Research Article

Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching

Volume: 9 Number: 1 June 30, 2026
TR EN

Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching

Abstract

This study focuses on problem-based learning (PBL) in adult education, drawing upon the example of foreign language teaching. In this study, researcher diaries and individual interviews were utilized as data collection tools; based on the data obtained from these instruments, the role of PBL-based training in the participants’ methodological preferences and the process-oriented development of the study were examined. The research indicated that, following the implementation of PBL, participants developed solution-oriented strategies, such as improving their understanding of the classroom context, balancing methodological approaches, providing continuous feedback, and accurately identifying specific teaching issues. Participants working on PBL scenarios in small and large groups were observed to successfully link their theoretical knowledge directly to their TÖMER experiences. However, issues encountered in the early stages of implementation -such as confusion over group roles, misuse of scientific terminology, and incomplete problem identification- demonstrated that guided, step-by-step support mechanisms are a critical pedagogical necessity during the transition to learning environments such as PBL in adult education. By the end of the study, it was observed that participants had gained the motivation to transform problems identified in their own classes into qualitative research designs, drawing on the practical experiences they had acquired. Consequently, this study suggests that in the education of instructors of Turkish as a foreign/second language, PBL may offer a pedagogical model that encourages participants to critically reflect on their own teaching practices within a reflective pedagogical framework and to engage in the generation of theoretical knowledge grounded in their practical experiences.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Hacettepe University’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Board, Date: February 11, 2025, Number: E-66777842-300-0000-4070653

References

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  8. Baysal, Z. N., & Okur, S. (2025). Türkiye’de 2014-2023 yılları arasında yapılmış probleme dayalı öğrenme ile ilgili lisansüstü tezlerin incelenmesi. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 11(2), 748-767.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Turkish and Social Sciences Education (Diğer)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

February 25, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 4, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 9 Number: 1

APA
Gulamova, R., & Gürlen, E. (2026). Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching. Uluslararası Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi Dergisi, 9(1), 70-96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20683719
AMA
1.Gulamova R, Gürlen E. Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching. IJOTFL. 2026;9(1):70-96. doi:10.5281/zenodo.20683719
Chicago
Gulamova, Roshangul, and Eda Gürlen. 2026. “Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching”. Uluslararası Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi Dergisi 9 (1): 70-96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20683719.
EndNote
Gulamova R, Gürlen E (June 1, 2026) Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching. Uluslararası Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi Dergisi 9 1 70–96.
IEEE
[1]R. Gulamova and E. Gürlen, “Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching”, IJOTFL, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 70–96, June 2026, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.20683719.
ISNAD
Gulamova, Roshangul - Gürlen, Eda. “Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching”. Uluslararası Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi Dergisi 9/1 (June 1, 2026): 70-96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20683719.
JAMA
1.Gulamova R, Gürlen E. Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching. IJOTFL. 2026;9:70–96.
MLA
Gulamova, Roshangul, and Eda Gürlen. “Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching”. Uluslararası Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi Dergisi, vol. 9, no. 1, June 2026, pp. 70-96, doi:10.5281/zenodo.20683719.
Vancouver
1.Roshangul Gulamova, Eda Gürlen. Problem-Based Learning in Adult Education: The Case of Language Teaching. IJOTFL. 2026 Jun. 1;9(1):70-96. doi:10.5281/zenodo.20683719