A Case Study of Project-Based Learning to Foster EFL Learners’ Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking

This study investigates how project-based learning (PjBL) can enhance EFL learners’ digital literacy and critical thinking by integrating reflective self-assessment and collaborative project work. Drawing on Baxter Magolda’s self-authorship theory, which includes the stages of Following External Formulas, Crossroads, Self-Authorship, and Internal Foundation, the study analyzes 20 Korean undergraduates’ reflective statements and team-based presentations. The results reveal that most learners were positioned between the Crossroads (n = 6) and Self-Authorship (n = 9) stages, demonstrating transitional development toward autonomous reasoning. Team evaluation across four criteria―attitude, delivery, creativity, and quality―showed generally positive performance with a strong positive correlation between delivery and creativity (r = .806**, p < .001) and a very large effect size for quality (η² = .766). These results suggest that reflective engagement contributes to the depth and coherence of multimodal project outcomes. Collectively, these findings indicate that individual epistemological maturity supports responsible collaboration and ethical participation in group work. The study concludes that PjBL effectively bridges cognitive, social, and moral dimensions of digital literacy, cultivating learners’ capacity for critical reflection and ethically grounded communication in digital learning environments.