T1 112008092 Full text

AN ANALYSIS OF LEARNING NEEDS IN ESP COURSE AT FACULTY
OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan

Indreswari Pinandita
112008092

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2013

AN ANALYSIS OF LEARNING NEEDS IN ESP COURSE AT FACULTY
OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

THESIS

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan

Indreswari Pinandita
112008092

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2013

ii

AN ANALYSIS OF LEARNING NEEDS IN ESP COURSE AT FACULTY
OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan

Indreswari Pinandita
112008092

Approved by:

Hendro Setiawan Husada, M. A.

Sesilia Rani Setyo Sari, M.Hum.

Supervisor

Examiner

iii

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course or

accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other
person except where due reference is made in the text.

Copyright@ 2013. Indreswari Pinandita and Hendro Setiawan Husada, M. A.

All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of
Language and Literature, Satya Wacana University, Salatiga.

Indreswari Pinandita:

iv

PUBLICATION AGREEMENT DECLARATION

As a member of the (SWCU) Satya Wacana Christian University academic community, I
verify that:
Name
Student ID Number

Study Program
Faculty
Kind of Work

: Indreswari Pinandita
: 112008092
: English Education
: Faculty of Language and Literature
: Undergraduate Thesis

In developing my knowledge, I agree to provide SWCU with a non-exclusive royalty free right
for my intellectual property and the contents therein entitled:

An Analysis of Learning Needs in ESP Course
at Faculty of Information and Technology
along with any pertinent equipment.
With this non-exclusive royalty free right, SWCU maintains the right to copy, reproduce, print,
publish, post, display, incorporate, store in or scan into a retrieval system or database, transmit,
broadcast, barter or sell my intellectual property, in whole or in part without my express written
permission, as long as my name is still included as the writer.

This declaration is made according to the best of my knowledge.
Made in
Date

: Salatiga
: February 7, 2013

Verified by signee,

Indreswari Pinandita
Approved by
Thesis Supervisor

Thesis Examiner

Hendro Setiawan Husada, M. A.

Sesilia Rani Setyo Sari, M.Hum.
v


An Analysis of Learning Needs in ESP Course
at Faculty of Information and Technology
Indreswari Pinandita

Abstract
This study aimed at investigating learning needs perceived by students in ESP program of
Faculty of Information and Technology (FIT), Satya Wacana Christian University (SWCU). One
lecturer and 41 (n= 41) students were involved as the participants of this study. The data were
collected from a semi-structured interview and questionnaires which were adapted from
Hutchinson & Waters’ study.The results of the study found that 91.89% of the participants were
satisfied with what BIP 4 had offered. Most of the participants reported that the course had
matched with the purpose of their study and they were also pleased with the teaching styles used
in the classroom. They also pointed out that the lecturer was well-prepared and had shown good
attitude in teaching. Finally, most of the participants’ responses also revealed that the teaching
materials used in BIP 4 were also relevant to their needs and the classroom was comfortable to
support their learning. It is recommended that further research with more partipants be
undertakenin order to establish a greater degree of conclusiveness on this matter.

Keywords:learning needs, ESP, Information and Technology, teaching materials


Introduction
In this globalization era, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the importance of
English. English is considered as a global language and used to communicate with not only the
native speakers of English, but also any L2 speakers of English (Hu, 2004). Besides being used
as a medium to communicate with people around the world, English is also preferred as the
language of any international business and capitalist development throughout the world (Eoyang,
2006). As Chien, Lee, & Kao (2008) claims that, “English has been the link in the research and
development systems and it is increasingly important for the globalization of all the nations” (p.
115). For those reasons, Asian people consider English as the key point of being successful in
achieving a qualified standard of education and occupation. Therefore, in Asian countries, it is
1

common to find schools that placed English as a compulsory subject taught in schools (Nguyen
& Hudson, 2010).
In the previous research, Long (2005) discovered that most of general English courses
taught too much without any particular limitation on what should be taught. In addition, they
focused more on teaching grammar and linguistic of the language. More recently, literature has
emerged contradictory findings about the basis of language skills. Acquiring a language is more
than just acquiring linguistic competence of the language. Students need to have sufficient
knowledge and skill so that they can not only grasp the theory, but also put their knowledge into

practice (Belcher, 2004; Raof & Yusof, 2006; Xiao, 2006; Akbari & Tahririan, 2009).
Accordingly, an English course designer should notice the different needs of their students and
equip them with any necessary skills needed.
With the purpose of permitting students to comprehend and make use of the learning
theory, it is suggested that English instructors need to adapt what the students need in the
forthcoming setting or situation (Long, 2005; Chien, Lee, & Kao, 2008). When students are
given adequate materials or exercises on the context of language used in their field, they would
be able to use the language precisely (Raof & Yusof, 2006). The appropriate lessons and tasks
make the students know the context of the language and it enabled them to communicate
effectively.
Robinson (1991) highlights that besides understanding what its students’ need, an English
course will be more effective and defensible if the instructions and materials match the students’
purposes of learning. An English course should involve specific purposes in their programs,
which is known as English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course or program. Different with
English for General Purposes (EGP) courses which help their students to acquire English and

