The effectiveness of project-based learning on improving the undergraduate students’ speaking skills through M-learning

Abstract

This case study aimed to identify the lessons learned from using m- Learning in project-based learning as a potential to improve the oral skills of

EFL students in a Language Use Course at a Palestinian university during the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020. Despite the sudden closure of universities due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers had to evaluate students’ oral proficiency in effective use of vocabulary and expressions found in the course, improvising daily life situations, with decent fluency and enjoyment. The participants were 97 (19 males and 78 females) EFL learners majoring English, who were enrolled in the Language Use course. The participants were assigned a project-based task to develop their speaking skill through collaborative projects that were submitted at the end of the course to evaluate their skills and performances. To achieve this objective, a project-based cycle (OMEGA-P) was developed, and semi-structured interviews via Messenger and WhatsApp were also administered with students. Findings showed impressive signs of creative outputs manifested in various skills. The findings also highlighted the effectiveness of using project-based experience as an approach to online ‘Discussion Sessions’ that provided a flexible and enjoyable learning environment, that enhanced students’ self-confidence through active involvement with real communicative situations with other students as well as with the teacher.