This study examined the use of Twitter in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course for EFL medical students. Students were encouraged to communicate with their tutor and with each other via Twitter during 10-week ESP course. To measure their attitudes and experiences in using Twitter, data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Initial results of this study will be presented.
Today's learners have advanced past traditional forms of learning and welcomed new technologies as supplementary learning and teaching tools in their classrooms. For example, despite its 140-character limit, Twitter can provide users the opportunity to share information, ask and answer questions and potentially reach a large audience. This study examined the use of Twitter in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course for EFL medical students. The research asked: Can Twitter be an effective teaching and learning tool in an ESP course? What do EFL undergraduate students feel about their experiences of using Twitter in their ESP courses? Twitter was integrated into the ESP course to disseminate course information and serve as a forum for extra classroom discussions. Students were encouraged to communicate with their tutor and with each other via Twitter during 10-week ESP course. To measure their attitudes and experiences in using Twitter, data were collected through questionnaires from the 12 students. For further investigation of the factors influencing students' perceptions of the value of using Twitter, semi-structured interviews with four students were also conducted. Initial results of this study will be presented along with suggestions for the most appropriate methods for introducing Twitter in ESP courses.
