Teachers’ Adaptive Agency in Project-Based Learning: Belief–Practice Alignment in Secondary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v9i3.32667Keywords:
Project-based learning, professional development, reflection, teacher beliefsAbstract
Project-Based Learning (PjBL) has been widely promoted as a student-centered pedagogy that supports the development of 21st-century skills; however, its effectiveness depends largely on how teachers’ beliefs are translated into classroom practice. This study examines high school teachers’ beliefs and practices related to PjBL across three interconnected dimensions: professional development (training), classroom implementation, and reflection. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 36 high school teachers in Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, followed by semi-structured interviews with three selected participants to explore belief–practice alignment and contextual influences in greater depth. Quantitative findings revealed consistently high mean scores for both beliefs and practices across all three dimensions, indicating a generally strong alignment between teachers’ conceptual endorsement of PjBL and their reported enactment. However, areas of partial misalignment emerged in practices requiring sustained autonomy and long-term pedagogical change, particularly self-directed professional development, facilitation of student agency and project authenticity, and the systematic integration of reflective insights into future lesson planning. Qualitative findings confirmed that while teachers value PjBL and adapt it flexibly to classroom realities, structural constraints, such as curriculum demands, limited training continuity, and assessment pressures, limit deeper implementation. The study concludes that teachers demonstrate adaptive agency in implementing PjBL, with belief–practice alignment strengthened when supported by institutional facilitation, mentoring, and reflective cultures. Sustained professional development and contextual support are therefore essential to move PjBL beyond procedural adoption toward a more profound, transformative pedagogical practice.
References
Ahmad, H., & Shah, S. R. (2022). Teacher agency and professional development: A study on Cambridge English teacher program in the Arabian Gulf. Cogent Education, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2022.2080352
Aisyah, S., & Novita, D. (2025). Teachers’ perception of the implementation of project-based learning in early childhood education in Indonesia. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2025.2458663
Astawa, N. L. P. N. S. P., Artini, L. P., & Nitiasih, P. K. (2017). Project based learning activities and EFL students’ productive skills in English. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 8(6), 1147–1155. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0806.16
Basturkmen, H. (2012). Review of research into the correspondence between language teachers’ stated beliefs and practices. System, 40(2), 282–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2012.05.001
Biesta, G., Priestley, M., & Robinson, S. (2017). Talking about education: exploring the significance of teachers’ talk for teacher agency. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 49(1), 38–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2016.1205143
Borg, S. (2011). The impact of in-service teacher education on language teachers’ beliefs. System, 39(3), 370–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2011.07.009
Cahyono, B. Y., Irawati, N. R., Amalia, S. N., & Hidayat, L. E. (2024). Project-based Learning in EFL educational settings: A meta-analysis study in EFL/ESL writing. Journal of Writing Research, 16(1), 105–127. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2024.16.01.04
De Oliveira Biazus, M., & Mahtari, S. (2022). The impact of Project-Based Learning (PJBL) model on secondary students’ creative thinking skills. International Journal of Essential Competencies in Education, 1(1), 38–48. https://doi.org/10.36312/ijece.v1i1.752
Deng, C., & Carless, D. R. (2010). Examination preparation or effective teaching: conflicting priorities in the implementation of a pedagogic innovation. Language Assessment Quarterly, 7(4), 285–302. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2010.510899
Eswaran, U. (2024). Project-Based learning: fostering collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. In Bhatia, M., & Mushtaq, M. T. (Eds), Enhancing education with intelligent systems and data-driven instruction (pp. 23–43). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-2169-0.ch002
Etikan, I. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
Farrell, T. S., & Ives, J. (2014). Exploring teacher beliefs and classroom practices through reflective practice: A case study. Language Teaching Research, 19(5), 594–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168814541722
Fetters, M. D., & Tajima, C. (2022). Joint displays of integrated data collection in mixed methods research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221104564
Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408–1416.
Garib, A. (2022). “Actually, it’s real work”: EFL Teachers’ perceptions of Technology‐Assisted Project‐Based Language Learning in Lebanon, Libya, and Syria. TESOL Quarterly, 57(4), 1434–1462. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3202
Graham, S., Santos, D., & Francis-Brophy, E. (2014). Teacher beliefs about listening in a foreign language. Teaching and Teacher Education, 40, 44–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2014.01.007
Grant, S. (2017). Implementing project-based language teaching in an Asian context: a university EAP writing course case study from Macau. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-017-0027-x
Guo, P., Saab, N., Post, L. S., & Admiraal, W. (2020). A review of project-based learning in higher education: Student outcomes and measures. International Journal of Educational Research, 102, 101586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101586
Jalilzadeh, K., & Coombe, C. (2023). Constraints in employing learning-oriented assessment in EFL classrooms: teachers’ perceptions. Language Testing in Asia, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-023-00222-8
Khoudri, I. (2024). Mindsets and EFL learner autonomy in the digital era: Secondary school learners as a case study. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 6(3), 259–270. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v6i3.1820
Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480216659733
Lee, I., & Coniam, D. (2013). Introducing assessment for learning for EFL writing in an assessment of learning examination-driven system in Hong Kong. Journal of Second Language Writing, 22(1), 34–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2012.11.003
Markula, A., & Aksela, M. (2022). The key characteristics of project-based learning: how teachers implement projects in K-12 science education. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-021-00042-x
McKim, C. (2023). Meaningful Member-Checking: A Structured Approach to Member-Checking. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(2), 41-52.