2

utilize it for general English communication, ESP courses use learner-centered and
content/context-based approach. As Belcher (2006) points out that “ESP assumes that the

problems are unique to specific learners in specific contexts and thus must be carefully
delineated and adressed with tailored-to-fit instruction” (p.135).
Basically, ESP courses need to involve professional studies in English that enable their
students to make use of the language according to their needs in their specific fields, such as
science and technology (Chien, Lee, & Kao, 2008). An ESP course should be able to
comprehend and distinguish the different needs of its learners since students have different
reasons and purposes in learning English.“ESP, then, is an approach to language teaching in
which all decisions as to content and method are based on the learner’s reason for
learning”(Hutchinson & Waters, 1987, p.19). The professional studies will make it easier for the
ESP courses to design a program that provides their students with any necessary knowledge and
skills that they need in their fields (Xiao, 2006). The necessary knowledge and skills of the
students is delivered by adapting the language contexts in their teaching and learning activities.
Johns & Price Machado (2001) found out that the past decade has seen the rapid
development of ESP programs in many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) countries. The
EFL term is used to indicate a language studied in a setting which is not primarily use English in
daily communication. In any EFL countries, the chance for learners to improve the language skill
is limited, but the desire of mastering English is high (Oxford, 2001). For that reason, ESP
courses become more common to be found in EFL countries in which the learners need to learn
English to study in English-medium educational institution or pursue their careers.
Designing an ESP course started with an understanding of the students’ needs in learning

English. Needs is defined as what students do not know or cannot do in English. In other words,

3

needs can be defined as the desired outcome of students’ ability to comprehend and apply the
knowledge of the target situation (Belcher, 2006; Brown, 2001; Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). As
Robinson (1991) points out that course designers are attempted to find out learners’ needs and
required a course development process called need analysis. Basturkmen (2010) highlights the
significance of conducting the needs analysis as a tool to help in designing and evaluating a
course. In this process, the course designers are supposed to identify what the students’ needs are
in the target area by reflecting on students’ previous knowledge of English. Afterward, they
should make a speculation of how the classroom activities and teaching content will enhance the
teaching and learning process. Essentially, an ESP course is based on a need analysis.
Besides conducting a need analysis, an ESP course also need to determine another needs
of students, namely learning needs. Different with the need analysis, a learning needs analysis
focuses on the learners’ need in thelanguage learning process (Al-Khatib, 2005; Hutchinson &
Waters, 1987). “As students become more involved with the course, their attitudes and approach
may change. They – or their sponsors - may also become more ambitious and extend the targets
towards which they are aiming” (Robinson, 1991, p.15).Through the learning needs analysis, the
ESP might assess if the present course is still relevant with the learners’ need or not. In addition,

it can be used as a standard for ESP program to provide appropriate materials and instructions to
fulfill the learners’ need (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987).
The importance of encountering learners’ need in learning (Al-Khatib, 2005;
Basturkmen, 2010; Belcher, 2006; Brown, 2001; Hutchinson & Waters, 1987; Robinson, 1991)
had encouraged the researcher to find out how well does the ESP program perform at present.
Therefore, this paper provided an account of analyzing the learners’ perception related to their
learning needs at the English program in the Faculty of Information and Technology (FIT) of

4

Satya Wacana Christian University, Indonesia. The FIT aimed at giving the students deeper
understanding of English for IT, which covers Bahasa Inggris Dasar (Basic English) and Bahasa
Inggris Profesi (English for Profession). While the Basic English course aimed at giving the
students basic understanding of English, English for Profession course provided the students
with the deeper understanding of English for their IT profession.
Before conducting this study, the researcher found that the materials used in the ESP
course is good sinceit is comprehensive and relevant to the IT issues.The ESP course is also
taught by qualifiedEnglish lecturers who have completed their bachelor and/or master degree in
English. Moreover, the majority of students admitted that the ESP course ispleasing as they are
enjoying the ESP class. Based on this observation, the researcher came out with an idea to have a
further research with regard to the existing ESP program in the FIT. To be more specific, this
study would find out how well the ESP course meets the students’needs in learning. In this study,
one research question was asked, “What are the BIP 4 students’ perceptions toward their learning
needs?”
The proposed study serves as a medium for the students to share their perception along
with their recommendationfor the present English course. It may help FIT, especially the ESP
course designer, to gain deeper understanding of the students’need in learning, in addition to
serve as a tool to check whether the ESP programis still relevant with the learners’need. The
finding result also enables the ESP lecturer to prepareappropriate teaching materials and
methodologies. Lastly, this study will be useful for future researcher as a guide in developing
this study.

