Blended Course Evaluation in the Context of English for Specific Purposes: Accountability and Development

Abstract

Blended learning utilizes the affordances of information and communication technology to integrate online learning with face-to-face teaching. It facilitates to meet students’ disciplinary learning needs and helps them achieve the intended learning outcomes so that they can advance in their professional study. The present study focuses on developing and evaluating a blended course implemented in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) from the perspective of accountability and development, with the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of the course from three aspects: the satisfaction of students’ learning requirements, the achievement of their learning outcomes, and the ongoing refinement of the course. Data of the course evaluation survey were quantitatively analyzed by descriptive statistics and data of students’ learning reflections were qualitatively analyzed by thematic analysis. Results indicate that, firstly, students are satisfied with the course design and its implementation; secondly, the course modification should focus on adding academic presentations, teaching in English with trans-semiotising approach and consolidating the disciplinary community, which in turn activate students’ knowledge-sharing and critical thinking. The study offers a systematic framework to evaluate the ESP blended course, which also has implications for evaluating blended courses in other language curricula.

How Your Teaching Strategy Affects Your Students’ Learning Outcomes; Reflections on Technical Report Writing Course at Gulf University

“…The study results were also supported by Zhang (2021) who developed and evaluated a blended course implemented in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) from the perspective of accountability and development, to assess the effectiveness of the course from three aspects: the satisfaction of students' learning requirements, the achievement of their learning outcomes, and the ongoing improvement of the course. His results revealed that students are satisfied with the course design and its implementation; blended learning in English with a trans-semiotician approach and consolidating the disciplinary community, which in turn activates students' knowledge-sharing and critical thinking.…”

Visualizing and Bibliometrically Analyzing Information and Communication Technology-Based Blended Learning

“…Thus, learners were satisfied with blended learning and its operating procedures. Blended learning could improve presentations of individual learners and enhance learning collaboration, knowledge distribution, and critical conception in the education of English for special purposes (Zhang, 2021). ICT courses could improve knowledge acquisition, communicative abilities, interpersonal interactions, and self-directed learning.…”

“…Blended learning could greatly improve learning effectiveness by enhancing learners' satisfaction, meeting individual needs, and facilitating task completion. By integrating ICTs into traditional inperson learning, blended learning could meet various requirements of coursework and facilitate the completion of learning tasks (Zhang, 2021). Thus, learners were satisfied with blended learning and its operating procedures.…”

Effectiveness Study on Online or Blended Language Learning Based on Student Achievement: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies

“…General satisfaction, positive evaluation [39] Grammar Undergraduates in Saudi Arabia Mixed [40] Language and literature K-12 students in the US Mixed [41] English for Specific Purpose Hospitality English Learners in China Positive, helpful [42] Agriculture and forestry English Graduates in China Effective, meaningful [43] Maritime English College students in China Positive [44] Overall English skills…”