Learner autonomy through project-based teaching and learning in technical and vocational education and training hospitality education

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PjBL) is a teaching and learning approach that involves students actively working on real-world projects to develop knowledge and skills. This method has been shown to be effective in promoting Learner Autonomy (LA) and skills development in language learning studies. However, a dearth of research has been done on the use of PjBL in hospitality education, especially in a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) environment. Using a case study research strategy, this study aimed to investigate whether PjBL could be used to promote LA and develop employable skills in hospitality education. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) serves as the theoretical framework for this study. PjBL aligns with this theory as it allows students to experience a problem or challenge, reflect on their learning, think about possible solutions, and take action to complete the project. A convergent Mixed Methods (MM) approach, informed by a pragmatic paradigm, was used to develop a framework for PjBL in promoting LA in a TVET environment. The study included a closed-structured questionnaire with responses from 144 (n=144) students from two hospitality programmes, as well as a semi-structured interview with 18 student participants. Students' self-reflection reports were used as the third data collection instrument to assess the level of reflection. The findings indicate that PjBL is an effective teaching and learning approach in hospitality education that can promote LA, lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter, and facilitate the development of a variety of important skills and competencies. Students can apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways through hands-on, real-world activities, which can foster a greater sense of autonomy and responsibility for their own learning. Moreover, this study emphasises the significance of incorporating PjBL into hospitality education programmes to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world. Furthermore, PjBL is recognised as a valuable alternative to traditional Experiential Learning (EL) methods and has the potential to promote deeper learning outcomes.

Projekgebaseerde leer (“PjBL”) is ’n onderrig- en leerbenadering wat behels dat studente aktief aan werklike projekte werk om hul kennis en vaardighede te ontwikkel. Hierdie metode is as doeltreffend bewys in die bevordering van leerderoutonomie (“LA”) en vaardigheidontwikkeling in taalleerstudies. Daar is egter ’n gebrek aan navorsing oor die gebruik van projekgebaseerde leer in gasvryheidsonderrig, veral in ’n omgewing van tegniese en beroepsgerigte onderrig en -opleiding (“TVET”). Die doel van hierdie studie was om, met behulp van ’n gevallestudie-navorsingstrategie, vas te stel of projekgebaseerde leer ingespan kan word om leerderoutonomie te bevorder en indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede in gasvryheidsonderrig te ontwikkel. Kolb se Ervaringsleerteorie (“ELT”) dien as die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie studie. In ooreenstemming met hierdie teorie, stel projekgebaseerde leer studente in staat om ’n probleem of uitdaging te ervaar, oor hul leer te besin, aan moontlike oplossings te dink, en handelend op te tree om die projek te voltooi. ’n Konvergerende gemengdemetode-benadering (“MM”-benadering), geïnspireer deur ’n pragmatiese paradigma, is gebruik om ’n raamwerk vir projekgebaseerde leer te ontwikkel om leerderoutonomie in ’n omgewing van tegniese en beroepsgerigte onderrig en -opleiding te bevorder. Die studie het ’n geslote-struktuur-vraelys ingesluit, met response van 144 (n=144) studente van twee gasvryheidsprogramme, sowel as ’n halfgestruktureerde onderhoud met 18 studentedeelnemers. Studente se selfbesinningsverslae is gebruik as die derde data-insameling-instrument om die vlak van nadenke te assesseer. Die resultate toon dat projekgebaseerde leer ’n doeltreffende benadering tot onderrig en leer in gasvryheidsonderrig is, wat leerderoutonomie kan versterk, ’n dieper begrip van die vakinhoud kan bewerkstellig, en die ontwikkeling van ’n verskeidenheid van belangrike vaardighede en bevoegdhede kan aanhelp. Studente kan hul kennis en vaardighede sinvol aanwend deur praktiese aktiwiteite wat in pas is met die werklikheid en wat ’n sterker sin van outonomie en verantwoordelikheid vir hul eie leer kan aanwakker. Hierdie studie lê ook klem op die belangrikheid dat projekgebaseerde leer in gasvryheidsonderrig-programme ingebou moet word – om studente voor te berei om suksesvol te wees in ’n wêreld wat vinnig kan verander. Verder word projekgebaseerde leer erken as ’n waardevolle alternatief vir tradisionele metodes van ervaringsleer (“EL”); dit het boonop die potensiaal om dieper leeruitkomste te bevorder.

