Abstract:

This study presents the results of quantitative research conducted among university students of tourism regarding their attitudes toward the teaching approaches in their online courses of language for special purposes online course (LSP) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The tourism and hospitality industry has become a social and economic force on a global scale. Negotiating, engaging in transactions with foreigners, and general communication are critical skills for students who wish to work in either the tourism or hospitality industries. Therefore, English language proficiency is essential for those pursuing careers in this industry.

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has upset the entire education process setting new standards for teaching and learning. Hence, our main goal was to analyze the attitudes of university students of two Slovenian tourism faculties toward the online teaching approaches in the LSP courses. 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. 141 students completed the anonymous online survey.

The results of the quantitative study are as follows: respondents have evaluated their technological knowledge as well as the teaching approaches used by foreign language lecturers as positively. As for gender and LSP teaching methods and approaches, no evidence was found that students' attitudes were statistically significant, as did for example the affiliation and the self-evaluated knowledge of tools for remote LSP learning. Considering such results, we may suggest that firstly, any future online LSP courses be held in such a way as to cater to all students and that the course organizers first determine whether all students have equal access to internet services and sufficient ICT tools at hand. Furthermore, we also suggest that a thorough analysis be carried out first to detect any bottleneck situations, preferably before the start of the course; then we suggest that any lack of ICT skills in online language learning and learning styles of students be addressed before the start of the course. Finally, it would help if a nationwide strategy for LSP teaching were set up for any future lockdowns and longer periods of online study, especially such a strategy that would address the suitable LSP teaching methods and approaches. The findings imply that in the future LSP teachers nationwide might want to adopt a common strategy for online foreign language teaching and provide for a commonly accepted, equally motivating teaching environment.

Keywords:

COVID-19 pandemic, foreign language online teaching approaches, language for specific purposes, students' attitudes, tourism sector, university.