McKim, C. A. (2017). The value of mixed methods research: A mixed methods study. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 11(2), 202–222. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689815607096
Merino-Soto, C. A. (2018). Intervalos de confianza para la diferencia entre coeficientes de validez de contenido (V Aiken): Una sintaxis SPSS. Anales De Psicología, 34(3), 587–590. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.34.3.283481
Moseholm, E., & Fetters, M. D. (2017). Conceptual models to guide integration during analysis in convergent mixed methods studies. Methodological Innovations, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2059799117703118
Musa, F., Mufti, N., Latiff, R. A., & Amin, M. M. (2012). Project-based Learning (PJBL): Inculcating soft skills in 21st century workplace. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59, 565–573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.315
Nassaji, H. (2015). Qualitative and descriptive research: Data type versus data analysis. Language Teaching Research, 19(2), 129–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168815572747
Ngadiso, N., Sarosa, T., Asrori, M., Drajati, N. A., & Handayani, A. (2021). Project-based Learning (PBL) in EFL learning: Lesson from Indonesia. AL-ISHLAH Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(2), 1114–1122. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v13i2.558
Norawati, R., & Puspitasari, Y. (2022). The Learning Skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Student-Teachers in Project-based Learning and Case-based Learning. JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies), 9(2), 255–277. https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v9i2.512
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Oosterhoff, A. M., Oenema-Mostert, I. C., & Minnaert, A. E. (2020). Aiming for agency. The effects of teacher education on the development of the expertise of early childhood teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 96, 103176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2020.103176
Putri, A. P., Rachmadiarti, F., & Kuntjoro, S. (2023). Implementation of Project Based Learning (PjBL) Model with Differentiation Approach to Improve Critical Thinking Ability. International Journal of Current Educational Research, 2(2), 140–149. https://doi.org/10.53621/ijocer.v2i2.250
Rohmaniyah, N. N., & Asih, N. S. W. (2024). Project-Based Learning design in secondary Schools: Enhancing students’ collaborative and creative skills. International Journal of Post Axial Futuristic Teaching and Learning, 274–287. https://doi.org/10.59944/postaxial.v2i4.395
Rowley, J. (2012). Conducting research interviews. Management Research Review, 35(3/4), 260–271. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409171211210154
Sartika, U. D., Syafryadin, S., & Azwandi, A. (2022). English Teachers’ perception of implementing Project-Based Learning in secondary schools. ENGLISH FRANCA Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 6(2), 477. https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v6i2.5452
Schoonenboom, J., & Johnson, R. B. (2017). How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design. Kolner Zeitschrift fur Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 69(Suppl 2), 107–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-017-0454-1
Siswono, T. Y. E., Hartono, S., & Kohar, A. W. (2018). Effectiveness of project based learning in statistics for lower secondary schools. DergiPark (Istanbul University), 18(75), 197–212.
Song, X., Razali, A. B., Sulaiman, T., & Jeyaraj, J. J. (2024). Impact of project-based learning on critical thinking skills and language skills in EFL context: A review of literature. World Journal of English Language, 14(5), 402. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v14n5p402
Stoecker, R., & Avila, E. (2020). From mixed methods to strategic research design. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 24(6), 627–640. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2020.1799639
Sun, X., & Zhu, P. (2023). Implementing Project-Based Language Teaching to develop EFL High school students’ key competences. Sustainability, 15(2), 1658. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021658
Suri, H. (2011). Purposeful sampling in qualitative research synthesis. Qualitative research journal, 11(2), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ1102063
Tao, J., & Gao, X. (2017). Teacher agency and identity commitment in curricular reform. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 346–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.01.010
Toolin, R. E. (2004). Striking a balance between innovation and standards: A study of teachers implementing project based approaches to teaching science. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 13(2), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOST.0000031257.37930.89
Trizano-Hermosilla, I., & Alvarado, J. M. (2016). Best alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha reliability in realistic conditions: congeneric and asymmetrical measurements. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 769. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00769
Turner, S. F., Cardinal, L. B., & Burton, R. M. (2017). Research design for mixed methods: A triangulation-based framework and roadmap. Organizational Research Methods, 20(2), 243–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428115610808
Uprichard, E., & Dawney, L. (2016). Data diffraction: Challenging data integration in mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689816674650
Wang, L. (2022). English Language Teacher Agency in response to curriculum reform in China: An ecological approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 935038. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.935038
Yang, P., Chen, S., Zhang, W., & Chen, J. (2025). The impact of project-based learning on EFL learners’ learning motivation and academic performance: an empirical study in a Chinese rural school. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05519-y
Yuliani, Y., & Lengkanawati, N. S. (2017). Project-based learning in promoting learner autonomy in an EFL classroom. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 47. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v7i2.8131
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Novika Amalia, Richard Ferry Nugraha, Muhammad Subhan Fikri, Emeral, Dellis Pratika, Bahing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with VELES agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., posting it to an institutional repository or publishing it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as this can lead to productive exchanges and earlier and greater citations of published work.
VELES is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
