Designing a PBL case for language learning for a group of
steelworkers
Polly Perkins
Introduction
Hoogovens is a large Dutch steel plant in the West of the Netherlands. It recently merged with British
Steel and took on European and world-wide proportions. Following this merger there has been an
upsurge of requests for English at all levels and in all departments.
At present many kinds of English courses are being given by a diversity of organisations and teachers.
The local technical community college was asked to give four English courses for technical purposes,
of which I am the teacher of two of them, a beginners and an intermediary course. The courses are
given within the factory. This article is concerned with the intermediary group.
The steelworkers
The group consists of two women and 13 men. Their ages range from 28 to 50. Their job within the
factory varies but, as a generalisation, they are trouble-shooters concerned with maintaining
production, coping with breakdowns of equipment, deciding on the best form of action when there are
problems with production. Most have always worked at Hoogovens all their life. Their general
education at secondary level varies from lower to higher technical level although their abilities
sometimes outreach their formal educational qualifications. They all have basic computer skills and
most have access to the Internet either at work or at home.
The English course
This is the first time this course has been given and, certainly for the intermediate group, it is a trial
course in development. The 30 week English course is voluntary and is given in work time (90
minutes). It is also free to the workers. The aim of Hoogovens is to enable workers to communicate on
technical matters in English. They should also be able to read technical documents. The aim of the
workers is to refresh their communicative and general skills of English. The aims formulated by both
Hoogovens and the workers are vague. The range of Levels of English within the group is broad. Their
level of English ranges from A2 to C1 according to the Common European Framework, Council of
Europe 1996. This creates problems when choosing lesson material and activities. The aims and
objectives for vocational technical and business English for the Netherlands (Technical Logbook and
Business, Trade and Industry logbook) are included on this website
Course material
We use a basic course book which is usually used in Technical colleges in the Netherlands which
works well for the beginners group but is often too easy for the intermediate group. The rest of the
lesson material is usually in the form of technical reading material from Internet with self-developed
assignments. Although this is a technically based language course, written and spoken productive
skills are very important.
A normal lesson consists of practice in spoken communicative activities; usually a listening exercise
as well and discussing homework and grammar problems. Language mistakes are usually generalised
and discussed with the whole group.
The workers usually do about 2 – 3 hours homework a week. We still use the basic course book but
do not do all the exercises and we usually have an on-going specific language skill and workorientated project such as telephoning; writing formal letters, reading for technical purposes, at the
same time. I have set up a support on-line learning environment in Blackboard
(http://www.blackboard.com ) on which they can make use of grammar activities on the Internet and
also have access to interesting websites and extra material. Homework assignments and projects are
also placed on the on-line site. The site is often visited.
British Steel has provided some interesting material but the enthusiasm to use this material in the
group is not great, probably due to the sensitive nature of the merger. English is the language we all
use in the group and the activities are usually done in groups of two or three. There is no official
assessment of the course.
Good points and problems
The group is enthusiastic and always does any assignments suggested. The homework is often
beautifully presented and usually sent digitally. They are interested in any technical developments and
reading assignments about new technical innovations are always popular. They are good at solving
problems. They all have a good sense of fun and there is generally a good atmosphere.
The biggest problem is finding suitable assignments and material and also coping with the different
levels of English in the group.
Why problem-based learning in the group?
There are several reasons why I would like to try using a PBL framework:
I would like to give the group members the chance to be able to produce English at their own level and
PBL creates this opportunity.
It would also form an excellent structure for spoken communication in a ‘business setting’ if case
discussions took place in English and also for giving presentations in English which is the planned
project for the last ten weeks of the course.
I also feel that those group members whose command of English is good would at last be able to reach
their potential.
I envisage the whole of the PBL case being done in English.
The language goals they would be working on will be selected from the Logboek Techniek (Logbook
for Technical Purposes) and Logboek Algemeen/economie (Logbook Business, Trade and Industry) a
translation of which can be found on this website and also from Modern Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment. A Common European Framework of reference. Council of Europe1996
The PBL case
My first impulse is to develop a case which is based on their work situations. This has certain
disadvantages:
● They all work for different departments and on different projects.
