THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON EFL STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Jun 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19109/guruku.v4i2.28079
Keywords:
Problem-Based Learning, EFL, Academic Achievement, Critical Thinking, Experimental Study

Main Article Content

Sayfadin Ibrahim Sharif
College of Fine Arts, Salahaddin University Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Abstract

This experimental study investigates the impact of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Apost-test). Statistical analyses, including independent and paired samples t-tests as well as a Two-Way ANOVA, revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in academic achievement, with a large effect size (η² = 0.21). Additionally, female students in the experimental group exhibited higher achievement scores compared to their male counterparts; however, the interaction between teaching method and gender was not statistically significant. These findings underscore the potential of PBL to enhance both academic outcomes and critical thinking abilities in EFL contexts, suggesting that active, student-centered instructional strategies may offer substantial benefits over traditional teaching methods.

Article Details

How to Cite
THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON EFL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY. (2025). Guruku: Jurnal Pendidikan Profesi Guru, 4(2), 79-97. https://doi.org/10.19109/guruku.v4i2.28079
Issue
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Guruku: Jurnal Pendidikan Profesi Guru
Section
Articles

How to Cite

THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON EFL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY. (2025). Guruku: Jurnal Pendidikan Profesi Guru, 4(2), 79-97. https://doi.org/10.19109/guruku.v4i2.28079

References

Algouzi, S., Alzubi, A. A. F., & Nazim, M. (2023). Enhancing EFL students' critical thinking skills using a technology-mediated self-study approach: EFL graduates and labor market in perspective. PLOS ONE, 18(10), e0293273.

Arruzza, E., Chau, M., & Kilgour, A. (2023). Problem-based learning in medical radiation science education: A scoping review. Radiography, 29, 564-572.

Borg, S. (2019). Language teacher cognition: Perspectives and debates. Second handbook of English language teaching, 1149-1170.

Cahyono, B. Y., Irawati, R., Amalia, S. N., & Hidayat, L. E. (2024). Project-based learning in EFL educational settings: A meta-analysis study in EFL/ESL writing. Journal of Writing Research, 16(1), 105-127.

Chniet, I., Kaddouri, M., Mhamdi, K., Marhraoui, M., & Khaldi, M. (2025). Language Teaching in the Age of AI: Potential, Challenges, and Future Prospects. Implementing AI Tools for Language Teaching and Learning, 151-172.

Cosgun, G. (2021). Fostering critical thinking, creativity, and language skills in the EFL classroom through problem based learning. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 13(3), 2360–2385.

Darwin, M., Sukirno, S., & Widodo, H. S. (2023). Critical thinking in the AI era: An exploration of EFL students' perceptions, benefits, and limitations. Cogent Education, 10(1), 2290342.

Ferdoush, Z., & Jahan, R. (2024). Exploring higher secondary EFL teachers' perceptions of critical thinking and its development: A critical reflection. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 2(2), 45-62.

Guo, Q., Jamil, H., Ismail, L., Luo, S., & Sun, Z. (2024). Effects of problem-based learning on EFL learning: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 19(12), e0307819.

Hua, L., Chen, X., & Wang, M. (2024). Cultural components in EFL textbooks: Fostering global citizenship through critical engagement. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 12(1), 45-61.

Ibnian, S. S. (2023). The impact of proposed online problem-based learning activities on developing university EFL students' expository essay writing. Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literature, 15(1), 245-266. https://doi.org/10.47012/jjmll.15.1.13

Li, L. (2023). Critical thinking from the ground up: Teachers' conceptions and practice in EFL classrooms. Teachers and Teaching, 29(6), 723-745.

Li, X., & Liu, J. (2023). Validating a critical thinking ability questionnaire for EFL learners. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 50, 101402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101402

Liu, S., Chen, W., & Wang, J. (2023). Artificial intelligence in language education: A systematic review of applications and implications. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(4), 512-538.

Orhan, A. (2024). Online or in-class problem based learning: Which one is more effective in enhancing learning outcomes and critical thinking in higher education EFL classroom? Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40(6), 2351-2368.

Qolamani, K. I. B., Kaya, E., Ünlü, İ., & Kaşkaya, A. (2025). Factors Affecting Implementation and Perceived Changes in the New Social Studies Curriculum: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok Regions in Iraq as an Example. GUIDENA: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, Psikologi, Bimbingan dan Konseling, 15(1).

Sendag, S., & Odabası, H. F. (2009). Effects of an online problem based learning course on content knowledge acquisition and critical thinking skills. Computers & Education, 53(1), 132-141.

Song, L., Hill, J. R., & Koh, J. H. L. (2024). Digital transformation in education: Current trends and future directions for the post-pandemic era. Educational Technology Research and Development, 72(1), 125-145.

Usman, A., Munandar, K., & Utomo, A. P. (2024). How can PBL promote critical thinking skills in biology material? A systematic literature review in reputable journals. Research and Development in Education (RaDEn), 4(1), 450-464.

Wu, Y. C. (2024). The Development of Intercultural Competence for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language through an Instructional Design Project. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 26(1).

Yew, E. H., & Goh, K. (2016). Problem-based learning: An overview of its process and impact on learning. Health Professions Education, 2(2), 75-79.

Zannan, R. A. (2023). Efficacy of problem-based learning strategy to enhance EFL learners' paragraph writing and grammar skills. Arab World English Journal, 14(1), 43-58.