5

The study
In analyzing the data, this study combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Firstly,
the data were analyzed quantitatively to calculate the frequencies and percentages. Then, the
qualitative method was applied in order to draw hypotheses from the results and gain deeper
understanding of the findings.As Brown (2001) suggests to use the combination of qualitative
and quantitative method whenever possible as they might provide more comprehensive findings.
Context of Study

This study was conducted in BIP 4 (English for Profession level 4) classes in the Faculty
of Information and Technology (FIT), Satya Wacana Christian University (SWCU), Indonesia.
BIP 4 course focused on developing reading and writing skills which enabled the students to
understand the IT materials. This course was offered in the second trimester in 2011/2012
academic year. The purpose of conducting this research was to answer the following research
question: “What are the BIP 4 students’ perceptions towards their learning needs?”
Participants

The participants of this study were 1 ESP lecturer and 41 students of BIP 4 course in FIT,
SWCU, Indonesia. The lecturer was chosen as a representative of ESP course lecturers in FIT.
She is an Indonesian who graduated from English Department of SWCU. She also had
completed her master degree in educational management. When this study was being carried
out, she had taught ESP in FIT for 2 years. Other participants of this study were 30 male and 11
female students (n=41) of 2 BIP 4 classes in FIT. They were students of 2011 (7.31%), 2010
(85.36%), 2009 (2.43%) and 2008 (4.87%). They were all Indonesians whose age ranged from
19 to 23 years old. With regard to nationality, educational level and age, the participants could
be considered homogeneous.

6

Data Collection

The data of the current study were collected from questionnaires and an interview.
Firstly, I distributed questionnaires to the41 students of 2 BIP 4 classes. The questionnaire was in
Indonesian and consisted of 27 closed-response questions which were developed from
Hutchinson & Waters’ theory on learning needs (1987). In order to check the clarity of the
adapted questions, I conducted a pilot study with 5 students from BIP 4 course. After having
some revisions and done with the setting up, the questionnaires were distributed to 30 male and
11 female students of two BIP 4 classes which were taught by the same lecturer. Further, the
questions were divided into5 sub-categories: the reasons of learners in taking English course, the
way the learners learned, the resource availability, the learners’ personal history, and the time
and the situation where the course took place (ibid).
Besides, I also conducted a semi-structured interview in orderto know the lecturer’s
perception toward students’ needs in learning. The interview was audio-recordedand went for
about 18 minutes. The interview questions were also developed from Hutchinson & Waters
theory on learning needs (ibid). It consisted of 22 open-ended questions which covered the 5 subcategories: the reasons of learners in taking the English course, the way the learners learned, the
resources availability, the learners’ personal history, and the time and the situation where the
course took place (ibid). It was also conducted in Indonesian to ensure better understanding.
Data Analysis

After collecting the data, both questionnaires and interview results were analyzed.Firstly,
the questionnaires were analyzedto identify the BIP 4 students’ perceptions related to their
learning needs.Then, the interview record wastranscribed and analyzed to know the lecturer’s
perception of students’ learning needs. The students’ and lecturer’s perception related to

7

thestudents’ needs were classified into the five categories: the reasons of learners in taking the
English course, the way the learners learned, the resources availability, the learners’ personal
history, and the time and the situation where the course took place(ibid). From those five
categories, I made an analysis through the comparison of students and lecturer’s answers in order
to know if the students’ perceptions related to their learning needs were correspond to what the
faculty had provided for them. If the students and lecturer’s perception matched, it meant that
BIP 4 course had successfully fulfilled students’ needs in learning. However, if the students had
different perception related to their learning needs, it indicated that BIP 4 course did not seem to
have covered the learning needs of the students. In other ways, it implied that BIP 4 course still
needed to be re-evaluated and made some improvement in order to make the course relevant with
students’ needs.
Results and discussion
In response to the research question “What are the BIP 4 students’ perceptions towards
their learning needs?”, this study found that most of the participants (91.89%) expressed their
satisfactionof the existing BIP 4 course. In depth, the results of this study were reported and
discussed under five main headings:
1. The learners’ reasons in taking English course
2. The way the learners learned
3. The resources availability
4. The learners’ personal history
5. The time and situation where the course took place

8

The learners’ reasons in taking English course
This part of study would see if the purpose of establishing BIP 4 course matched with the
students’ motivation in learning. In answering the questions, the students were asked whether
they took the BIP 4 course because they had a fondness, had an obligation, or apparently needed
the course. To make it more specific, the word “need” in this context were divided into the
students’ need for reading IT materials, for a TOEFL test, for a job application, and for work.
Figure 1 below shows the reasons of FIT students in taking the BIP 4 course. From the
data, it was apparent that 95.12% of the participants took BIP 4 course since they had an
obligation to take it. In addition, the reasons of taking the course were for joining a TOEFL test
(90.24%). Apparently, most of the students were reported that they needed the English course
(87.80%); in which some said for working (82.92%), for a job application (78.04%), having a
fondness to take the course (73.17%), and for reading any IT materials (68.29%).
FIGURE 1
Students’ Reasons in Taking BIP 4 Course
95.12%

1
0.8

73.17%

90.24%

87.80%

78.04%

82.92%

68.29%

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
having a having an apparently for reading for a
for job
for
fondness obligation
need
IT
TOEFL application working
materials
test

BIP 4 was a requisite course in FIT. According to the ESP lecturer, students needed
English since it has been acknowledged as the language used in IT development. Through BIP 4
course, students learned to understand IT materials and journals which were mostly written in
English. Moreover, the lecturer asserted that skills given in BIP 4 course also helped the students
in the TOEFL test preparation, which later would be given in BIP 5 course.
9

