PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AS AN APPROACH TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Abstract
Project-Based Learning is a learner-centered approach, which is known as one of the ways that facilitates the development of professional competencies and promotes learners’ critical thinking skills. This paper provides a selective review of the literature and the analysis of the studies on Project-Based Learning (PBL) in the field of foreign language education and critical thinking skills including the main concepts, key components and a learning process within PBL. PBL has a strong theoretical support from the foreign literature, and most of the researchers understood and implemented it as an approach to foster critical thinking skills in the reviewed studies; however, not all of them complied with its essential elements proposed as “Gold Standard of PBL”. Particularly, the analysis of the selected studies in PBL sphere revealed that most of the researchers did not take into consideration the requirements of the last and main stage of the PBL as “Public product”, that demands the projects to be presented in front of the alternative audience. Even though the final products were designed within these projects, they were not performed out of the classroom, which in its turn is opposite to the policy of rigorous “Project-Based Learning”. Key words: PBL, critical thinking skills, foreign language educationReferences
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Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The clearing house, 83(2), 39-43.
Blumenfeld, P. C., Soloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating project-based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational psychologist, 26(3-4), 369-398.
Cash, C. E. (2017). The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Critical Thinking in a United States History Classroom.
Condliffe, B., Visher, M. G., Bangser, M. R., Drohojowska, S., & Saco, L. (2016). Project-based learning: A literature review. New York, Ny: Mdrc.
Cody, A. (2018). Making time for reflection in Our Projects. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/blog/making-time-reflection-our-projects
Chiang, C. L., & Lee, H. (2016). The effect of project-based learning on learning motivation and problem-solving ability of vocational high school students. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(9), 709-712.
Dimmitt, N. (2017). The power of project based learning: Experiential education to develop critical thinking skills for university students. In CBU International Conference Proceedings (Vol. 5, pp. 575-579).
Judge, B., Jones, P., & McCreery, E. (2009). Critical thinking skills for education students. Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall.
Eldiva, F. T., & Azizah, N. (2019, April). Project Based Learning in Improving Critical Thinking Skill of Children with Special Needs. In International Conference on Special and Inclusive Education (ICSIE 2018). Atlantis Press.
Fragoulis,F (2009). Project-based learning in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Greek Primary Schools: From Theory to Practice. English Language Teaching, 2(3).
Isik, Ö., & Gucum, B. (2013). The effect of project based learning approach on elementary school students' motivation toward science and technology course. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 28(28-3), 206-218.
Knoll, M. (2012). I had made a mistake”: William H. Kilpatrick and the project method. Teachers College Record, 114(2), 1-45.
Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Pearson's Research Reports, 6, 40-41
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Larmer,J.(2015). Gold Standard PBL: Essential Project Design Elements. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/blog/gold-standard-pbl-essential-project-design-elements
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Maro, R. K., & Nurbatra, L. H. (2013). Building Critical Thinking Behavior of Middle School Students through Project Based Learning.
Mergendoller, J. R., Markham, T., Ravitz, J., & Larmer, J. (2006). Scaffolding project based learning: tools, tactics and technology to facilitate instruction and management. Buck Institute for Education Novato, California USA.
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Mutakinati, L., Anwari, I., & Kumano, Y. (2018). Analysis of students’ critical thinking skill of middle school through stem education project-based learning. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 7(1), 54-65.
Nugroho, W. F., & Anugerahwati, M. (2018). Project-Based Learning: Enhancing EFL Students’ Speaking Skill through Vlog. Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan, 4(8), 1077-1083.
Pecore, J. L. (2015). From Kilpatrick’s project method to project-based learning. International handbook of progressive education, 155-171
Permana, F. H., & Chamisijatin, L. (2019). Project-based learning through edmodo: improving critical thinking and histology concepts. Biosfer: Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi, 12(1), 58-69.
Putri,S, Sumiati, Larasati,L(2019). Improving creative thinking skill through project-based-learning in science for primary school. Journal of Physics: Conf. Series, 1157 (2019). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1157/2/022052
Rachmawati, D., & Asmara, C. H. (2017). Reading and Writing: Development of Project-Based Learning (PBL) Approach. In International Conference on English Language Teaching (ICONELT 2017). Atlantis Press.
Rochmahwati,P (2015). Fostering Students’ critical thinking by project –based learning. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 5(1)
Roberts, T. G. (2003). An Interpretation of Dewey's Experiential Learning Theory.
Salehi,S.E.(2019).Critical Thinking as a 21st century skill: conceptions, implementation and challenges in the EFL classroom .European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching,4(1), ISSN: 2537 - 1754 ISSN-L: 2537 – 1754,doi: 10.5281/zenodo.2542838
Smakova,K.(2020).Promotion of self-regulated learning in project-based approach. Bulletin of Kazakh national women's teacher training university no1(81), pp 106-113, available at: http://vestnik.kazmkpu.kz/images/arhiv/2020/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA_1_2020.pdf
Snyder, L. G., & Snyder, M. J. (2008). Teaching critical thinking and problem solving skills. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 50(2), 90.
