A CLOSER LOOK INTO AN ESP COURSE THROUGH STUDENTS’ END-OF-COURSE EVALUATIONS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

With no doubt, evaluation has a significant role to ensure continuous improvement of any course, and ESP course, which is included in language teaching programs to satisfy a particular need, is not an exception. However, ESP course evaluation studies are still rare. With this in mind, this study reports the tertiary level students’ end-of-course evaluations regarding the ESP course offered within Banking department at Applied Sciences School of a state university in Turkey. Adopting survey methodology to unearth instances of the case being examined within its natural context from the perspective of its participants i.e. the students, the study gathered quantitative data through a scale which the students (N=96) reflected back on; the ESP practitioner, course materials, and course, and also qualitative data via open-ended items to elicit the students’ evaluations regarding the strengths of the course and likely changes and improvements. While the analysis of the quantitative data broadly showed the students’ satisfaction with the ESP practitioner, course materials, and the course itself, the content analysis of the qualitative data revealed insights regarding such issues as content-specific instruction and language skills development as strengths of the course. However, the qualitative data also showed that the students’ evaluations upon likely changes and improvements such as use of L1, teacher talk, and assessment diverged, which indicate heterogeneity as a challenge along the way impeding the effectiveness of ESP courses.