Raising Libyan EFL undergraduate students’ awareness about environmental issues through project-based learning

Abstract

Although project-based learning, as a language teaching strategy, is considered important for developing college students' academic and soft skills is still a neglected approach in EFL teaching in Libya. This study aims to investigate the use of project-based learning in EFL writing classrooms to raise students’ awareness about environmental issues. It is carried out in the Department of English at Sabratha College of Arts. The findings of this study, based on an open-ended questionnaire and students’ reflection journals, show that PBL enhanced the students’ English language knowledge and skills. Also, students gained content knowledge about the environment, soft skills, autonomy, and self-confidence in using the English language in its context. Finally, the PBL experience promoted the students’ awareness of the environment and how to protect it. This research provides good evidence of the effectiveness of PBL to engage and enhance students' learning. Keywords: EFL; environmental issues; Project-based learning; soft skills.