FIT also expected its students to master IT skills, such as understanding programming
and networking system, as well as having language skills in English when they graduated.
Moreover, the globalization and economy growth has demanded the job applicants to master
English (Lieberman & Miller, 2005). The lecturer pointed out, “If students have good
proficiency in English, it would be a plus point for them in applying for a job later”.
Lastly, the data from questionnaires and interview suggested that students showed an
enthusiasm in learning. To this point, 97.56% of the participants found this course was helpful to
support their learning in FIT, such as for understanding IT materials and for preparing
themselves for the TOEFL test. In brief, the purpose of establishing BIP 4 course had matched
the students’ needs: to support their learning and prepare them to work.
The way the learners learned
The topic related to the way the learners learned covered 3 questions: the concept of
teaching and learning, the teaching method that appeals to them, and the teaching method that
alienates them. Figure 2 below represents the students’ responses related to their perception of
the teaching technique.

12.19%

7.31%

0%

10.00%

46.34%

56.09%
56.09%
7.31%

20.00%

14.63%

30.00%

0%

40.00%

24.39%
14.63%
29.26%

50.00%

26.82%

60.00%

24.39%
34.13%

51.21%

70.00%

68.29%

80.00%

73.17%

FIGURE 2
Students’ Perception of Teaching Technique

0.00%

lecturer's
students'
presentation presentation

game

out-of-class
class
activities discussion

10

AVAs

teaching technique
concept
interesting teaching
technique
alienating teaching
technique

The students’ perception towards the teaching concept would reveal the teaching and
learning methodapplied on their study. According to the data, the students answered thelecturer’s
presentation (73.17%), class discussion (56.09%), students’ presentation (24.39%), and out-ofclass activities (24.39%) as their teaching technique concepts. None of the participants
considered games (0%) and teaching using AVAs (0%) as their teaching technique concept, even
though the two methods had high percentage as interesting teaching technique (51.21% and
46.34%).
The students had varied perception towards the interesting teaching techniques applied.
This study found that the students preferred class discussion (56.09%) as the interesting teaching
technique, followed by games (51.21%), teaching using AVAs (46.34%), out-of-class activities
(34.14%), lecturer’s presentation (26.82%), and students’ presentation (14.63%). The students
were interested in having class discussion since it enabled them to share their ideas with their
peers. However, their responses also revealed that they also needed some variation in teaching
such as having some competition, having some AVAs like video recording, slide show, or
studying outside the classroom.
Lastly, the students answered lecturer’s presentation (68.29%) and students’ presentation
(29.26%) as the major alienating teaching techniques, followed by games (14.63%), teaching
using AVAs (12.19%), out-of-class activities (7.31%), and class discussion (7.31%). The
participants found that they did not like any teaching method that only focused on either the
lecturer or the students. They preferred to have some time to discuss with peers and share their
discussion results with the lecturer. In this case, ESP lecturers were expected to guide their
students without omitting their main responsibility as a tutor who gave input for their students
(Richards, 2006; Wei & Onsawad, 2007).

11

The interview results suggested that the lecturer also preferred class discussion as the
teaching technique applied in class. According to the lecturer, class discussion enabled the
students to be active in class and created a pleasant atmosphere in the classroom. In the teaching
and learning process, students were given opportunities to have a group discussion and share
their discussion results to the lecturer. Some activities in the teaching handout also required the
students to have some discussions related to IT issues, suchas a discussion about Application
Program in unit 1 and Data Security in unit 4 and 5.
The result of this study supported the previous research (Xiao, 2006) that students needed
classroom activities which enabled them to be active in some class discussion. The finding of
this study suggested that both the lecturer and the students had similar ideas related to the
interesting teaching technique applied in the classroom. Lastly, in order to create the pleasant
atmosphere in teaching and learning process, without omitting the quality of teacher-students
interaction (Xie, 2009).
The resources availability
The resources availability in ESP teaching covered the attitude of the English lecturer, the
materials, and the AVAs (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). Firstly, this study would find out the
students’ perceptions toward the attitude of the English lecturer to BIP 4 course. The data
presented in Figure 3 indicates the students’ responses related to the attitude of their ESP
lecturer.

12

FIGURE 3
Students’ Perception of the ESP Lecturer’s Attitude
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

75.60%

68.29%
53.65%

53.65%
39.02%

showing
positive
attitude

mastering the explaining the well-prepared
materials
materials
clearly

showing
enthusiasm

Through the questionnaires, the students answered that the ESP lecturer showed a
positive attitude towards the course (75.60%), mastering the materials (68.29%), explaining the
materials clearly (53.65%), and well-prepared in teaching (53.65%). Only few students answered
that the lecturer showed an enthusiasm in teaching (39.02%). Through the interview, the ESP
lecturer revealed that some of her colleagues encountered difficulties in teaching BIP 4 classes,
especially regarding to the reading and writing skills. Furthermore, they found that the students
were not interested in learning reading and writing. It was supported by students’ responses that
they were more interested in improving their speaking (85.36%) and listening (56.09%) rather
than reading (43.90%) and writing (41.46%) skills.
The next aspect to be analyzed was the participants’ perception towards materials used in
BIP 4 course. The teaching handout used in BIP 4 course was compiled by the ESP lecturers in
FIT. In order to improve students’ background knowledge, the reading passages and writing
exercises in the handout were mostly related to topics of IT. The handout has been used for years
without any revision or renewal. Therefore, this study would find out whether or not the
materials used were still relevant to the students’ needs in learning. Figure 4 below shows the
students’ perception related to materials used in the handout of BIP 4 course.

