An Assessment of the English Language Needs of Computer Science Students: Gondar University in Focus
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Date
2008-07
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AAU
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess the English language needs of computer
science students.
Five groups of respondents were identified as suhjects of this study: computer science
students, computer science instructors and English instmctors who were taken .IiĀ·om
GondaI' University and on-the:iob graduates and their employers ,li-lJI'n IIhyssinia
computer center, North Gondar Finance Of/ice and GondaI' Uni versity (Ii-olll nOJlleaching
sta.lJ) places where compUler system application was available. From each
group, respondents were selected using pWjJose/it! and random sampling techniques. As
a result, 75 students, J 3 computer science instructors, J J English instructors, 12 on- thejob
graduates and 2 employers were taken as sources oOn/ormation.
The ins/rumenls used fO gather dala were mainly questionnaire (lnd WI inlerviel l'.
Questionnaires were distributed to the .lour groups of samples other than ellll'loyers.
Interview questions also were presented to employers. Questionnaires .lor students,
compUler science instructors and English instructors were il1fended to elicit in/ornwtion
about the academic situation where as, the questionnaire for on-job graduates and
employers' interview were designed to dig out inFormation concerning the occupational
situations.
English language skills and variety of acti vities which were thought to he widely used in
the academic and proFessional situations l"ere selected and presented to respondents to
rate Iheir importance level and students ' respective abilities in perjiJ/'ming thelll.
Students ' attitudes and language learning preferences were also presented lind later
rated. The.lindings indicated a considerohle gal' he/ween the type and the extent Ic'nglish
language students are expected to use in both academic and occupmional coreers and the
English language being ofFered There/IJre, tuking this ,~afJ in til ({CWI/l'lt.
recommendations have been made.
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Keywords
computer science students, computer science instructors and English instmctors