The Influence of Project-Based Learning on Students Report Text Writing Among Eighth Grade Students at SMP Swasta Primbana in 2023/2024 Academic Year

This study investigates the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in enhancing English proficiency among eighth-grade students at SMP Swasta Primbana, comparing it to traditional instructional methods. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 60 students divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in PBL sessions, while the control group received traditional instruction. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted to measure students' English proficiency. The results indicate that students in the PBL group showed significantly greater improvement in their posttest scores compared to the control group, with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.89) highlighting the educational significance of the findings. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between pre-test and post-test scores in both groups, underscoring the reliability and consistency of the test measures. Additionally, the Shapiro-Wilk test confirmed that the data followed a normal distribution, validating the use of parametric tests. Paired T-tests demonstrated statistically significant improvements in both groups, but the PBL group experienced a larger mean increase in scores, indicating the superior effectiveness of PBL. An independent samples T-test further supported these findings, showing that the PBL group's post-test scores were significantly higher than those of the control group. The study concludes that PBL is a more effective instructional approach for improving English proficiency among middle school students than traditional methods. These findings suggest that incorporating PBL into the curriculum could lead to better educational outcomes and provide a strong empirical basis for its broader adoption in language learning contexts. Future research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of PBL, its applicability across different subjects and student populations, and its integration with technology-enhanced learning tools.