碩士 / 高雄師範大學 / 英語學系 / 98 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the problem-solving project (PSP) on English reading performance for maritime vocational high school students in different grades. To achieve the purpose, the researcher explored the subject responses to maritime English learning, problem-solving and cooperative learning.
The subjects in the present study included 72 students, with 36 10th-graders and 36 11th-graders, from National Keelung Maritime Vocational High School. The subjects read three selections in maritime English during the 12-week study. Both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders were guided to read the three reading selections in maritime English－Fire, Collision, and Grounding. During the PSP, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders were required to participate in the group discussions and to take a post-test of English reading comprehension for each reading selection. After the PSP, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders were invited to answer The Questionnaire on Student Responses to the Problem-Solving Project. Finally, the data collected through the pretest, the post-tests, and the questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by paired samples t-test, an independent t-test, and the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. Based on the data analyses, the major findings are summarized as follows:
1. There are significant differences in English reading comprehension between the pretest and post-test for the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders respectively. According to the 11th-graders’ increased mean scores of the post-test, the 11th-graders made progress in English reading comprehension. According to the 10th-graders’ decreased mean scores of the post-test, 10th-graders did not make progress in English reading comprehension. Therefore, the PSP only promoted the 11th-graders’ English reading comprehension.
2. There are three significant differences in the responses to maritime English learning for the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders. However, from the higher mean scores of the 11th-graders than the 10th-graders’, the 11th-graders showed a more positive attitude toward memorizing maritime English vocabulary associated with grounding than the 10th-graders did. Moreover, the 11th-graders supported that they had a better understanding of the three reading
selections and the associated maritime English articles than the 10th-graders did.
3. There is no significant difference in the responses to problem-solving for the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders. But, according to the high frequency (4.00)of the mean scores, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders confirmed the effects of the PSP in enhancing the ability to problem-solving.
4. There is no significant difference in the responses to cooperative learning for the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders. But from the high frequency (4.00)of the mean scores, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders confirmed the effects of the PSP in promoting cooperative learning.
5. There are significantly positive correlations between maritime English learning and problem-solving, between maritime English learning and cooperative learning, and between problem-solving and cooperative learning for the
10th-graders respectively. In addition, the results show that there are significantly positive correlations between maritime English learning and cooperative learning, and between problem-solving and cooperative learning for
the 11th-graders respectively.
6. Both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders expressed the advantages of the PSP in terms of understanding maritime English, promoting problem-solving abilities, discussing problems and possible solutions with group members, and enhancing general English competence. Besides, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders expressed the disadvantages of the PSP in terms of deficiency in maritime English vocabulary when writing in English and some classmates’lack of participation during group discussions. Moreover, both the 10th-graders and the 11th-graders suggested more maritime English classes and Chinese translation of the three reading selections in maritime English.
Based on the study’s findings, the PSP helped promote the 11th-graders’ English reading comprehension. Besides, it enhanced both the 10th-graders’ and the 11th-graders’ problem-solving abilities and cooperative learning. Hence, it is suggested that EFL teachers utilize ESP reading selections to facilitate students’ English reading comprehension. In addition, it is suggested that EFL teachers inspire students to brainstorm problems about the assigned topic and possible solutions. Moreover,vocational high school students should be encouraged to learn ESP by means of cooperative learning. Last but not least, the researcher suggests that the government can make ESP policies for vocational high school in Taiwan.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TW/098NKNU5240025 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Li-chen Huang, 黃麗真 |
| Contributors | Ye-ling Chang, 張玉玲 |
| Source Sets | National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Format | 0 |
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