International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.

net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

The Challenges of Pedagogy and the

Application of ICT in Applying
English for Academic Purposes
Course: Teachers’ Insights
D Kardijana, A Yundayanib, aDepartment of English Education, Faculty of
Teachers’ Training and Education Sciences, University of Siliwangi,
b
Department of English Education, Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu
Pendidikan Kusumanegara, Jakarta., Email: adiankardijan@unsil.ac.id

English for academic purposes (EAP), as a study skill, is a requirement

for students at the university level in sustaining their academic
competencies. However, the question of how best to teach the EAP
course is largely overlooked, including the application of ICT as the
learning media. The current study explores the challenges of pedagogy
and the application of ICT in applying the EAP course, taken from
English teachers’ perspective. The descriptive inquiry was used in
identifying data. Observation and interview were undertaken to
explore the multiple realities condition involving the thematic analysis
used. The students’ survey was done to strengthen the collected data.
The findings show that (1) needs analysis has not been implemented
according to the ESP approach; (2) teacher’s difficulties in syllabus
and course design are due to the large size of the EAP class and a lack
of know-how in designing the effective EAP course; (3) material
writing is a slight problem for the teachers due to a lack of knowledge,
self-confidence, creativity, imagination and experience related with the
students’ discipline in study; (4) the implemented evaluation is only
focused on a paper and pencil test; 5) teachers had a strong desire to
use ICT in applying the EAP course, but they encountered several
barriers, like insufficient technical support and limited access to the
internet. These are also considered as the major barriers preventing
teachers from integrating ICT into the EAP class. In addition, the
teachers have not maximised all the learning components and media in
the implementation of the EAP course. EAP teachers have an
important role in achieving the EAP learning goal. Teachers’
competencies should be upgraded and stakeholders’ support is
required, including in providing suitable facilities in supporting the
learning process.
197
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

Key words: Pedagogy, ICT, EAP, Education

Introduction

English for academic purposes (EAP) is an approach in teaching English for students at the
university level. It is one of the common types of English for specific purposes (ESP) that
aims to help students in using English appropriately for study purposes. EAP aims to capture
‘thicker’ descriptions of language use in the academy at all age and proficiency levels,
incorporating and often going beyond immediate communicative contexts to understand the
nature of disciplinary knowledge itself (Hyland, 2006). Furthermore, Hyland defined and
described two streams, as English for general academic purposes (EGAP) and English for
specific academic purposes (ESAP). Following an EGAP approach, teachers attempt to
isolate the skills, language forms and study activities thought to be common to all disciplines.
Meanwhile, ESAP concerns the teaching of skills and language which are related to the
demands of a particular discipline or department. The purpose of the EAP program is to help
students to be successful in the tasks required in their disciplinary courses, by means of a
transfer of learning (James, 2014).

The recent study focuses on the challenges of EAP teachers to take a position on how they
view language learning in the light of this stance. It forces us to ask the question whether
there are skills and features of language that are transferable across different disciplines or
whether we should focus on the texts, skills and forms needed by students in distinct
disciplines, especially in non-English departments. The application of ICT as the learning
media can be viewed as the pedagogical challenge, that has an important role in achieving the
learning goal.

To teach EAP, it is necessary for the teacher to use different practices (and activities) in the
classroom than those adopted when teaching general English. Nevertheless, these teaching
guides do not address the issue of how novice EAP teachers can implement these practices in
their classrooms (Vial et al., 2017). Furthermore, EAP courses should correspond to the goals
and objectives of the designed course. Therefore, the course goals and objectives include the
following (Spirovska, 2015):

Writing skills: drafting and outlining, paragraph and essay writing, including persuasive
writing and argumentation, comparing and contrasting, writing problem solution essays,
editing and evaluating paragraphs and essays using self-check lists or rubrics.
Reading skills: reading for gist and detail, previewing and predicting information from texts,
inferring and identifying key information in the text.

198
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

Speaking skills: preparing and delivering individual or group presentations (PowerPoint and
poster presentations), using arguments and persuading effectively when presenting and
debating and communicating individual opinion.
Listening skills: listening and understanding lectures debates and presentations, evaluating
them on the basis of the persuasiveness and effectiveness and applying the same criteria when
speaking.

