a problem—or a “case” (Hearn & Hopper, 2008)—for a PBL task sounds relatively easy. However, not every problem will do. The approach places great emphasis on the fact that problems should be “loosely structured to allow for several […] feasible solutions” (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, pp. 39-40). In other words, they should be open-ended with no pre-defined solutions that learners have to arrive at. What this means is that there are no cheat sheets that we as teachers can give to students at the end of a task to compare their solutions with.
In addition, problems should also be authentic or “grounded in the real world” (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, p. 40). In other words, they should resemble the challenges that learners may encounter in real-life. Whether it is preparing to host an exchange student from another country, developing suggestions to make their school greener or proposing a new strategy to attract more international tourists, language learners should work on problems that not only genuinely need solving, but also that they may have experienced themselves.
“If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together”
These days it is hard to imagine language activities in which pair and group work does not play a major role. From a simple role play to elaborate projects, learners communicating, cooperating, and collaborating with one another lies at the heart of modern language teaching and learning. However, it is the clear focus on collaboration that distinguishes PBL from other communicative approaches. As Hearn and Hopper (2008, p. 41) point out, PBL should not be confused with either task-based instruction or role-playing. With regard to the former, in their view, the main difference concerns what the learners are asked to do in PBL—namely solve an open-ended problem, as opposed to accomplishing a task within a pre-defined process—and the fact that the focus is not on oral communication as such, but rather on critical thinking. PBL is also different from role-playing, which often involves learners assuming scripted roles that may not be close to real life.
From conducting a knowledge audit to establish the “knowns and unknowns”, through generating solutions to the problem, to choosing the most viable one to present, collaboration in groups is interwoven into the PBL approach (Mathews-Aydinli, 2007). This also has implications for the role of teachers. In common with educational approaches to fostering learner autonomy, they are seen not as “the fount of all knowledge” (Page, 1992, p. 9), but rather as facilitators (Hearn & Hopper, 2008).
Consequently, once they have introduced the problem, their role is to take care of the logistics—from grouping students, if possible with linguistic and proficiency heterogeneity in mind, to providing the resources and support necessary for learners to work on the problem (Hearn & Hopper, 2008). In my classes I encourage learners to bring their own devices to class to access online sources for their inquiry. Generative AI can also be a very useful tool for learners during the first stage of the PBL process in which they start brainstorming various solutions to the problem given.
Feedback and assessment
While developing various solutions through collaboration is the focus of PBL, the process ends with each group presenting their results to both their peers (and being evaluated by them) as well as the teacher. This is first and foremost an opportunity for the teacher to assess student work and if necessary, to provide follow-up language-based activities based on their observations during group work (Mathews-Aydinli, 2007).
Since PBL involves so many different facets, from critical thinking through collaboration to self-direction, assessment may pose something of a challenge. Rubrics can be useful for assessment of both the PBL process and the products developed by learners, and in addition they can take into account both individual and group performance (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, pp. 51 – 52).
The final stage in the PBL process also encourages reflection and self-assessment, where the latter can be informal or more structured (Hearn & Hopper, 2008). In my modules, I like asking my students to self-assess both the outcomes (or the products, such as reports, presentations, etc.) and the process of their group work, providing justification and examples where relevant. I also find it helpful to ask my students about the challenges they experienced, how they overcame them and what (additional) support from me they wish they had received. In this way I can modify and increase my scaffolding for the next project if necessary.
Maximising the potential and minimising the challenges
While collaboration in PBL offers various advantages, this is not to say that it is always frictionless. After all, which of us has never had to navigate the tricky waters of teamwork? However, it is precisely that skillset that many language learners—especially those in ESP contexts—are often expected to demonstrate outside the classroom. Whether it is ensuring the equal distribution of work or making sure that all team members get a chance to contribute their ideas, learning how to collaborate is an important skill that may require teacher scaffolding. Group contracts can be a useful tool to help students agree on the ground rules, anticipate potential problems, and, more importantly, identify strategies for dealing with them.
For those teachers who have had little or no experience with fostering learner autonomy in their classrooms, assuming the role of a facilitator and “letting go” may be something of a learning curve. As already mentioned, we should also not assume that our learners are simply going to embrace the approach. The shift to PBL may therefore need to be gradual and the learners’ readiness for it may have to be gauged first (Ansarian & Teoh, 2018, p. 43).
Conclusion
When implemented well, PBL can be an invaluable tool for learners to not only practise the four language skills in a meaningful way, but also to “grapple with critical reading, higher-order thinking, analysis, and information skills necessary to resolve the case scenarios” (Hearn & Hopper, 2008, p. 53). In addition, by allowing learners to examine and solve problems collaboratively, the approach fosters learner autonomy and interdependence and thus the development of some of the skills that are invaluable in academic and professional settings. For teachers, having supported the learners through the process of inquiry and solution generation, it can be hugely satisfying to watch them proudly present the results of their work. We cannot solve all the problems that exist in the world but, to paraphrase a well-known slogan, every little solution helps.
Reference
- Ansarian, L. & Teoh, M. L. (2018). Problem-based language learning and teaching. Springer.
Aleksandra Sudhershan teaches Business English and Technical English at the Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT) in Germany. She has been researching learner autonomy for over a decade and loves fostering it in her classes through problem-based learning and e-tandem projects.