The SMARTER model, an innovative educational framework, is designed for blended learning environments, seamlessly integrating both online and face-to-face instructional components. Employing a flipped classroom methodology, this model ensures an equitable division between online and traditional classroom interactions, aiming to cultivate a dynamic and collaborative learning atmosphere. This research focused on developing and rigorously evaluating the SMARTER model’s validity, practicality, and effectiveness. Adopting a research and development (R&D) approach informed by the methodologies of Borg, Gall, and Gall, this study utilized a mixed-methods strategy. This encompassed a robust validation process by experts in design, content, and media, alongside an empirical analysis of the model’s application in actual educational settings. The aim was to comprehensively assess its effectiveness and practicality. The findings from this study affirm the SMARTER model’s validity, practicality, and effectiveness in improving students’ information literacy skills. Comparative analysis between a control group, taught using a traditional expository approach, and an experimental group, educated under the SMARTER model, highlighted significant improvements in the latter group. This effectiveness underscores the model’s capacity not only to efficiently deliver content but also to actively engage students in a collaborative learning process. The results advocate for the model’s potential broader adoption and adaptation across similar educational contexts. They also establish a foundation for future research aimed at exploring the SMARTER model’s scalability and adaptability across diverse instructional environments.

This study explores the impact of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and locally sourced reading materials on improving speaking proficiency in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The participants consist of college students aged 18 to 19 years. Forty-four participants from two groups—experimental and control—were evaluated using pre-and post-tests. The experimental group engaged with local cultural reading materials and followed a PBL framework, while the control group used standard commercial textbooks from Western publishers. The findings reveal that the experimental group demonstrated significantly improved fluency, vocabulary, and speaking confidence compared to the control group, with 37.04% showing improvement. PBL facilitated collaborative learning in real-life scenarios, reducing anxiety and fostering more significant participation in speaking tasks. In contrast, the control group showed minimal improvement, highlighting the limitations of traditional lecture-based methods. This study concludes that integrating PBL and locally relevant content into language instruction can enhance speaking proficiency, learner motivation, and engagement. The results suggest that PBL is a dynamic approach that supports developing linguistic and collaborative skills, providing a more holistic learning experience.