Abstract:

Several studies have revealed that computer applications offer a wide potential for teaching and learning and that Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be specially beneficial to generate innovative abilities in the classroom related to new means of communication and collaboration (Conole and Alevizou, 2010). As regards the teaching of foreign languages, OERs have been acknowledged to be a useful tool for vocabulary acquisition (Bărbuleț, 2013), for enhancing text reading (Alkahtani, 1999), for writing (Krajka, 2000), and for improving pronunciation (Lee, 2008). Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programs as a means of learning-by-playing in the classroom have also proven to facilitate the acquisition of English vocabulary and pronunciation through games (Young & Wang, 2014).

In this line, Higher Education Institutions worldwide have developed new policies to generate OERs for tertiary education. The objective is to offer accessibility of OERs to the vast academic community, although not all members of the community accept its use broadly (Bellés-Fortuño & Bellés-Calvera, 2017, 2018).

The aim of this study is to use on-line tools such as Wordcloud and Quizlet in the English for Psychology classroom at university to improve vocabulary retention and the overall learning of English in a specific area such as Psychology. Within the English for Psychology module there is a topic devoted to psychological disorders. The students enrolled in this module have to be able to learn, know, use and talk about different psychological disorders in English. Thus, students are provided with a list of texts that include disorders such as ADHD (Adult Attention Hyperactivity Disorder), phobias, dementia, hoarding, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or autism among others. By means of using Wordcloud as a pre-task activity, without giving any content feedback to the students, and also as post-tasks, we have observed that vocabulary retention has been positive. Quizlet has been used to help students get familiar, internalize and evaluate their language comprehension of the different disorders.

Preliminary results have shown that the exploitation of students’ background knowledge through Wordcloud has definitely aided vocabulary retention. The use of Quizlet during the learning process and later to evaluate and assess the students has been widely accepted in the classroom; the students showed to be motivated with the learning process.

Keywords:

English for Health Sciences, OERs, Wordcloud, Quizlet, psychological disorders.