On the Role Played by Project-Based Learning in Teacher Training Online

This work investigates the perceptions on the role played by Project-Based Learning (PBL) in English as a second language (L2 English) participants who are receiving teacher training online. The participants in this study were enrolled in the Psycholinguistic Analysis of English Acquisition module at xxx-removed for blind review. They were given the choice of two projects: (a) an L2 English learner linguistic profile and (b) a grammatical structure analysis and its L2 English teaching application. The participants’ opinions about PBL were then collected in a questionnaire that included the following variables: motivation and attitude towards L2 English learning before and after the project, perception of the development of English language proficiency skills, content acquisition, and other issues related to PBL such as L2 learning reflection; and, autonomy and real language use. They reported having learned by doing and, as a consequence, believed that they had learned autonomously because they were responsible for their own learning. Likewise, they claimed PBL facilitated critical thinking, creativity, language awareness, and professional development through the project completion. They also showed a positive attitude towards the integration of the four language skills and the building of content knowledge by gathering and planning information using authentic resources.