Stuck in the Gap: EAP Needs Assessment of Undergraduate Students of Computer Science

Abstract

English for academic purposes (EAP) is a significant part of the curriculum in Iranian universities. However, it seems that EAP programs have been developed without a systematic needs analysis. The purpose of this study was assessing the present and target situation needs of two groups of undergraduates of computer science. A total of 320 students and 44 instructors participated in this triangulated quantitative-qualitative survey. Data was collected through self-assessment, needs-analysis questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that there is a noticeable gap between current EAP courses and both the present and target situation needs of learners which is partly due to the low general English proficiency (GEP) of the students. Moreover, there were discrepancies between the two groups of undergraduates and their instructors regarding perceived needs. The findings provided implications for revising the current EAP curriculum for computer science students.