EAP classes, in the context of the university level, must meet the needs of several areas in
one course, which can be demanding for the teacher. Building a university EFL curriculum in
an EAP-oriented way does not discard mastering other, more general language skills.
However, it can allow developing those competences that are indispensable for academic
study (Dvoretskaya, 2016). EAP presents as the target variety of academic English which is
considered by virtue of a perceived epistemological universality, to be culturally neutral.
However, in reality, it represents a preferred variety of English that has embedded ways of
organising and generating knowledge. At the level of a target variety of English, EAP does
not just encompass the mechanics of language and accurate use; what is involved includes
aspects of language use that are bound up, not with English proficiency, but with cultural
communication styles (Liyanage & Walker, 2014).

Globalisation has made the English language a necessity for non-English departments’
students, not only in academic sphere, but also in work competition. ESP teachers have an
additional function to that of a classroom teacher. The ESP teacher must deal with (1) needs
analysis; (2) syllabus design; (3) materials writing or adaptation; and (4) evaluation
(Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). Furthermore, applying needs analysis requires skill in order to
obtain the information, to gain access to the students’ discipline and to get the authentic
documents. In addition, it is necessary for the EAP teachers to develop effective learning
components, including methods of communicating naturally and understanding the purpose
of the program to the non-specialist. In designing a syllabus and course program, the EAP
teachers should have analytic techniques; whether linguistics, discourses or ethnographic.
The teacher should be able to select, in a principled way, the language items, or discourse
features, or elements of the disciplinary culture which need to be taught. Related with
materials writing, EAP teachers should be involved in material preparation, although they are
frequently under time pressures. It is required that teachers prepare a wide variety of
materials in advance, according to the students’ needs. During the course and certainly at the
end, the EAP teacher should be involved in evaluating and testing, quite often devising the
tests as well as administering them. By the end, they should write reports on the students and
on the course as a whole (Robinson, 1991).

English Language Teaching (ELT) in higher education is based on the need of each
university due to a university’s autonomy to design their own curriculum. It makes ELT in

199
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

universities vary and the variation grows wider in the teaching of English for non-English
study programs. The variation includes teaching aim, learning management, material design,
amount of credits, lecturers’ qualification, amount of students in a class, supporting facilities
and many others (Akhiroh, 2017). In fact, in Indonesian universities, students of non-English
study programs have faced difficulties in using English in order to support the learning
process in an academic context. English at universities should be ESP which is more
advanced, more specialised and academic, and match students’ majors of study, where
students are trained to perform on the job (Kusni, 2013). Besides, ESP should help the
students in their academic tasks, which depends greatly on English proficiency related to their
field of study.

Teaching English for academic purposes aims to provide benefits for students in the
academic field, as well as in the work field. Students at the university level are expected to
have practical English proficiency. As a study skill, English ability can be seen as a means in
assisting the learning process. Mastering academic English tends to be seen as a hindrance for
the students related with their discipline, so it prepares them to meet the demands of their
faculties (Soliman, 2016). There are many components that should be considered in the EAP
learning process. Pedagogy, as one of them, has an important role. It is related with the
quality of the teaching processes. One of them, is by maximising the role of EAP teachers as
the forefront in the teaching and learning process. A ‘transition’ from ‘education for life’ to
‘lifelong learning’, which is understood as a continuous and self-motivated search of
knowledge for different purposes, either professional or personal (Evseeva & Solozhenko,
2015).

The use of technology in developing language skills has received great attention. A number
of different information and communication technology (ICT) tools, including its
applications, have been integrated into the teaching and learning process (Yunus, 2009).
Some of the ICT tools and applications were designed specifically for educational purposes.
The choices of resources, and the way we use them, can be linked to different learning
theories which may be invoked to explain or predict learning benefits from the application of
ICT (Wishart & Blease, 1999). Many experts believe that the application of ICT has evolved
into two educational approaches: directed, and constructivist instructional methods (Roblyer
& Edwards, 2000). It can be concluded that cognitive learning theory was applied when ICT
based media was used in the learning process.

Many English teachers have started to explore the use of technology in supporting their
teaching process in class. Any kind of technology can be seen as a learning tool or media that
can attract the students’ attention, as students consequently prefer to become involved
actively in the learning process when teaching with a technology media base is applied. Many
kinds of technology devices have been incorporated as tools or media for language teaching

200
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

and they keep developing from time to time. However, the application of ICT in everyday
education has several problems. The virtually limitless opportunities of access to information
in an educational field can pose negative consequences of information overload, if the
teachers are not capable of filtering only the relevant information.

