1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Reza Dashtestani; Shadi Forutanian
Abstract
Developing students’ various competencies and skills of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has posed serious challenges for university students. However, only a few studies have been carried out regarding incorporating project-based learning activities that integrate general education and Fourth ...
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Developing students’ various competencies and skills of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has posed serious challenges for university students. However, only a few studies have been carried out regarding incorporating project-based learning activities that integrate general education and Fourth Industrial Revolution competencies as an education 4.0 project-based ESP curriculum (E4PEC). Therefore, this exploratory mixed-methods study has been carried out to develop a Medical English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course that is in line with a specific academic institution's curriculum, in order to understand how students perceived the challenges and benefits of studying Medicine based on E4PEC. A total of 64 fourth-year medical majors, 46 females and 18 male students at Najafabad Islamic Azad University in Iran, participated in the study. Cronbach’s Alpha test was run to test the reliability of the questionnaires’ items in order to explore students’ perceptions of the challenges and benefits of E4PEC. Regarding their perceptions of the benefits, it was found that all five categories received the students’ positive attitudes. More specifically, most of the students perceived that PBL brought the benefits of fostering language and content knowledge and skills, and enhancement of self-responsibility and personal qualities. The study findings suggest that the E4PEC-based ESP medicine courses were more beneficial than challenging for the students and had the potential to improve students' utilization and development of technology, communication, critical thinking and analysis, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Nevertheless, issues with peers frequently surfaced, including a lack of digital and research skills, as well as difficulties with both hard and soft skills. This study provides implications for the integration of E4PEC into ESP medical classes in Iranian higher education and other similar educational contexts.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Roghaiyeh Eslami; Mahnaz Saeidi; Touran Ahour
Abstract
Collaborative content learning (CCL), as a process of learning that contributes to effective learning of the content of the courses in EFL contexts, has recently gained prominence in the research literature; however, the male and female students’ perceptions regarding CCL’s efficacy and their ...
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Collaborative content learning (CCL), as a process of learning that contributes to effective learning of the content of the courses in EFL contexts, has recently gained prominence in the research literature; however, the male and female students’ perceptions regarding CCL’s efficacy and their challenges in experiencing it are open questions. Thus, this mixed methods research investigated the contribution of CCL to Iranian TEFL students’ learning of the content. It focused on their perceptions and challenges across gender. Sixty male and female participants in the master’s program participated in the study. To collect the data, a questionnaire and interviews were used. The findings of the study, using quantitative data analysis, showed that more than half of the learners believed that CCL is effective in EFL teaching and learning context, especially, in terms of negotiation and problem-solving. Moreover, the results showed no statistically significant difference between male and female students’ perceptions of the efficacy of CCL. Finally, the analysis of the interviews’ data qualitatively revealed that male learners had methodological challenges in CCL, while female learners had communication challenges. The findings of the study suggest the beneficial role of CCL in raising students’ awareness of skillful collaboration for maximum learning of the content.
Rahim Najjari; Karim Sadeghi
Abstract
This paper presents the findings of a study on Iranian English language teachers’ understanding of Task-based language teaching (TBLT) principles and perceived challenges of TBLT implementation in Iran. The data obtained from 100 respondents on a 39-item survey instrument and ...
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This paper presents the findings of a study on Iranian English language teachers’ understanding of Task-based language teaching (TBLT) principles and perceived challenges of TBLT implementation in Iran. The data obtained from 100 respondents on a 39-item survey instrument and four essay questions analyzed through frequency statistics revealed that nearly 70 percent of teachers are cognizant of TBLT related principles. The study showed that in comparison with institutional and learner factors, teacher-related factors including teacher proficiency, experience, training, ability/skill, satisfaction and fidelity to tradition, inadequate income, and assumed roles were top challenges in the implementation of TBLT. This finding is a further confirmation of the extraordinary role put down to teacher variables by Deng and Carless((2009), Jeon and Hahn ( 2006) Chang and Goswami (2011), Li (1998) and Richard (2011). The study also found that factors like teachers’ being aware of TBLT advantages, their willingness to do TBLT, compatibility of their understanding with TBLT, their ability to change student attitudes towards TBLT, their access to authenticity, and student motivation can be viewed as assets in TBLT implementation. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper.
