Teacher-Made Virtual Content vs. Students' Self-Created Logs: Technical Vocabulary Learning in ESP Context

Vocabulary learning is undeniably a major challenge for EFL learners and even more challenging in English-for-Specific-Purposes (ESP) contexts. Although there are several studies indicating positive potential benefits of technology in vocabulary learning, little is known about the effect of teacher-made virtual content on technical vocabulary learning in Iranian ESP classrooms. Therefore, the aim of this explanatory-mixed-method study was to compare the effect of the virtual content developed through Storyline software and students self-created logs on technical vocabulary learning as well as students’ perceptions regarding the software application. Through convenience sampling, ۳۴ Payame Noor university students majoring in industrial management were selected and divided into two experimental groups. The first group received teacher-made virtual content on technical vocabularies for six sessions and another group was required to create their vocabulary logs for the same content. Data were collected using a pre-test, post-test, and phone interview. The results of the independent samples t-test showed significant differences for the first experimental group. Moreover, the results of the post-treatment phone interview showed that the students’ motivation to learn technical vocabularies increased from the past, and most of them found teacher-made virtual content more effective and an attractive way to memorize technical vocabularies, especially, the slides accompanied by pictures and the pronunciations of the vocabularies. On the other hand, the participants in the second group found creating vocabulary logs time-consuming and mostly preferred to have a ready-made vocabulary chart. Finally, this study recommends ESP teachers create their virtual content via storyline software depending on the subject matter and make the task of teaching and learning technical vocabulary more efficient.

کلیدواژه ها:

Self-Created Logs ، Teacher-Made Virtual Content ، Technical Vocabulary ، ESP