The Bridging Classroom and Workplace: Integrating Project-Based and Contextual Learning to Enhance Engagement in Indonesian Vocational Education
Keywords:
Project-Based Leraning, Contextual Teaching and Learning, Students Engagement, Vocational School, English Language EducationAbstract
From a theoretical perspective, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Indonesia faces persistent challenges such as limited exposure, examination-oriented practices, and multilingual classroom contexts, particularly in vocational high schools. Traditional teacher-centered approaches often limit authentic communication and fail to connect English learning with students’ professional needs. Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) offer alternative pedagogical frameworks, as PjBL promotes collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving through meaningful products, while CTL situates language learning in real-life and career-relevant contexts. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of PjBL and CTL in enhancing cognitive, behavioral, and affective student engagement among vocational high school students majoring in chemical analysis. A mixed-methods convergent parallel design was employed, involving 33 students. Data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews, with reliability and validity ensured through piloting and triangulation. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicated that PjBL significantly improved students’ motivation, communication skills, collaboration, and critical thinking, although confidence in using English for professional purposes remained limited. CTL also enhanced learning relevance, vocabulary retention, and vocational readiness, particularly in explaining technical concepts, though peer interaction and communicative confidence required further support. Overall, PjBL and CTL demonstrated complementary strengths in linking classroom English instruction with workplace communication. Pedagogically, the study underscores the importance of integrating authentic, student-centered approaches in vocational EFL contexts to foster both language competence and transferable professional skills.
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