Author(s)

Jianghua Wu ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Foreign Language Teaching Department, Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, Haikou, 571125, China

Corresponding Author

Jianghua Wu

ABSTRACT

Problem-based learning (PBL) organizes learning around authentic problems that trigger prior knowledge, articulate learning needs, and drive small-group inquiry toward an evidence-based solution, with teachers acting as facilitators rather than lecturers. In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings, recent reviews and meta-analyses report overall benefits for achievement, critical thinking, and attitudes, though effect sizes vary with assessment and fidelity of implementation. For Chinese vocational colleges, PBL's potential lies in its alignment with competence-based, workplace-oriented English curricula and with national reform emphasizing "learning by doing" and school-enterprise cooperation. This paper synthesizes evidence on PBL for EFL, interprets it for the vocational English context in China, and proposes an implementation narrative suited to short cycles and large classes while identifying research gaps in measurement, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

KEYWORDS

Problem-Based Learning, Chinese Vocational College, English Classroom

CITE THIS PAPER

Jianghua Wu, The Potential of Problem-Based Learning Applied in Chinese Vocational College English Classroom. Transactions on Comparative Education (2025) Vol. 7: 1-5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/trance.2025.070301.

REFERENCES

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[2] Orhan, A. (2025). Investigating the effectiveness of problem-based learning on academic achievement in EFL classrooms: A meta-analysis. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 34, 1-23. https: //link. springer. com/article/10. 1007/s40299-024-00889-4
[3] Orhan, A. (2024). Online or in‐class problem based learning: Which one is more effective in enhancing learning outcomes and critical thinking in higher education EFL classroom? Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40(5), 2351-2368. 
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[5] Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. (2021). English Curriculum Standards for Higher Vocational Education (2021 Edition). (Policy references summarized in: Peng, X., 2024; Tian, L., 2023). https://en.moe.gov.cn/
[6] Chang, H. (2025). Evolution of English textbook content in China's higher vocational education: 1993-2023. World Vocational and Technical Education, 3(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1515/wvte-2025-0009
[7] Xu, J. (2023). Exploring Chinese higher vocational college teachers' perceptions of reading and teaching reading in English. Language Teaching Research, 13621688231202008. 
[8] Yi, L, J., Omar, M., & Kamaruzaman, F. M. (2025). Exploring the AI-Enhanced Project-Based Learning for English Language Acquisition: A Systematic Review of the Key Elements and Emerging Technology Trends. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(2), 636-652. 

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