A barrier can be understood as any condition that makes it difficult to achieve the aim
(Schoepp, 2005). The barriers in the application of ICTs were classified into extrinsic and
intrinsic. Extrinsic barriers can be identified as first-order and cited access, time, support,
resources, and training. On the other hand, intrinsic barriers can be identified as second-order
and cited attitudes, beliefs, practices, and resistance (Ertmer, 1999). Extrinsic barriers are
related to organisations, rather than individuals (Al-Alwani, 2005). Intrinsic barriers are
related to teachers, administrators and individuals. The application of ICT is considered
important in language learning. The learning process should be integrated with ICT.

Accordingly, most English teachers are accustomed to frequent subject innovations, but they
are not necessarily being more resourceful or are aware of the new ideas. However, in the
EAP course, English teachers are faced with some barriers that prevent them from employing
ICT. Thus, there was a need for a new teaching pedagogy that changes the role of the teacher
from a knowledge disseminator, to a learner coach and helper. It is important for English
teachers in maximising and exploring the application of ICT. It is the crucial theme for the
EAP teachers to adapt to the challenges in the future. Clearly, it is important to explore the
challenges of EAP teaching in order to take students’ English skill improvement through
ICTs, as the technology-based media. Thus, this study explores the challenges of pedagogy
and application of ICT in applying the EAP course, taken from English teachers’ insights.

Research Methodology

The present study was designed to find the pedagogical challenges in performing the EAP
course by examining the current EAP course. The descriptive inquiry was used as a
qualitative approach domain. The qualitative approach is constructivism (Tuckman, 2012).
Constructivism or naturalistic inquiry, studies real world situations as they unfold naturally,
in unobtrusive, non-controlling ways, and with openness to whatever emerges.

The data was collected by observing the EAP class and interviewing the students and EAP
teachers, whom were selected by using purposive sampling in order to construct multiple
realities which were explored from different participants’ perspectives. The theme to this
study was tapping into the participants’ experiences, including their expectations. A
purposive sampling technique was chosen since the researchers believe that respondents will
provide the data they need (Fraenkel et al., 2012). Their involvement was considered
important, since the researchers want to know the challenges encountered in performing the
EAP course, as well as the reasons.
201
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

During the EAP class observation, we took notes of the class activities. This included
ascertaining what the teachers do in the classroom, how they do it, why they do it, and what
the impact of their teaching has on students’ learning. The EAP teachers were asked about the
challenges in pedagogy and the application of ICT in applying the EAP course. The
interviews were conducted at the end of the EAP program, after the class observations, and
they lasted for approximately 45 minutes. To know the answer, the data of observation and
interview were analysed by using thematic analysis. The phases of thematic analysis are
familiarising researchers with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes,
reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report (Braun & Clarke,
2006). The explanations of each phase are: the researcher reads and re-reads the transcript to
make more understanding of the data; the data is coded into the teachers’ expectations on the
students’ learning; constructing themes for the coded data; reviewing the themes that had
been constructed, in which we might combine two themes into a single theme, split one
theme into two themes, or delete themes; identifying the essence of each theme and
constructing a concise and clear name for each theme; and writing the report of research
results, supported by the relevant theories.

The students’ survey was completed in order to strengthen the research finding, as the result
of the teachers’ perceptions. It was to find the students’ perception about their readiness in
taking the EAP course. There were thirty, second year students from the non-English study
program. Five questions were posed and answered by choosing from the scale and in the
terms of completely, not at all, and partly.

Results and Discussion

The findings of this study are described from collected data obtained through the EAP class
observation and teachers’ interviews. The students’ survey was completed to strengthen the
findings. The results and findings are presented in two separate sections. The following tables
show us the findings concerned with the challenges of pedagogy and the application of ICT
in applying the EAP course, taken from the teachers’ responses.

Pedagogical challenges

In the EAP context, teachers have a specific role that differs from the general English teacher.
In addition to the normal functions of a classroom teacher, they will have to deal with the
aspects of needs analysis, syllabus and course design, materials writing and evaluation
(Zrniková, 2015).

In terms of needs analysis, teachers stated that needs analysis are seldom performed before
starting the EAP course. This was for several reasons, including being time consuming. In
202
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

fact, needs analysis should be done as a basis of learning course design in the ESP approach.
It is a part of academic culture at well-developed universities to ask students for their needs
analysis at the beginning of the course, as well as for their feedback at the end of the course
(Yundayani et al., 2017). Needs analysis is a process to find students’ expectations and needs
by identifying the effective ways to present the ESP learning program (Shing & Sim, 2011).
Without students’ needs analysis, the EAP learning program is not suitable with students’
requirements and consequently, their motivation is low and by the end, it has an impact on
their English performance.