● My knowledge of their work is not good enough to develop a case in the security that it would be
suitable for all.
● They seem to enjoy working on subjects that are technical but not directly associated with their
work.
● They also enjoy being creative when looking for solutions
I decide that a more generative case or problem will be more suitable:
The suggested case/ problem
“ Friends have just bought a house in Italy in the hills surrounding Rome. Well, a house isn’t
quite the description – it is more of a square, stone building 8 metres by 14 metres with a roof on
it in the middle of an olive orchard on a hill. At the back of the property there’s a small wood.
There’s a dirt track wide enough for a small lorry, leading up to the property. It’s got potential
as every good estate agent would say. It also has a well and a cold water tap. They want to make
it habitable but not spoil its romantic atmosphere. Their concept of habitable is some form of
heating for warmth and cooking. They want it warm enough to be able to stay there during the
winter; some form of lighting and the chance to play the radio and their collection of Italian
c.ds.; occasional running hot water for washing and an environmentally friendly personal
sewage system There is no main-line gas or electric in the area. The property was dirt cheap
and is a solid construction so they don’t mind spending a bit but not too much! The views are
great.”
I have some doubts about the suitability of the case:
Is this a good case for the group?
Have I given too much or too little information?
Should it be more work-orientated? Etc.
In their article ‘Problem Based Learning: An Instructional Model and Its Constructivist
Framework’ Http://www.depaul.edu/~jsavery/papers/sav-duff.html Savery and Duffy offer help in the
form of a list of instructional principles for problem based learning environment against which a case
or problem can be tested
Quoting from Lebouw (1993) …………..
“….traditional education technology values of replicability, reliability, communication and control
(Heinich, 1984) contrasts sharply with seven primary constructivist values of collaboration, personal
autonomy, generativity, reflectivity, active engagement, personal relevance and pluralism (1995,p.3)”
………they suggest the following eight principles:
1. Anchor all learning activities to a larger task or problem. It should be very clear to the learner
why they are doing a certain activity and must be able to see the relevance of the case in their
future activities
2. Support the learner in developing ownership for the overall problem or task. The learner has
to be interested in the problem and really want to work on a solution
3. Design an authentic task. The learner should be engaged in activities that are based on reality.
An authentic learning environment is one in which the thinking required reflect the demands
of the environment the learner will find himself in.
4. Design the task and the learning environment to reflect the complexity of the environment they
should be able to function in at the end of the course. As language teachers we should not
simplify the tasks. They should reflect reality
5. Give the learner ownership of the process used to develop a solution. Teachers should not
dictate the aims and objectives on which students must base their tasks during the process.
Aims and objectives can be used during the reflective process following the completion of the
case
6. Design the learning environment to support and challenge the learner’s thinking. Teachers
must assume the role of coach and consultant and must not take over the thinking of the
learner but should stimulate the thinking process
7. Encourage testing ideas against alternative views and alternative contexts. Can the learner
accommodate other points of view in his understanding?
8. Provide opportunity for and support reflection on both the content learned and the learning
process. The aim is to encourage independence and develop skills of self-regulation
The guiding principles
In this article they also state that there are two guiding principles in developing cases or problems;
First, the problems must raise the concepts and principles relevant to the contents domain. Thus, the
process begins with first identifying the primary concepts or principles that a student must learn.
Second, the problems must be ‘real’ (…)
There are three reasons why the problems must address real issues.
First because the students are open to explore all dimensions of the problem, there is a real difficulty
in creating a rich problem with a consistent set of information.
Second, real problems tend to engage learners more – there is a larger context of familiarity with the
problem.
Finally, students want to know the outcome of the problem (…) these outcomes are not possible with
artificial problems
How should a problem be presented?
According to Savery and Duffy there are two critical issues involved.
First, if the students are to engage in authentic problem solving, then they must own the problem (…)
The step in the PBL process of ‘bringing the problem home’ is critical. The learners must perceive the
problem as a real problem and one which has personal relevance.