Thuto ye e Theilwego godimo ga Diprotseke (PjBL) ke mokgwa wa go ruta le go ithuta wo o akaretsago baithuti bao ba somago ka mafolofolo diprotsekeng tsa lefase la kgonthe go hlabolla tsebo le mabokgoni. Mokgwa wo o bontshitswe o soma gabotse go tswetsa pele Boikemo bja Baithuti (LA) le tlhabollo ya mabokgoni dithutong tsa go ithuta polelo. Le ge go le bjalo, go dirilwe tlhaelelo ya dinyakisiso ka ga tshomiso ya PjBL thutong ya kamogelabaeng, kudukudu tikologong ya Thuto le Tlhahlo ya Bothekniki le ya Mesomo ya diatla (TVET). Ka go somisa leano la dinyakisiso la tshekatsheko ya maemo, nyakisiso ye e be e ikemiseditse go nyakisisa ge eba PjBL e ka somiswa go tswetsa pele LA le go hlabolla mabokgoni ao a kgontshago go hwetsa mosomo thutong ya kamogelabaeng. Teori ya Kolb ya go Ithuta ka Maitemogelo (ELT) e soma bjalo ka tlhako ya teori ya dinyakisisong tse. PjBL e sepelelana le teori ye ka ge e dumelela baithuti go itemogela bothata goba tlhohlo, go naganisisa ka dithuto tsa bona, go nagana ka ditharollo tse di kgonegago, le go tsea magato a go phetha protseke. Mokgwa wo o nepisitswego wa Mekgwa ye e Hlakantswego (MM), wo o tsebiswago ke mokgwatiriso wa go kgontsha, o somisitswe go hlama tlhako ya PjBL go tswetsa pele LA tikologong ya TVET. Dinyakisiso di be e akaretsa lenaneopotsiso leo le leo le sa nyakego ditshwayotshwayo leo le nago le dikarabo go tswa go baithuti ba 144 (n=144) go tswa mananeong a mabedi a kamogelabaeng, gammogo le poledisano ya go se latele lenaneo la dipotsiso ka bakgathatema ba baithuti ba 18. Dipego tsa baithuti tsa go itlhagisa di somisitswe bjalo ka sediriswa sa boraro sa kgoboketso ya datha go sekaseka maemo a go naganisisa. Dikutollo di laetsa gore PjBL ke mokgwa wo o somago gabotse wa go ruta le go ithuta thutong ya kamogelabaeng wo o ka tswetsago pele LA, wa lebisa kwesisong ye e tseneletsego ya taba ye, le go nolofatsa tlhabollo ya mabokgoni le bokgoni bjo bo fapafapanego bja bohlokwa. Baithuti ba ka dirisa tsebo le mabokgoni a bona ka ditsela tse di nago le mohola ka mediro ya diatla, ya lefase la kgonthe, yeo e ka godisago maikutlo a magolo a go ikemela le maikarabelo a go ithuta ga bona ka nosi. Go feta fao, nyakisiso ye e gatelela bohlokwa bja go tsenya PjBL mananeong a thuto ya kamogelabaeng go lokisetsa baithuti katlego lefaseng leo le fetogago ka lebelo. Go feta fao, PjBL e lemogwa bjalo ka mokgwa wo mongwe wa bohlokwa go feta mekgwa ye e tlwaelegilego ya Thuto ya Maitemogelo (EL) gomme e na le bokgoni bja go tswetsa pele dipoelo tsa go ithuta tse di tseneletsego.