13

interesting

relevant to
relevant to
present issue learning needs

9.75%

24.39%

9.75%

2.43%

39.02%

60.97%

36.58%
2.43%

comprehensive

12.19%

43.90%
7.31%

70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%

51.21%

FIGURE 4
Students’ Perception of Materials Used

good
poor

easy to
balance
understand between theory
and application

From the data, it was shown that some of the participants answered the materials used in
BIP 4 handout was relevant to their learning needs (60.97%), interesting (51.21%),
comprehensive (43.90%), easy to understand (39.02%), relevant to the present IT issue
(36.58%), and balance between the theory and its application (24.39%). On the other hand, some
students did not feel that the materials used in BIP 4 course was relevant to the present IT issue
(12.19%), balance between the theory and its application (9.57%), interesting (7.31%),
comprehensive (2.43%), easy to understand (9.57%), and relevant to their learning needs
(2.43%).
In spite of having no revision for years, the majority of the students thought the materials
were still good (relevant to their learning needs, interesting, comprehensive, easy to understand,
relevant to the present IT issue, and balance between the theory and its application). The data
from the questionnaires indicated that the students did not put their concern about the renewal of
the materials. For example, some of the students admitted that they were aimed at improving
their vocabularies in IT context and understanding the IT materials. As long as the materials
were helpful, especially to understand the IT materials, lack of renewal of the materials was still
acceptable.

14

These findings suggested that in general, FIT focused on helping students to deal with the
needs in the target situation, especially to understand the IT materials. For that reason, the focus
of FIT in giving the materials had matched the students’ needs in learning English. However, if
the ESP would like to make the materials even better, it might have some renewal to make it
more relevant with the present issues. The renewal could be done by taking or adapting materials
from any sources, such as the Internet, newspapers, magazines, TV programs, movies, songs and
literature (Al-Khatib, 2005; Berardo, 2006).
The last aspect to be analyzed was teaching aids or AVAs. As most information gained
from our sight, AVAs should be considered as the effective device to enhance students’ learning
(Hsiu-Chinh, 2009). The results of the questionnaire showed 80.48% of the students answered
that the lecturer mostly used the BIP 4 teaching handout to teach. In addition, the other 19.52%
added that sometimes she also used power point slide shows as AVAs to help the students
understand the materials better.Similarly, the lecturer response revealed that she mostly used the
teaching handout and sometimes used slide shows as additional visual aids in class. Hence, the
data in Figure 5 below present the students’ perceptions related to the teaching aids used in the
BIP 4 course.

12.19%

12.19%

20.00%

14.63%

30.00%

17.07%

40.00%

34.14%

36.58%

FIGURE 5
The Teaching Aids Used

good
poor

10.00%
0.00%
interesting

helpful

satisfying

As shown in Figure 5, the overall response to this question was quite revealing. Firstly,
17.07% of the students found the teaching aids were interesting, but 14.63% found they were
15

poor. Then, 36.58% of the students answered the teaching aids used were helpful, even though
the 34.14% of them answered that they were not helpful. Lastly, 12.19% of the students satisfied
with the teaching aid used, but the other 12.09% of the students were not. The questionnaire
results indicated that teaching aids used was helpful, but had not pleased all students. In general,
it seems that the students needed more variation in AVAs in order to enhance their
comprehension and interest in learning.
The learners’ personal history
The learners’ personal history would reveal the students’ history in learning English,
especially their majors of study, interests in learning, and attitude to English as well as its culture
(Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). The result obtained from the questionnaires showed that the
students taking BIP 4 course came from several IT majors: information and technology,
information system, visual communication design, and education of information and technology.
On average, they have been learning English for 12 years.
In their study, Hutchinson & Waters (ibid) also requiredan ESP course to provide its
students with any materials that interested them. Although the participants were all FIT students,
the questionnaires result suggested that they were not only interested in learning IT
subject.68.29% of the participants answered that they were interested in learning the IT subject,
but the rest of them answered that they were also interested in learning a language (10.52%), art
(10.52%), visual communication design (7.89%), music (2.63%), law (2.63%), business (2.63%),
and sports (2.63%).
In view of that, any additional materials related to the students’ interests might be given
to attract their attention in learning English. This seemed to be a minor suggestion to include the
students’ interests into the material selections, but the impact could be substantial. In the context
of this study, incorporating students’ interests into the material could boost the students’
16

