Fostering student motivation in project-based learning via animated cartoons

Abstract

The article examines the case of the project-based learning via animated cartoons and its impact on the level of motivation of students when studying English for specific purposes (ESP). The purpose of the article is to investigate the relationship between the learning autonomy of students, who actively participate in search activities, and the growth of their internal and external motivation in mastering a foreign language. The relevance of the work is due to the need to study the level of responsibility of students for the efficiency of their educational process. The paper formulates the categories of motivation and presents the principles of planning project activities in order to increase the involvement of students in setting educational objectives and ways to achieve them.

The project considers the search activity of first-year students in the selection of short animated cartoons to supplement the curriculum for learning English for specific purposes and the methodical activity of students to create pre- and post-watching tasks as part of an educational experiment. The results show that the project activity of students based on animated films significantly increases the level of their engagement, internal motivation, autonomy and responsibility in the compulsory study of English in the bachelor's degree program.

The study revealed that the alignment of learning tasks with the professional interests of students, the inclusion of interactive and communicative elements, the encouragement of critical thinking, as well as the opportunity of creativity contributed to the formation of a dynamic and stimulating learning environment with an active role of students in it.