Using Project-work to Assess EFL University Students (Case Study of Second Year EFL Students at Abou-Bakr Belakaid University of Tlemcen).

Abstract

In order to discover the teaching accuracy, teachers assess their students with different means such as tests, projects and portfolios, etc. Project-based learning or project work is a progressive teaching method which meets requirements of modern educational systems. This thesis discusses the benefits of project work in English language teaching. This paper reports a part of a study that aims to explore project-based learning as mean of assessment in Higher Education through an investigation of different research instruments. Teachers also seemed to apply it more than the other means of assessment such as tests; they have found it more efficient for their students where they managed the mastery of English language, communicated better with each other, and their speaking skills improved by time. The theoretical part of this thesis focus on the status of Enlgish in Algerian higher education, assessment, testing and evaluation, project-based learning, its origins, characteristics. It deals with the benefits of project-based learning including motivation, group work. A division of projects into three main categories is suggested: according to the main activity performed by students, according to length and age of learners and considers also possible problems, i.e. noise, lack of time, monitoring, motivation problems, etc. The practical part mainly focus on teachers points of view on the way they assess their learners and students' main interest of project-based learning. The research methods used were students' questionnaire, teachers' interview and classroom observation; the results were processed and interpreted. Finally, we summed up the results of the research in the conclusion, based on these results; recommendations are given to improve the projectbased learning in Algerian higher education. In the appendices section all important instruments used during the research.