University Students and Their Attitudes toward Online Learning of Language for Specific Purposes

Abstract

This study presents the results of quantitative research conducted among university students of tourism studies regarding their attitudes toward the teaching approaches in their online language courses for special purposes (LSP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main goal was to analyse the attitudes of university students from two Slovenian tourism faculties towards online teaching approaches in the LSP courses provided by the Faculty of Tourism at Brežice (FTB), and the Faculty of Tourism Studies-Turistica at Portorož (FTT). Four research hypotheses were put forward aiming at the students' attitudes regarding their gender and affiliation, their self-evaluated technological knowledge, and their attitudes toward the foreign language lecturers' teaching methods and approaches. 468 students completed an anonymous online survey. Respondents evaluated their technological knowledge and lecturers' teaching approaches fairly positively. No statistically significant evidence was found regarding gender, affiliation, or self-evaluated knowledge concerning LSP teaching methods. Findings suggest that LSP teachers might adopt a common strategy for online foreign language teaching nationwide and provide an equally motivating and safe teaching environment.