Table 1: Teachers’ responses.

No Pedagogical challenges Findings
Teachers stated that they seldom perform needs analysis
before starting the EAP course. They believed that students’
characteristics will not be different with the previous intake,
including the students’ needs. As a consequence, the EAP
course design will always be the same, covering the same
learning goal, instructional materials, learning methodology
1 Needs analysis and evaluation. In addition, stakeholders — including some
of the teachers — have not realised why the needs analysis
should be performed in the EAP course, as a part of the ESP
approach. Teachers require considerable skill in applying
the needs analysis, in order to gain the required information.
Some of them have not understood what should be analysed
or how to analyse.
Teachers believed that the background in designing a
syllabus, including the EAP course, is a needs analysis.
However, they faced some difficulties in considering
several important factors in the syllabus, due to the large
size of the EAP class with mixed English ability students,
Syllabus and course
2 including their motivation problems. In addition, they
design
realised that they should be able to specify what the
learning components are that should be included in the EAP
course. However, they have a lack of know-how in
designing the effective EAP course that covers the students’
specific and different language needs.
Teachers realised that they should be involved in material
preparation, but they are frequently under time pressures in
3 Materials writing preparing and piloting the required materials. The problem
appears when they, as an EAP teacher, have a lack of
knowledge and experience related with the students’

203
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

discipline in study, including a lack of self-confidence,

creativity and imagination. It is strengthened by the lack of
personal contact with the subject teacher, related with the
students’ discipline. Most of the respondents stated that they
have not done material evaluations. They prefer to use the
same material from time to time for any students with
different disciplines and/or backgrounds.
Most of the teachers focused only on the students’
performance evaluation. The evaluation is inclined through
a paper and pencil test to determine the cognitive ability.
They preferred to give the written test, due to the large size
of the EAP class. They stated that the written test is the
easiest way to know students’ performance. The aim of
4 Evaluation
students’ evaluation is not only to know students’
proficiency level, but also to show how effective the course
is. To strengthen the information, sometimes the EAP
teacher observes the students’ behaviour during the class,
although they realised that it was quite difficult to judge
students’ proficiency through the observation.

Table 2: Students’ responses (Saliu, 2013).

No Students’ Responses
Questions Completel Not at all Partly
y
Do you have enough English knowledge to learn
1 0 87% 13%
English for academic purposes (EAP)?
Do you have any experiences in practicing the scope
2 0 73% 27%
of English for academic purposes (EAP)?
Do you understand the essence of English for
3 academic purposes (EAP) related to your study at 60% 23% 17%
university level?
Can you practice your English study skills in
4 27% 0 73%
supporting your academic learning process?
Does the essence of English for academic purposes
5 87% 0 13%
(EAP) course meet your learning needs?

The lack of needs analysis in every EAP program is also caused by teachers’ perception that
students’ characteristics are not always different from the previous intake, including the
students’ needs. As a consequence, the EAP course design is always the same, covering the
same learning goal, instructional materials, learning methodology and evaluation. It is
204
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

possible to deliver the same content, as long as the students’ characteristics and their learning
needs are the same. ESP courses are taught to adults in homogeneous classes, in terms of the
work or specialist studies that the students are involved in (Otilia, 2015). However, from the
student’s perception in Table 2, we concluded that students tend to have different needs. The
data reflected the perception about students’ EAP skills requirements. The EAP teachers
should be notified with these findings. A needs analysis should be performed at the beginning
of every EAP learning course, in order to know students’ wants, lacks and necessities
(Kardijan et al., 2017; Mao, 2017; McDonough et al., 2013; Sulistiyo, 2016). Furthermore,
stakeholders — including some of the teachers — have not realised why the needs analysis
should be performed in the EAP course, as part of the ESP approach. Teachers require
considerable skill in applying the needs analysis, in order to gain the required information.
Some of them have not understood what should be analysed or how to analyse it. In the ESP
field, needs analysis enables teachers to understand students’ need and students’ learning
problems, including how suitable lesson plans should be arranged for the instructional goals.
ESP teachers must have competence in providing stimulation for class interaction and
cooperation, as well as classroom management implementation (Bradford, 2007). EAP
teachers have the task of finding the needs of the students and study situation locally, so as to
develop an EAP curriculum that caters for the needs of all students (Richards & Rodgers,
2003). As the ESP practitioner, it is a must for the EAP teachers to master the ESP approach
and its requirements and implementation, including the needs analysis application as the basis
in ESP approach, especially in the EAP course.

