Implementing the Blended Teaching Approach in ESP Courses: The Case of First Year Master Students of Computer Science at Mostaganem University

Abstract

The traditional teaching approaches adopted in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses often lead to students’ disengagement. Therefore, the blended teaching approach that focuses on integrating the best of technology and pedagogy has become more prevalent and captured the attention of researchers and educators. Although several studies have examined the effectiveness of blended learning (BL) in various EFL courses, there is a paucity of studies examining the effectiveness of BL in ESP courses. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of implementing the blended teaching approach in ESP courses by measuring the extent to which the blended teaching approach in English for Computer Science courses creates a flexible, thorough, and authentic learning environment that meets students' diverse needs and interests. It was informed by a case study using a mixed-method research design. Data collection instruments involve a semi-structured interview conducted with six students, a needs analysis questionnaire, a quasi-experiment, and a course evaluation checklist carried out with fifty participants. First-year Master's students of computer science at Mostaganem University (Algeria) were selected as a study sample during the academic year 2018–2019. The findings of the study indicate that using different modes of teaching could positively impact student achievement and engagement and increase their autonomy and motivation. This pedagogical shift could also be offered as an alternative approach to overcome the hindrances of traditional classes since the conventional nature of ESP courses taught throughout the year program before implementing the blended courses was not adequate to meet the students' academic and professional needs. The participants had positive attitudes toward implementing the blended teaching approach in ESP courses as the latter could expand teaching context boundaries from the traditional classroom to the virtual classroom, enabling students to learn at their own pace. Based on the results, the students expressed their willingness for blended teaching to make the ESP courses constructively associated with their academic and professional specialisations. Nevertheless, they expressed dissatisfaction with the virtual interaction while learning. The overall findings of the study reveal the increasing necessity for the implementation of a blended ESP course in the current computer science department. These findings lead to pedagogical implications of considering the construction of course assignments covering students' areas of interest in connection with the multimedia features. Implications for leveraging students' digital resources and ongoing critical feedback and reflective teaching practices were also suggested as necessary for students' ESP mastery. A proposed ESP syllabus based on the stakeholders' needs within a blended learning environment was also recommended. The study also recommends the provision of teacher training as a first step towards the necessary improvements