motivation (which was included in the first sub-category of the learning needs) as well as make
the teachers’ teaching methodologies more varied (which were included in the second subcategory of the learning needs).
The third aspect to be analyzed in this study was students’ perception of English and its
culture. Thus far, the students found that English was useful (82.92%), important (63.41%), and
interesting (60.97%). The students were also interested in learning the English culture. 85.36%
of the participants found that the English culture was interesting and 46.34% of them found it
was applicable to their daily life. The finding of this study also suggested that 70.73% of
participants found the lifestyle of native speakers of English was interesting, but only 21.95% of
them found that it was applicable.
The students’ responses show their enthusiasm in learning English and the English
culture as well. Unfortunately, the interview result revealed that BIP 4 course did not facilitate
the students to learn the target culture intensively. It was only given as a slight additional
information in the classroom. For example, the lecture explained how to greet people based on
the English culture. In American culture, it was impolite to ask about personal questions, such as
age or family background. Then, the lecturer sometimes spontaneously discussed about
American culture, such as the way the American celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
It seemed that giving some information related to the target culture might improve
students’ interest in learning as well as preparing them to use the language in its real context.
Moreover, it also enabled them to be more selective in choosing which culture or lifestyle of the
native English speakers that was appropriate to be applied in their daily life (Byram & Feng,
2004; Berardo, 2006).

17

The time and situation where the course took place
The students in FIT are required to take the English courses, starting from their first
trimester. Each English course, including the BIP 4, is taught for 2 hours per week (2 credits).
Since this faculty focuses on IT content courses, English is only taught as an additional subject to
support their learning. This study found that 90.24% of the participants considered the 2 hours
meeting in each English course was enough. According to them, this course had successfully
supported their learning, especially to understand the IT materials.
The results of this study also reveal the students’ perceptions and needs related to the
ESP classroom. The responses in Figure 6 were given as the answer to their perceptions towards
the ESP classroom which covered the pleasantness, quietness, temperature, brightness, and
surrounding atmosphere.

4.87%

53.65%

51.21%
7.31%

21.95%

17.07%

26.82%

21.95%

41.46%

60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%

19.51%

FIGURE 6
Students’ Perception of the ESP Classroom

good
poor

pleasantness

quietness

temperature brightness

classroom
atmosphere

The results, as shown in figure 6, indicated that the students found the pleasantness
(41.46%), learning atmosphere (53.65%), the brightness (51.21%), quietness (21.95%) and the
temperature (17.07%) of the present classroom were good. Oppositely, the data also suggested
that some BIP 4 course students expressed their discomfort of the quietness (26.82%),
temperature (21.95%), pleasantness (19.51%), brightness (7.31%), and the classroom atmosphere
(4.87%) of the BIP 4 classroom.

18

In this study, the pleasantness of the classroom showed if the classroom was comfortable
enough for the students to learn. According to them, the classroom was comfortable as it was
clean, spacious, and there were not too many students in each class. The second aspect was the
quietness of the classroom. This aspect revealed the surroundings of the classroom were too
noisy and disturbing their concentration in learning. The third aspect was the temperature of the
classroom, in which this study found thatthe temperature was too hot and not comfortable for
some students to learn. The next aspect analyzed was the brightness of the classroom, which
suggested that the light of the classroom was fine, neither too dim nor too bright. Lastly, the
classroom atmosphere was good; it meant that the students showed their enthusiasm and created
enjoyable atmosphere in their teaching and learning process.
Further analysis showed the ESP lecturer and the BIP 4 students felt that the noise came
from students outside the classroom was the most distraction in their teaching and learning
process. In response to these findings, it would be better if the ESP course improved the present
classroom situation, especially the quietness of the classroom. At last, if the classroom situation
pleased the students, they would feel more comfortable to learn.
Conclusion
To summarize the whole findings and to answer the research question “What are the BIP
4 students’ perceptions towards their learning needs?”, this study found that the majority of the
students (91.89%) were satisfied with the BIP 4 course. To be more specific, the students
explained that the purpose of BIP 4 course had matched with their motivation in learning: to
support their learning and to prepare them to work. The students’ responses also revealed that
they were pleased with the teaching style applied in class. They enjoyed having some class
discussion that enabled them to share their ideas with their classmates and lecturers. The

19

majority of the students also pointed out that the BIP 4 lecturer was good in teaching as she
showed a positive attitude toward the course, mastered the materials, explained the materials
clearly, and was well prepared in teaching. This study also found that the teaching materials were
also good as it was relevant to the students’ learning needs. Lastly, the students’ responses
revealed that they felt comfortable with the classroom situation. They found the BIP 4 course had
provided them a comfortable classroom with sufficient light and enjoyable atmosphere in the
teaching and learning process.
The data obtained from this study also suggested several aspects that had not pleased the
BIP 4 students. Firstly, this study found that even though the AVAs used were helpful, they had
not pleased all students. Several students (46.34%) believed that more variation in the AVAs
used in order to make it more interesting was needed. The students’ answers revealed that they
were not only interested in learning IT subject. Therefore, some additional materials related to
any subjects that interested them, such as: language, art, visual communication design, music,
law, business, sports, and English culture, should also be given. This idea was in line with
Hutchinson & Waters’ (1987) study which emphasized the need for giving some additional
materials that interested the learners in order to improve their interests in learning. This study
also encouraged the BIP 4 to improve the quietness of the classroom.
At this point, I would like to admit that this study still had a limitation,especially with
regards to the number of participants.Two BIP 4 classes’ students (n=41) and 1 ESP lecturer
(n=1)of FIT involved in this study. Further works need to be done since I believe that if more
participants were involved, the findings of this study would have been more conclusive.
It is expected that the findings of this study can be used as a consideration for the BIP 4
course to re-evaluate and improve the present course. Al-Khatib (2005) stated, several aspects

