From Pedagogy to Andragogy in Post COVID-19 ESP Courses: A Customized Blended Learning Model for English in Medicine at a Saudi University
On October 11, 2021, Ms. Amatul Hafeez Alvi shared her findings from a research paper originally presented at the 1st AEJ UKI SLA Research International Conference, a forum dedicated to connecting English language professionals worldwide. Her research, titled "From Pedagogy to Andragogy in Post COVID-19 ESP Courses: A Customized Blended Learning Model for English in Medicine at a Saudi University", was presented during a webinar organized by the Language Research Center.
Alvi began the session by discussing a tailored blended learning model for teaching English in Medicine at King Khalid University. She underlined the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic introduced when teaching such a specialized subject and shared her experiences addressing these issues.
She highlighted the far-reaching impact of COVID-19, affecting health, society at large, and notably, the global education system. Policies concerning education were rapidly amended worldwide to prioritize safety, leading to the suspension of in-person learning across universities, colleges, and schools. According to 2021 UNESCO data, this disruption affected more than 94% of students worldwide. Alvi commended Saudi Arabia for its effective management of the pandemic's impact on education, classifying it as one of the global success stories.
Alvi specifically addressed the challenges posed to English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, which have an "oriented focus" and typically benefit from face-to-face interaction. Unlike general English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, ESP emphasizes language in context, directly reflecting learners' professional knowledge. In this scenario, she focused on English in Medicine and the shift from Pedagogy to Andragogy - a more learner-centered approach - amidst the pandemic.
Concluding her presentation, Alvi advocated for further exploration of methodologies and approaches to optimize ESP effectiveness in the new normal. The webinar, which saw active participation from both male and female faculty members, was deemed highly interactive and successful.
