Exploring ESP Learners’ Motivation: the Case of MOOC Integration into the University Curriculum

Journal of Foreign Language Education and Technology. 2019. Vol. 4. No. 1. P. 21–40.

Stognieva O.

This research examines the problem of motivation as an important variable in language learning including ESP (English for specific purposes). Despite the fact that there are different approaches to cultivating motivation the author suggests considering the potential of massive open online courses (MOOCs) that may help language learners of non-linguistic specialties. This paper describes the results of the integration of MOOCs into the ESP course curriculum at the faculty of Business Informatics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow. The integration of the MOOС component in the ESP course demonstrated that the educational outcome, in this case, might be higher than in a traditional course due to such factors as the content of instruction being tailored to the learning needs of IT students, regular and inspiring feedback to the students from the MOOC instructors, the use of interactive teaching materials and a personalized approach to learning. Research findings illustrate that imbedding MOOCs in the university ESP course could become the basis for the integrated study of special subjects and the English language in the international learning community, under the condition that on-campus courses have been re-designed to incorporate MOOC-like component.  

Keywords: higher education, massive open online courses (MOOCs), English for specific purposes (ESP)