The Effect Of ICT-Based Teaching Method On Medical Students' ESP Learning

Background: In recent years, explosion of knowledge and internet access seriously challenged the traditional language of teaching and learning methodologies. Most teachers and experts recognize the need for a teaching method using Information & Communication Technology (ICT) facilities.Purpose: To assess and compare the students' English for Specialized Purpose (E.S.P.) learning in two approaches of traditional text-based and internet–based articles.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 second-year students of medicine having ESP course. They were assigned into two groups based on their average scores: one group attended a class of which materials were chosen from the latest published medical articles in internet and the other attended a traditional text-based class. Care was taken to select texts of the same level of legibility. The language proficiency of the students was measured by English Language Battery Test (ELBA Test).Results: The students achieved better results with internet-based medical English articles, compared to the traditional text-based method. The students were mostly satisfied with the former method (77.2%); 72.3% were willing to continue with that method, and some 75% of them achieved good scores in final exam.Conclusion: Instruction based on ICT specialized articles is a more effective method for teaching ESP to the students of medicine linguistically and methodologically.