As the indicator of syllabus and course design, teachers believed that the background in
designing a syllabus, including the EAP course, is a needs analysis. The syllabus can
understood as the purpose of the overall organising principle for what is to be taught and
learned. It is a general statement to the pedagogical arrangement of learning content (Nunan,
1988). However, teachers faced a number of difficulties in considering several important
factors in the syllabus, due to the large size of the EAP class with mixed English ability
students, including their motivation problems. This influenced how teachers are able to
design the syllabus and course, based on the classroom condition and students’ different
backgrounds. Teaching English is not easy for several reasons: dealing with large classes; not
all students who attend the English classes are motivated and it becomes the obstacle; and
reading skills oriented in English teaching at the university level is based on assumption
(Tabari, 2013). Less effective English learning and teaching in Indonesia is often due to
classroom size and student motivation, although it also includes the factor of teacher
qualifications as contributing to the limited effectiveness of EFL teaching in Indonesia
(Cunningsworth, 1998). Every student is unique by having their own needs, which are
entirely different to others. This statement is strengthened by the students’ perception in
Table 2. The way in understanding the essence of EAP is different, including the students’
ability and the requirements. The teachers should deal with this challenge by thinking

205
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

globally and acting locally. They should be able to translate the students’ expectations by
deciding the appropriate learning goals, teaching methods, and material, including evaluation,
in line with students’ needs.

In addition, teachers realised that they must be able to specify what the learning components
are that should be included in the EAP course. However, they have a lack of know-how in
designing an effective EAP course that covers students’ specific and different language
needs. It is crucial, because the lack of studies on teacher variables seems distressing in that
teachers are in a fundamental position in language teaching and learning and are often
anticipated to be in charge of essential stages of curriculum development (Dudley-Evans & St.
John, 1998). The language classroom can be observed as a rather unique learning
environment, in which the teacher needs to feel free to insert the required adjustments in the
designed syllabus and the curriculum with respect to the learning goal, objective, the students
and teachers’ variables, including other situational factors, in order to pave the ground for
leading the students towards fulfilling their needs and expectations (Irvine et al., 2011). The
processes are needs analysis, jointly conducted goals and objectives, exercises set by teachers
and students, selection of preferred methodology through negotiation, materials and learning
activities, and the sharing of evaluation and self-evaluation procedures (Ur, 1991). Prediction
of learning and teaching for teachers is a daunting task, and even teachers, no matter how
well they know their classes, often need to make adjustments to their planned lessons so as to
provide somewhere to explore an unexpected difficulty faced while teaching an item, or to
respond to the mood of a class on a particular day (Pescador, 2014).

It is possible for the EAP teachers to make some necessary adjustments as to students’
requirements. As an ESP practitioner, EAP teachers should have upgraded teaching
competencies, not only as a teacher, but also as a learning designer and learning manager. It
is possible to be reached, if there is a support from the stakeholders.

The third indicator, concerned with pedagogical challenges in the EAP course, is EAP
materials writing. The research result showed that EAP teachers realised that they should be
involved in material preparation, but they frequently under time pressures in preparing and
piloting the required materials. The teachers' role in designing the EAP materials is very
crucial. The EAP material has a special role concerned with knowledge construction by
helping students to construct their mental representation of knowledge. Hyland (2006) stated
that EAP material has several functions as language scaffolding, models, reference, and
stimulus. The EAP material is important to be used as a source of language, a learning
support, for motivation and stimulation, and reference [40]. It is a necessity for the EAP
teachers to design their own EAP materials according to the students’ needs. Possible ways to
provide EAP materials is to select from the existing materials, write one’s own materials, and
modify existing materials. It is possible for the teachers to use numerous ways in designing

206
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

the materials, including in maximising and choosing any material source. EAP teachers are
regarded as the ones who know well what EAP material is most needed by the students.