20

which were no longer relevant with the students’ needs would make the students feel
uncomfortable in learning. Thus, updating and evaluating the learning needs can be a valuable
source to increase students’ interest of the course and therefore, the purpose of ESP course,
especially BIP 4 course in FIT, can be accomplished.
Acknowledgement
My thanks are due first to the almighty Jesus Christ, for without His love, help, and
presence, this thesis would not have been completed: Deo Gratias! Then, my sincere and deepest
gratitude is dedicated to mysupervisor, Hendro Setiawan Husada, M.A., for his willingness to
help and givevaluable suggestions during the supervisionof this thesis. Deepest gratitude are also
due to my thesis examiner, Sesilia Rani Setyo Sari, M.Hum, for her willingness to give valuable
advices for my thesis improvement. Then, I would like to give my special thanks to the Faculty
of Information and Technology, especially BIP 4 courses’ lecturers and students, for without
their participation, this research would be impossible. Last but not least, my sincere thanks
goesto my family, masgeratt, and kak Adi Sudarma Yusuf, for their love and prayers: thanks for
being my everything!
References
Akbari, Z., & Tahririan, M. H. (2009).Vocabulary learning strategies in an ESP context: The
case of para/medical English in Iran. Asian EFL Journal, 11 (1),39-61.
Al-Khatib, M. A. (2005). English in the workplace: An analysis of the communication needs of
tourism and banking personnel. The Asian EFL Journal Quarterly, 7 (2), 175-195.
Basturkmen, H. (2010). Developing courses in English for specific purposes.Retrieved
December 12, 2011, from
http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/eLearning_book/languages/023022797XCoursesEnglish.html
Belcher, D. D. (2006). English for specific purposes: Teaching to perceived needs and imagined
futures in worlds of work, study, and everyday life. Tesol Quarterly, 40 (1), 133-156.
Belcher, D. D. (2004). Trends in teaching English for specific purposes. Annual Review of
Applied Linguistics, 24, 165-186.
21

Berardo, S. A. (2006). The use of authentic materials in the teaching of reading. The Reading
Matrix, 6 (2), 60-69.
Brown, J. D. (2001). Using surveys in language program. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Byram, M., & Feng, A. (2004). Culture and language learning: Teaching, research and
scholarship. Language Teaching, 37, 149-168.
Chien, C., Lee, W., & Kao, L. (2008). Collaborative teaching in an ESP program. Asian EFL
Journal, 10 (4), 144-133.
Eoyang, E. G. (2004) English as a postcolonial tool. English Today, 19 (4),23-29.
Hsiu-Chinh, S. (2009). EFL children’s views on English picture story books. Asian EFL Journal,
11 (4), 215-234.
Hu, P. (2004). Adapting English into Chinese. English Today, 20 (2), 34-39.
Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Johns, A. M., & Price-Machado, D. (2001). English for specific purposes: Tailoring course to
student needs-and to the outside world. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a
second or foreign language (pp. 43-54). USA: Heinle & Heinle.
Lieberman, A., &Miller, L. (2005). Teachers as leaders. The Educational Forum, 69, 151-162.
Long, M. H. (2005). Second language needs analysis. In M. H. Long (Ed.), Overview: A
rationale for need analysis and needs analysis research (pp. 1-18). Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Nguyen, H. T., & Hudson, P. (2010). Preservice EFL teachers’ attitudes, needs, and experiences
about teaching writing and learning to teach writing before their practicum: A case study
in Vietnam. Asian EFL Journal, 12 (2), 43-67.
Oxford, R. L. (2001). Language learning styles and strategies. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.),
Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 359-383). USA: Heinle & Heinle.
Raof, A. H., & Yusof, M. A. (2006). ESP project work: Preparing learner for the workplace.
Asian EFL Journal, 8 (1), 144-154.
Richards, J. C. (2006). Materials development and research-making the connection. Regional
Language Centre Journal, 37 (1), 5-26.
Robinson, P. C. (1991). ESP today: A practitioner's guide. Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall
International.
Wei, M., & Onsawad, A. (2004). English teachers’ actual and ideal interpersonal behavior and
students’ outcomes in secondary schools of Thailand. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 4 (2),
95-121.
22

Xiao, L. (2006). What can we learn from a learning needs analysis of Chinese English majors in
a university context? Asian EFL Journal, 8 (4), 74-99.
Xie, X. (2009). Why are students quiet? Looking at the Chinese context and beyond. ELT
Journal, 64 (1), 10-20.