Tally, T. (2015). The challenges of implementing project based learning in the 21st century classroom
Thomas, J. W. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. http://www.bie.org/research/study/review_of_project_based_learning_2000
Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The clearing house, 83(2), 39-43.
Blumenfeld, P. C., Soloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating project-based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational psychologist, 26(3-4), 369-398.
Cash, C. E. (2017). The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Critical Thinking in a United States History Classroom.
Condliffe, B., Visher, M. G., Bangser, M. R., Drohojowska, S., & Saco, L. (2016). Project-based learning: A literature review. New York, Ny: Mdrc.
Cody, A. (2018). Making time for reflection in Our Projects. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/blog/making-time-reflection-our-projects
Chiang, C. L., & Lee, H. (2016). The effect of project-based learning on learning motivation and problem-solving ability of vocational high school students. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(9), 709-712.
Dimmitt, N. (2017). The power of project based learning: Experiential education to develop critical thinking skills for university students. In CBU International Conference Proceedings (Vol. 5, pp. 575-579).
Judge, B., Jones, P., & McCreery, E. (2009). Critical thinking skills for education students. Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall.
Eldiva, F. T., & Azizah, N. (2019, April). Project Based Learning in Improving Critical Thinking Skill of Children with Special Needs. In International Conference on Special and Inclusive Education (ICSIE 2018). Atlantis Press.
Fragoulis,F (2009). Project-based learning in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Greek Primary Schools: From Theory to Practice. English Language Teaching, 2(3).
Isik, Ö., & Gucum, B. (2013). The effect of project based learning approach on elementary school students' motivation toward science and technology course. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 28(28-3), 206-218.
Knoll, M. (2012). I had made a mistake”: William H. Kilpatrick and the project method. Teachers College Record, 114(2), 1-45.
Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Pearson's Research Reports, 6, 40-41
Larmer,J.(2016). Gold Standard PBL:Student Voice &Choice. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/blog/gold-standard-pbl-student-voice-choice.
Larmer,J.(2015). Gold Standard PBL: Essential Project Design Elements. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/blog/gold-standard-pbl-essential-project-design-elements
Larmer, J., Mergendoller, J., & Boss, S. (2015). Setting the standard for project based learning. ASCD.
Maro, R. K., & Nurbatra, L. H. (2013). Building Critical Thinking Behavior of Middle School Students through Project Based Learning.
Mergendoller, J. R., Markham, T., Ravitz, J., & Larmer, J. (2006). Scaffolding project based learning: tools, tactics and technology to facilitate instruction and management. Buck Institute for Education Novato, California USA.
Mergendoller, J. (2013). Does project based learning teach critical thinking. Recuperado de https://www. bie. org/blog/does_pbl_teach_critical_thinking.
Mutakinati, L., Anwari, I., & Kumano, Y. (2018). Analysis of students’ critical thinking skill of middle school through stem education project-based learning. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 7(1), 54-65.
Nugroho, W. F., & Anugerahwati, M. (2018). Project-Based Learning: Enhancing EFL Students’ Speaking Skill through Vlog. Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan, 4(8), 1077-1083.
Pecore, J. L. (2015). From Kilpatrick’s project method to project-based learning. International handbook of progressive education, 155-171
Permana, F. H., & Chamisijatin, L. (2019). Project-based learning through edmodo: improving critical thinking and histology concepts. Biosfer: Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi, 12(1), 58-69.
Putri,S, Sumiati, Larasati,L(2019). Improving creative thinking skill through project-based-learning in science for primary school. Journal of Physics: Conf. Series, 1157 (2019). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1157/2/022052
Rachmawati, D., & Asmara, C. H. (2017). Reading and Writing: Development of Project-Based Learning (PBL) Approach. In International Conference on English Language Teaching (ICONELT 2017). Atlantis Press.
Rochmahwati,P (2015). Fostering Students’ critical thinking by project –based learning. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 5(1)
Roberts, T. G. (2003). An Interpretation of Dewey's Experiential Learning Theory.
Salehi,S.E.(2019).Critical Thinking as a 21st century skill: conceptions, implementation and challenges in the EFL classroom .European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching,4(1), ISSN: 2537 - 1754 ISSN-L: 2537 – 1754,doi: 10.5281/zenodo.2542838
Smakova,K.(2020).Promotion of self-regulated learning in project-based approach. Bulletin of Kazakh national women's teacher training university no1(81), pp 106-113, available at: http://vestnik.kazmkpu.kz/images/arhiv/2020/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA_1_2020.pdf
Snyder, L. G., & Snyder, M. J. (2008). Teaching critical thinking and problem solving skills. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 50(2), 90.
Tally, T. (2015). The challenges of implementing project based learning in the 21st century classroom
Thomas, J. W. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. http://www.bie.org/research/study/review_of_project_based_learning_2000
Published
2020-06-08
How to Cite
JUNISBAYEVA, Symbat.
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AS AN APPROACH TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: A LITERATURE REVIEW.
Proceedings of International Young Scholars Workshop, [S.l.], v. 9, june 2020.
ISSN 2709-1120.
Available at: <https://journals.sdu.edu.kz/index.php/iysw/article/view/103>. Date accessed: 19 apr. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.47344/iysw.v9i0.103.
Section
Articles