The problem appears when they, as an EAP teacher, have a lack of knowledge and
experience related with the students’ discipline in study, including a lack of self-confidence,
creativity and imagination. It is strengthened by the lack of personal contact with the subject
teacher, related with the students’ discipline. Most of the respondents stated that they haven’t
undertaken a materials evaluation. They prefer to use the same material from time to time for
all students, including those with different disciplines and backgrounds. A closer degree of
collaboration between EAP teachers and teachers in other subjects would allow the language-
learning expertise of the former to inform the content-learning expertise of the latter. When
teachers in a parallel-language environment incorporate English into the curriculum for the
purposes of acquiring incidental learning benefits for their students, they can achieve better
results if they actually work with the source of input. Collaboration in the EAP team’s
teaching activity becomes the crucial issue in EAP, as a part of ESP pedagogy. The EAP
course would be better implemented by collaborative teachers who focus on different roles,
but strengthen each other, making it more efficient. The main role of teachers in regard to the
choice of the course book is recognised as a guide, a facilitator, and a monitor. The teacher is
seen as guiding students through the learning process, by providing the EAP material, and
monitoring student progress, including correcting errors when this is useful for the learning
process.

EAP teachers were aware to develop materials in accordance with the students’ needs, based
on their discipline. EAP teachers have to be able to analyse the communicative situation,
evaluate students’ difficulties, perceive the origins of their needs, conduct needs analysis,
study the genres the student will need, and find materials for the lessons. These authors’
claim and suggest that one of the main differences of EAP and general English teaching is
that EAP activities can have a truly authentic purpose related to students’ target needs.
Teachers are the designers and the ones who bring the English language teaching to the
classroom. EAP materials should emphasise real communicative situations and be tailor-
made for students’ needs of target language features in specific academic contexts. Teachers
focus on these features in their classroom. Despite, sometimes encountering difficulties when
performing both roles.

In evaluation, as one of the pedagogical components, most of the teachers focused only on
the students’ performance evaluation. The evaluation is inclined through a paper and pencil
test to determine cognitive ability. They preferred to administer the written test due to the
large size of the EAP class. The number of students in the EAP class can influence the
learning process. Not only related with the evaluation, but also in teaching methodology. A
set of problems that are generally defining for large heterogeneous classes include discipline,

207
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

correcting written assignments, interest, effective learning for all, materials, individual
awareness, and participation. In addition, teachers stated that the written test is the easiest
way to know students’ performance by aiming to not only to know the students’ proficiency
level, but also to show how effective the course is. To strengthen the information, sometimes
the EAP teacher would observe the students’ behaviour during the class, although they
realised that it was quite difficult to judge students’ proficiency through the observation.

The data showed us that EAP teachers didn’t apply the whole EAP course evaluation. This
was because they felt that the EAP course design could be a permanent design to be used
time to time. Many scholars stated that evaluation has been neglected in ESP. Furthermore,
because of the time-consuming nature of evaluation and the lack of any felt need for
evaluation. In fact, evaluation can be seen as a part of quality control in applying the EAP
course. Two levels of EAP evaluation included learner assessment that requires assessing
students’ performance, and course evaluation that requires assessing whether the course
objectives are being met and whether the course is doing what it was designed to do. By
undertaking the evaluation, teachers will understand whether the students learn something or
not. This is related with the aim of EAP, in helping students with the requirements and the
demands of their academic disciplines.

Application of ICT challenges

The following Table 3 shows the teachers’ response concerning their familiarity in the
application of ICT. When they were asked about personal experience in the application of
ICT, it was found that a majority (75 per cent) of English teachers considered themselves as
having a medium personal experience. When they were asked about the ability in application
of ICT, 100 per cent of respondents stated that they had a medium ability. Concerned with
their familiarity in ICT as the teaching media, 100 per cent of respondents believed that they
were less familiar with the application of ICT.

Table 3: Teachers’ familiarity in the application of ICT.

No Statements Variables Frequency Percent (%)
High -
Personal experience in
1 Medium 6 75
application of ICT
Low 2 25
High - -
Ability in application of
2 Medium 8 100
ICT
Low - -
High - -
Familiarity with ICT as the
3 Medium - -
teaching media
Low 8 100

208
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

Table 4: Barriers in the application of ICT.

