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
- Adult education
- foreign language teaching
- problem-based learning
- teacher education
- teaching Turkish as a foreign language
Ethical Statement
References
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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