Unravelling the Effect of Project-Based Learning on Students’ Engagement and Interest in EFL Classes: An Exploratory Case Study

Abstract

It goes without saying that students’ interest and engagement in the learning process lead to better academic achievement. One of the proposed methods and approaches to boost students’ engagement and interest is Project-Based Learning (PjBL). The latter is a student-centered instruction which responds to the rapid changes of the current era, making students at the core of the knowledge construction process. The current qualitative case study seeks to explore the effects of PjBL on students’ engagement and interest in EFL classes. The sample of this study consists of common core students who were taught through PjBL and was selected through convenience sampling. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews after the implementation of PjBL. The findings of this piece of research confirm that Project-ased learning is effective in facilitating and raising students’ engagement and interest in EFL classes to a great extent. This is thanks to the structured stages of PjBL which push learners to go from developing and planning projects, designing tasks, collecting and organizing data, to producing a final artifact. Having to go through all these phases increases students’ engagement and interest in learning. Such a method of teaching merits more attention and consideration from curriculum designers for the benefits it offers.