Agree Undecided Disagree
N
Statements Percent
o Frequency Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
(%)
Lack of technical
1 8 100 0 0 0 0
support
2 Little access 8 100 0 0 0 0
Shortage of class
3 6 75 2 25 0 0
time
Required time to
4 learn in the 6 75 0 0 2 25
application of ICT
5 Students’ view 4 50 0 0 4 50
6 Institution’s view 0 0 4 50 4 50
Colleagues’
7 0 0 6 75 2 25
negative views

The above data described that 100 per cent of teachers believed that the lack of technical
support and little access were the biggest problem in the application of ICT. On the other
hand, 75 per cent of teachers stated that class time shortages and the required time in learning
ICT caused the difficulties in the application of ICT. 50 per cent of respondents believe that
the students’ view concerned with the application of ICT will influence the EAP learning
class. On the other hand, 50 per cent of respondents disagreed with the institution view
concerned with the application of ICT. In addition, 75 per cent of respondents stated they
were undecided in relation to the influence of colleagues’ negative views.

The data provided in Table 3 and Table 4 showed us that teachers faced challenges in the
application of ICT in the EAP class. These challenges prevented them from employing or
developing ICT as a supporting material. In addition, insufficient technical supports and little
access to the internet created barriers in the teachers’ applying ICT in the learning process.
This situation was quite difficult to be believed, due to education being influenced by
technology, which has directly changed the way of interacting, communicating, studying and
investigating. The integration of ICT in education must be accompanied by a series of
guidelines defining a framework for decision-making regarding the actions to be taken during
the process. Three dimensions were identified in the form of: information related to access to,
shaping and transformation of new knowledge and digital environment information;
communication, connected with collaboration, teamwork and technological adaptability; and
ethics and social impact, linked to the competencies needed to face the ethical challenges of
globalisation and the rise of ICTs.
209
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

From the above description, we can realise that ICT can create a new learning environment
where students take responsibility for their own learning, and where time and flexibility play
a major role. This is related with the essence of EAP, as part of an ESP approach. The
students’ requirements should be the focus of the learning process, as the practical and self-
learner oriented. The main challenge now is how to address this technological approach to the
teaching and learning process.

Conclusions

It was concluded that the pedagogical components, as the main area of the EAP course,
received the highest contribution to achieve the EAP learning goals. Four aspects related with
pedagogy indicated that the EAP teachers role included needs analysis, syllabus and course
design, material writing, and evaluation (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). The pedagogical
challenges occurred due to several reasons, including insufficient EAP teachers’ preparation;
a lack of knowledge related with the essence of the EAP course, as part of an ESP approach;
the large size of the EAP class; and a lack of stakeholder support.

The needs analysis should be continually applied at the beginning of every EAP course in
order to anticipate the ever-changing gaps between learning components, such as the
differences between students’ characteristics and needs. The results of the needs analysis can
be used to design an appropriate syllabus, EAP course, material, and evaluations.
Furthermore, the professional development of EAP teachers’ performance and competencies
should be upgraded from time to time, including their pedagogical skills, which play an
important role in improving the quality of the EAP program. Support from stakeholders and
the collaborative teaching team are required to improve the EAP course.

On the other hand, the application of ICT plays an important role in the EAP course. It should
be realised by the English teachers. As the media, the application of ICT can provide a
positive impact and contribution to language learning, specific to study skill competence in
the academic field. In handling these challenges, English teachers should improve their
knowledge in the application of ICT and explore ICT as a learning media. This condition will
be possible to achieve, as long as the stakeholders give support by providing the required
facilities.

210
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

REFERENCES

Akhiroh, N. S. (2017). Teaching English in Non-English Departments: Empowering Teacher

