Problem-based learning for enhancing English communication abilities among educational supporting staff of the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University

Abstract

Problem-based Learning (PBL), a new teaching approach focusing on a student-centered by applying problem solving skills, allows learner to think critically, apply self-study method, and integrate newly acquired knowledge to their prior knowledge to find the suitable solution to solve their problems, whereas the teacher performs as only a tutor. This Independent Study applied PBL approach in accordance with the Canadian McMaster University’s tutorials, generally recognized as the pioneer of PBL implementation, to the “English for Office Work” training program in the fiscal year of 2013. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of this new learning approach on the English communication ability of the educational supporting staff of the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University after finishing the training program.

This intended study analyzed pre-test and post-test scores of the participants who had attended the training program for at least three training sessions. The researcher utilized the McNemar’s Test for the Significance of Changes which was suitable for the study with “before and after” design to investigate changes of the participants’ knowledge before and after the training program. The test statistics result revealed that the PBL approach had no effect on the participants’ knowledge before and after finishing the training program session 1 – session 3, but found the differences in after finishing the training program session 4 with the statistically significant change of 0.05. From this study it could be concluded that the PBL approach was inappropriate with this short-term training program. The PBL approach enhanced English for communication abilities among the participants after they were trained in at least three training sessions because they gained deeper knowledge of applying PBL to successfully complete the learning activity in accordance with the training program’s objectives. Moreover, the participants had positive change on their learning progress with reading and writing skills more than those in listening and speaking skills.