Development of Problem-Based Learning in an English-Mediated College Science Course: Design-Based Research on International Instructor’s Four Semesters Instruction

Globalization and internationalization of the universities in Korea have driven universities’ new attempts to adopt more learner-centered and active learning in English. Problem-based Learning (PBL) is one of the well-known constructive teaching and learning methodologies in higher education. Our research goal was to design and develop the optimal PBL practices for a college freshmen physics course taught in English with a foreign instructor to promote the knowledge acquisition and construction, and interaction between instructor and students. For four semesters, we have tried and adjusted PBL components related to the number of problems per semester and the duration for solving a problem. We looked at the trend the test scores as an indicator of knowledge acquisition in each semester, and found that the students showed a better individual performance in the exams with four problems per semester and two weeks for each problem, whereas performance worsened when students were overloaded and underloaded with PBL problems. Also the group reports, that reflect the group work achievement, were much better with the time limit of two weeks for each PBL problem. The students appreciated the free and liberal atmosphere in the classroom and that PBL made this physics class in English "much less boring." We found that the number of problem and the duration of problem solving are the critical factors that influence the effect of PBL in college physics course taught in English by going through iterative implementation. The iterative process of applying, designing, and constructing PBL to physics classes was meaningful not only in that we has found the optimal PBL model for learning college physics course, but also in that we has been reflecting on the continuous interaction with learners during the course.