23

APPENDIX
Appendix A
YTH. Rekan-rekan Fakultas Teknologi Informasi,
Kuesioner ini dibuat untuk mengumpulkan data dalam riset mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris Profesi 4
(BIP 4) di Fakultas Teknologi Informasi-Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Salatiga. Partisipasi
Anda dalam pengisian kuesioner ini akan sangat membantu saya dalam pembuatan skripsi untuk
menyelesaikan studi saya di Fakultas Bahasa dan Sastra, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana. Oleh
karena itu, kesediaan Anda untuk mengisi kuesioner ini sangatlah dibutuhkan. Data dan informasi
yang Anda berikan akan dijaga kerahasiaannya dan untuk segera dimusnahkan setelah riset ini
selesai. Pengisian kuesioner ini tidak akan mempengaruhi nilai Anda. Terima kasih atas partisipasi
Anda.
Indreswari Pinandita
Petunjuk pengisian:
Isilah kuesioner ini dengan memberi tanda  pada kotak yang telah disediakan (pilihan boleh lebih
dari satu) atau lingkaran untuk setiap jawaban yang sesuai dengan pilihan Anda.
NIM
Umur
Jenis kelamin
Kewarganegaraan

: ..............
: ..............
:L
P
:  Indonesia
 lainnya . . . . . . .

1. Mengapa Anda mengambil mata kuliah BIP 4?
(Contoh : Anda wajib mengambil mata kuliah ini :
ya tidak
a. Anda menyukai mata kuliah ini
:
ya
tidak
b. mata kuliah ini merupakan mata kuliah wajib
:
ya
tidak
c. mata kuliah ini penting
:
ya
tidak
d. mata kuliah ini diperlukan dalam mempelajari
:
ya
tidak
mata kuliah lain
e. mata kuliah ini membantu Anda mempersiapkan
:
ya
tidak
diri untuk mengikuti tes TOEFL
f. mata kuliah ini membantu Anda mempersiapkan
:
ya
tidak
diri untuk mengikuti tes Bahasa Inggris yang
disyaratkan untuk melamar pekerjaan
g. mata kuliah ini diperlukan untuk
:
ya
tidak
pekerjaan Anda di masa mendatang
2. Apa harapan Anda setelah mengikuti mata kuliah ini?
(Anda bisa memilih lebih dari satu jawaban)
 meningkatkan kemampuan mendengarkan dalam Bahasa Inggris
 meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara/ berkomunikasi dalam Bahasa Inggris
 meningkatkan kemampuan membaca dalam Bahasa Inggris
 meningkatkan kemampuan menulis dalam Bahasa Inggris
 lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

24

3. Apa pendapat Anda mengenai mata kuliah ini?
 sangat bermanfaat
 bermanfaat
 kurang bermanfaat
 tidak bermanfaat
4. Apa pengertian Anda tentang proses belajar-mengajar?
(Anda bisa memilih lebih dari satu jawaban)
 presentasi materi oleh dosen
 diskusi kelompok
 presentasi materi oleh mahasiswa
 belajar praktek di luar kelas
 lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Metode pengajaran apa yang menarik bagi Anda?
(Anda bisa memilih lebih dari satu jawaban)
 belajar praktek di luar kelas
 presentasi materi oleh dosen
 presentasi materi oleh mahasiswa
 diskusi kelompok
 pengajaran menggunakan
 pengajaran menggunakan
permainan/game
gambar/film/video
 lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Metode pengajaran apa yang membosankan bagi Anda?
(Anda bisa memilih lebih dari satu jawaban)
 presentasi materi oleh dosen
 belajar praktek di luar kelas
 presentasi materi oleh mahasiswa
 diskusi kelompok
 pengajaran menggunakan
 pengajaran menggunakan
permainan/game
gambar/film/video
 lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Apa pendapat Anda mengenai jumlah dosen pengajar Bahasa Inggris di FTI?
 terlalu banyak
 cukup banyak
 banyak
 kurang
8. Apa pendapat Anda mengenai dosen pengajar Bahasa Inggris di kelas ini?
(Anda bisa memilih lebih dari satu jawaban)
 menunjukkan sikap positif terhadap mata kuliah ini
 menguasai materi pengajaran
 menerangkan dengan jelas
 menunjukkan kesiapannya dalam mengajar
 menunjukkan antusiasme dalam mengajar
 lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9. Apa pendapat anda mengenai materi yang digunakan di kelas BIP 4?
(Contoh: bermanfaat : ya
cukup
kurang)
a. menarik
:
ya
cukup
kurang
b. lengkap
:
ya
cukup
kurang
c. relevan dengan isu-isu teknologi saat ini
:
ya
cukup
kurang
d. sesuai dengan kebutuhan perkuliahan
:
ya
cukup
kurang
e. mudah dipahami
:
ya
cukup
kurang
f. seimbang antara teori dan praktek
:
ya
cukup
kurang
g. lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. Apakah mata kuliah ini menggunakan alat bantu pengajaran seperti proyektor/slide show/ lainnya?
selalu
kadang-kadang
 tidak pernah (lanjutkan ke pertanyaan nomor 13)
25

11. Alat bantu pengajaran apa yang digunakan dalam proses belajar-mengajar di mata kuliah ini?
(Contoh: buku
:
sering
kadang-kadang
tidak pernah)
a. modul/buku teks
:
sering
kadang-kadang
tidak pernah
b. presentasi power point
:
sering
kadang-kadang
tidak pernah
c. video
:
sering
kadang-kadang
tidak pernah
d. rekaman suara
:
sering
kadang-kadang
tidak pernah
e. lainnya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .