The effects of project-based learning on academic achievement and course satisfaction in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course

This study examines the effects of PBL (project-based learning) in a university ESP course by comparing it with traditional instruction. Forty students at a four-year university were assigned to either a traditional group or a PBL group and received instruction over a 15-week semester. Data were collected through pre- and post-speaking tests, a learner satisfaction questionnaire, reflection journals, and in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed using a mixed-method design that combined SPSS-based quantitative analyses with qualitative coding. The PBL group showed greater improvements in speaking fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary, and reported significantly higher levels of course satisfaction, including task authenticity, motivation, and cooperative learning, than the traditional group. Qualitative findings indicated that PBL provided meaningful opportunities to use English collaboratively in realistic tourism-related tasks, suggesting that PBL is an effective instructional model for enhancing both speaking performance and affective engagement in ESP courses.