Towards Improvement. IJEE (Indonesian Journal of English Education) 4(1) 49–62
Al-Alwani, A. (2005). Barriers to information technology in Saudi Arabia
Science Education Doctoral dissertation (Kansas: the University of Kansas)
Bradford, A. (2007). Motivational orientations in under-researchedFLL contexts: Finding
from Indonesia RELC Journal 38(3) 302–23
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology Qual. Res. Psychol.
3(2) 77–101
Cunningsworth, A. (1998). Choosing your course book (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
Dudley-Evans, T. and St. John, M. Jo. (1998). Developments in English for Specific Purposes
(UK: Cambridge University Press)
Dvoretskaya, E. V. (2016). English for Academic Purposes in Higher Education Curriculum
Provosy 1(59) 147–52
Ertmer, P. (1999). Addressing first- and second-order barriers to change: Strategies for
technology integration Educational Technology Research and Development 47(4) 47–61
Evseeva, A. and Solozhenko, A. (2015). Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 206 205–209
Fraenkel, J., Wallen, N. and Hyun, H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in
education 8th edition (Boston: McGraw Hill)
Hutchinson, T. and Waters, A. (1987). Englis for Specific Purposes (Cambridge University
Press)
Hyland, K. (2006). English for Academic Purposes: An advanced resource book 1st ed ( NY:
Routledge)
Irvine, A., Pecorari, D., Shaw, P. and Malmström, H. (2011). English for Academic Purposes
at Swedish Universities: Teachers’ objectives and practices Ibérica 22 55–78
James, M. A. (2014). Learning transfer in English-for-academic-purposes contexts: A
systematic review of research. JEAP 14 1–13
Kardijan, D., Emzir, and Rafli, Z. (2017). The gap between learning needs and its’
implementation in English for hospitality specific purposes program. English Review:
Journal of English Education 6(1) 125–35
Kusni, (2013). Proc. National Seminar on English Language Teaching vol 1 (Padang:
Universitas Negeri Padang) p 36–48
Liyanage, I. and Walker, T. (2014). English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Asia:
Negotiating Appropriate Practices in a Global Context, ed I Liyanage and T Walker
(Netherlands: Sense Publishers)
Mao, T. (2017). Challenges of English for Academic Purposes in Asia. Journal of Foreign
Language Education and Technology 2(2) 1–18
McDonough, J., Shaw, C. and Masuhara, H. (2013). Materials and Methods in ELT: A
Teacher’s Guide. Third Edition (UK: John Wiley and Sons, Inc)

211
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

Nunan, D. (1988). The learner-centered curriculum (Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press)
Otilia, S. M. (2015). Need analysis in English for specific purposes Annals - Economy Series
1 54–5
Pescador, B. (2014). ¿Hacia una sociedad del conocimiento? Revista Med. 22(2) 6–7
Rangel, T. E. and Martinez, L. J. (2013). Educación con TIC para la sociedad del
conocimiento. Revista Digital Universitaria 14(1) 1–12
Richards, J. C. and Rodgers, T. S. (2003). Approaches and methods in language teaching
(6th ed) (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
Robinson, P. (1991). ESP Today: A Practitioner’s Guide (UK: Prentice Hall International
(UK) Ltd)
Roblyer, M. D. and Edwards, J. (2000). Integrating educational technology
into teaching 2nd ed (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall)
Saliu, B. (2013). Challenges for Students/Teachers in the ESP Course for Legal Studies
SEEU Review 9(1) 1–8
Schoepp, K. (2005). Barriers to technology integration in a technology-rich
environment Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives 2(1) 1–24
Shing, S. R. and Sim, T. S. (2011). EAP Needs Analysis in Higher Education: Significance
and Future Direction Englishfor Specific Purposes World 11(33) 1–11
Soliman, N. A. (2016). Teaching English for Academic Purposes Via the Flipped Learning
Approach Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 232 122–9
Spirovska, E. (2015). Selecting and Adapting Materials in the Context of English for
Academic Purposes – Is one textbook enough? Journal of Teaching English for Specific and
Academic Purposes 3(1) 115–20
Sulistiyo, U. (2016). Learning English as a Foreign Language in an Indonesian University: A
Study of Non-English Department Students’ Preferred Activities Inside and Outside the
Classroom Indonesian Journal of English Teaching 5(1) 1–26
Tabari, A. G. (2013). Challenges of Language Syllabus Design in EFL/ESL Contexts Journal
of Language Teaching and Research 4(4) 869–73
Tuckman, B. W. (2012). Conducting Educational Research 6th ed (US: Rowman and
Littlefield Publishers)
Ur, P. (1991). A Course in Language Teaching. Practice and Theory (Cambridge, UK:
Cambridge University Press)
Vial, A. P. S., Goulart da Silva, L. and Sarmento, S. (2017). Developing English for
Academic Purposes (EAP) teaching materials: a needs analysis of novice teachers Revista
Horizontes de Linguistica Aplicada 16 41–83
Wishart, J. and Blease, D. (1999). Theories underlying perceived changes in
teaching and learning after installing a computer networking a secondary school Educational
Technology 30(1) 25–41
Yundayani, A., Emzir, and Rafli, Z. (2017). Need analysis: The writing skill instructional

212
 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2019

material context for academic purposes English Review: Journal of English Education 6(1)
59–70
Yunus, M. M. (2009). Language Learning via ICT: Uses, Challenges and Issues. WSEAS
Transactions on Information Science and Applications 6(9) 1453–67
Zrniková, P. (2015). The issue of need analysis and assessment of quality in teaching English
for medical purposes. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 174 2995–3004

213