Teaching online news in an EFL context: Exploring student perspectives on a projectbased news English course in a Taiwan university

Abstract

This study explores student perspectives on the incorporation of online news media in an EFL setting
in which integrated tasks—project-based learning—involving all language skills were designed and
implemented in a course to improve students’ language ability. Thirty-three students at the
intermediate English proficiency level were enrolled in a course, conducted at a university in Taiwan.
Different types of news were introduced to develop students’ content knowledge and to spark their
learning motivation. Students were guided to scrutinize the news and reflect on their own
interpretations to enhance their critical-thinking abilities. Weekly individual mini news projects and a
final group news video project were carried out; a final questionnaire and semi-structured interviews
of students’ self-reports on their perspectives about the effectiveness of this course were conducted.
The results indicate that students perceived learning gains in researching for information; writing
news scripts in collaboration; and delivering the news more accurately, fluently, and confidently in
completing their final video news project. The EFL pedagogical implication is discussed.