The study aims to address the following research questions: Does Peer Collaboration-Based Learning motivate HTU students to perform better in their oral ability tests as compared with Traditional Teacher-Centered Learning? Do HTU students prefer Peer Collaboration-Based Learning to Traditional Teacher-Centered Learning in terms of the learning style in the classroom? Is there any significant difference between Peer Collaboration-Based Learning and Traditional Teacher-Centered Learning in terms of HTU students’ performance on oral communication ability tests in the two different classrooms?
Data collected from a survey of HTU students at National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism consisted of an effective sample of 100. The study employed the statistical models, including T-test, ANCOVA, and Pearson Correlation, to perform the analyses. The following are the findings:
First, students became more interested in and held more positive attitude toward PCBL than those in the traditional lecture instruction in MICE courses and classroom activities. Second, PCBL had greater effects on the students’ motivation toward learning English and could be better than TTCL in terms of the enhancement of students’ positive learning motivation. Third, the overall experimental group obtained striking improvement in their oral communication in MICE activities after the PCBL, in contrast to the control group that had no effects in their English oral achievement under the traditional teaching method.
The results indicate some pedagogical implications based on students’ learning preferences and teachers’ teaching approaches and skills. Peer Collaboration-Based Learning, as Cooperative Learning, can help teachers enhance students’ oral communication ability in the circle of MICE.
Most studies focused on the advantages of cooperative language learning in enhancing students’ reading comprehension and writing ability inside the classroom. However, little research explored the relation between the Cooperative Learning and traditional language teaching based on the improvement of students’ listening and speaking abilities. The present study investigates the effect the Peer Collaboration-Based Learning on enhancing HTU Students' English oral communication proficiency exclusively. The finding justified the value of the benefits of Peer Collaboration-Based Learning in helping students enhance their oral communication ability and their performance in the field of MICE in Taiwan.
Relation:
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education 24, p.38-49
