The Effect of Project-Based Learning on Learning Motivation and Problem-Solving Ability of Vocational High School Students

Due to pay too much attention to pencil-and-paper test, lacking of learning motivation and problem-solving ability are quite popular for the vocational high school students in Taiwan. This study developed a project-based curriculum for the vocational high school students majored in food and beverage, and examine the effect of the curriculum on students' learning motivation and ability of problem solving by means of quasi-experimental method and qualitative analysis. The objects of this study are the students majored in food and beverage from two vocational high schools in Taiwan, divided into treatment group and control group. The treatment-group students are given project-based teaching method and control group students are given traditional teaching method during four week period of courses. Research questionnaires consist of learning motivation scale and problem-solving ability questions and answers. The questionnaires, "Learning motivation of vocational high school students" and "Problem-solving ability of vocational high school students", were conducted to both treatment and control group students. The research results showed project-based learning not only could enhance vocational school students' learning motivation, but facilitate their problem-solving ability. The contribution of the research is to the vocational education, especially to give the teachers a real exemplar of PBL.