A second critical issue in presenting the problem is to be certain that the data presented do not
highlight critical factors in the case. Too often when problems are presented, the only information that
is provided is the key information relevant to the desired solution (end-of-chapter ‘problems’ are
notorious for this. Either the case must be richly presented or presented only as a basic question
The language goals
Examining point 5 of the list of Savery and Duffy’s instructional principles above I would suggest
presenting the language aims and objectives in the form of a checklist which the learner could use
following the period in which she/he has worked on the case as part of the group. Of course the
student may be aware of particular language goals she /he would like to achieve and the case may
present the opportunity to work on them, such as writing a formal letter of enquiry. This corresponds
with the present discussion on a European language portfolio in which the learner reflects on his own
language abilities and takes part in an active way in he/his own evaluation and assessment.
The Common European Framework
Level B1 – B2
Written reception:
 Reading for orientation
 Can scan quickly through long and complex texts, locating
relevant details.
 Can quickly identify the content and relevance of news
items, articles and reports on a wide range of professional
topics, deciding whether closer study is worthwhile
 Reading for information
 Can understand articles and reports concerned with
contemporary problems in which the writers adopt
particular stances or viewpoints.
Spoken interaction:
 Formal discussion (Meetings)
 Can participate actively in routine and non routine formal
discussion
 Can follow the discussion on matters related to his/her
field, understand in detail the points given prominence by
the speaker.
 Can contribute, account for and sustain his/her opinion,
evaluate alternative proposals and make and respond to
hypotheses.
 Goal-oriented co-operation
 Can understand detailed instructions reliably.
 Can help along the progress of the work by inviting others
to join in, say what they think, etc.
 Can outline an issue or a problem clearly, speculating
about causes or consequences, and weighing advantages
and disadvantages of different approaches.
● Can explain why something is a problem, discuss what to
do next, compare and contrast alternatives
● Can give brief comments on the views of others
 Exchanging information
 Can pass on detailed information reliably.
 Can give a clear, detailed description of how to carry out a
procedure.
 Can synthesise and report information and arguments from
a number of sources.
 Interviewing & being interviewed
Can take initiatives in an interview, expand and develop ideas
with little help or prodding from an interviewer.
Written interaction:
 Correspondence
Can obtain more detailed information
Spoken production:
 Sustained monologue: putting a
case (e.g. debate)
 Can develop a clear argument, expanding and supporting
his/her points of view at some length with subsidiary
points and relevant examples.
 Can construct a chain of reasoned argument.
 Can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the
advantages and disadvantages of various options.
 Addressing audiences
 Can give a clear, prepared presentation, giving reasons in
support of or against a particular point of view and giving
the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
 Can take a series of follow up questions with a degree of
fluency and spontaneity which poses no strain for either
him/herself or the audience.
Written production:
 Writing reports and essays
 Can write an essay or report which develops an argument,
giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of
view and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of
various options.
 Can synthesise information and arguments from a number
of sources.
Spoken mediation:
 Informal Interpretation
(no descriptors available)
 Summarising, glossing gist (of
(no descriptors available)
articles etc.)
 Paraphrasing specialist texts for
others
(no descriptors available)
Logbook English for Technical Purposes
Language goals
B2 Reading
1. Scientific and technological developments
 1.1 Can understand and summarise information on important scientific and technological
developments such as energy, electronics, telecommunication, constructions and information
technology
B2 Spoken Interaction
1. Materials, measurements and applications
 1.1 Can understand and give information on the properties, form and characteristics of important
material used in the profession or work environment

1.2 Can classify different material and describe their use and characteristics
2. Processes, systems and structures
 2.1 Can understand and give information on the reason, cause and effect, and the relationship
between phases and results of a process.
Literature
Modern Languages:Learning, Teaching, Assessment.A Common European Framework of Reference.
Draft 2 Council for Cultural Co-operation, Council of Europe, Education committee Strasbourg 1996
Logboek Techniek ; Logboek Algemeen/economie Slo Enschede 1999
Problem Based Learning: An Instructional Model and Its Constructivist Framework:
John R. Savery and Thomas M. Duffy (PaperOnline: http://www.depaul.edu/~jsavery/papers/savduffy.html)
Onderwijsvernieuwing in de BVE-sector - construeren of adopteren?(Educational innovations in Adult
and Vocational Education - construction or adoption?) by José van de Berg, CINOP, september ’99.