Azhar Pervaiz* and Kaynat KhudaDad
Department of English, University of Sargodha, Pakistan
* Corresponding Author: [email protected]
The current study attempted to evaluate the English language courses taught in engineering universities for prospective engineers in Pakistan. A syllabus for any degree or certificate, especially professional degrees, provides a road map for learners. Therefore, most of the students with professional degrees including engineering, think that there is no need to waste their energy on subjects that are not directly related to their profession. Resultantly, the subject of English could not take the prime position in the engineering universities in Pakistan. Therefore, in the current study both the questionnaires and interviews were set consisting of three categories. The first category of sample comprised of 50 male and female students who have completed at least one course of English mostly from Lahore based universities. The second category of sample was taken from twenty English language teachers from other two universities in Lahore and the third category of sample was taken from twenty professional engineers in Pakistan. The study is significant as it attempted to evaluate the existing syllabus of Pakistani engineering universities as the syllabus of engineering in Pakistan is at par with the syllabuses provided by organizations of international standards, such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.). The results showed that the syllabus designed for engineering students was not sufficient to meet their professional needs. In this regard, the study may also be helpful for the committee of curriculum revision constituted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan.
Keywords: engineers, English, Pakistan, syllabus, syllabus design, technology
Language, literacy, and communication are intrinsic to human development as they impart knowledge on how meanings are produced and shared and how the culture of a society is transmitted to the generations. Technological advancement provides multiple opportunities for people to interact with one another frequently and instantly. Resultantly, the world has been reduced to a global village. This needs a common thread in the form of a language to knit the whole fabric and English language has proved to be that common thread. Since English is the lingua franca of research and technology, its significance in academics cannot be overstated.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a specialist subfield of English Language Teaching (ELT) that was developed to address the specific needs of individuals who are non-native speakers of the target language. It was developed in order to cater to a variety of language requirements and goals. According to Richards and Schmidt (2013), the term "English for Specific Purposes" (ESP) refers to the use of English within a language curriculum that is tailored to meet the unique requirements of a certain category of language students. The aims of the course as well as the material covered in it have been modified to cater to the specific needs of the students. The development of ESP was a response to the demands placed on learners and the cultivation of language relevant to the learners' intended fields of employment. The participation of students is a top goal in ESP since, at its core, it is a student-centered instructional method.
Additionally, it is of utmost importance to take into consideration the students" existing degree of skill in language understanding as well as the level of proficiency that is wanted for effective professional communication."Evaluation" is defined as the process of gathering, assessing, and interpreting a variety of data in order to arrive at a substantial appraisal of a certain plan, as stated by McNamara (2000). The creators of ESP courses established that going through this procedure was very necessary. According toStavropoulou and Stroubouki (2014), a thorough programme assessmentmight positively affectthe program's creators and administrators. Examplesof such activities include creating the programme, making up lessons, and implementing the programme. According to Kiely and Rea-Dickins (2005), earlier attempts to analyse language classes concentrated largely on gathering data pertaining to students' levels of accomplishment.
Over the course of time, several shifts have been observed in the attitudes of people pertaining to the assessment of curricula. Currently, frameworks to evaluate curricula, particularly those centred on language learning and teaching, are concerned with a wide variety of relevant factors that go beyond evaluation criteria. Watanabe et al. (2009) proposed a comprehensive model of FL programme assessment that examines the perspectives of a variety of stakeholder groups while emphasizing three characteristics of a programme: a participatory framework, professional transparency, and educator autonomy. Tsou and Chen (2014) suggested an improved assessment model that expands upon the fundamental concepts of modelling approaches first presented by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) and Watanabe et al. (2009). This model was built around the foundational ideas of modelling techniques. Four components that make up the programme evaluation system are the evaluations of the courses, the assessments of the learners, the involvement of the instructors, and the concerns of the stakeholders. The four components that make up the module include characteristics supplied by Watanabe et al. (2009). It is essential to recognise that ESP inputs display differences from General English (GE) in terms of grammatical structure, lexicon, and presentation strategies. The first option tends to increase the students' desire to study by providing them with educational opportunities at postsecondary institutions of an intermediate or higher level. This suggests that it is more focused, more practically applicable, and more goal-oriented than GE. (Hamp-Lyons, 2001) states that the fact that it requires a different set of abilities from the educator than GE makes it potentially challenging to teach.
According to Paulson et al. (2007), one of the defining aspects in education is the lack of subject area knowledge among instructors in conjunction with an emphasis on critical thinking. In order to resolve these issues, critical thinking entails dissecting, evaluating, and reevaluating one's prior lines of reasoning. According to Campion (2016), the inadequacy of ELT qualifications in the provision of ESP training might result in issues related to attitudes, conceptualization, linguistics, methods, and organisation. According to Martin (2014), this is a reference to the CELTA programme at the University of Cambridge, which stands for "Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages," as well as the DELTA programme, which stands for "Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages." The shortage of accessible ESP resources and lengthy training required to become an effective educator in any discipline, particularly GE, are both noted as factors that contribute to the problem.
Despite the fact that the above argument is about English for Academic Purposes (EAP), it has been maintained that it is just as pertinent, if not more important, to ESP (Campion, 2016). The ESP prcatitioner is responsible for a variety of tasks. Included in the aforementioned best practises are conducting research that is unique to one's field of study (Terraschke & Wahid, 2011) and involving students in academic environments that expose them to diverse challenges they may encounter in their professional lives (Fortanet-Gomez & Raisanen, 2008). The former practice involves conducting research that is specific to one's field of study, while the latter revolves around involving students in academic environments. It may be necessary to work together with academics from fields other than ESP in order to overcome these challenges, which highlights the need to have an ESP teacher who is highly experienced and adaptable and is capable to meet these specific requirements. Potocar (2002) mentioned that equipping students with functional language abilities may assist in the fulfilment of professional tasks. Moreover, it is vital for students to be trained in skills that are relevant to the work they may indulge in future.
English language use in professional organisations and institutions, notably in educational establishments devoted to engineering, is a phenomena that emerged during the last few decades. The existing English curriculum, taught to engineering students in Pakistan, is not up to the requirements established by the International Engineering Council (IEC). Moreover, it does not emphasize management abilities or presentation skills, both of which are essential for engineers as they move forward into their professional careers. The existing body of research includes suggestions to combine the aforementioned abilities, such as having a strong command of language learning with the use of computers.The primary objective of the current study was to evaluate the existing syllabus of English at undergraduate level in Pakistani engineering universities and to make recommendations and guidelines for syllabus designers. The specific purpose of the study included determining whether or not the existing courses in Pakistani engineering universities serve the academic and occupational needs of engineering students. The second question was whether or not there is an extreme demand and necessity to teach ESP to engineering students in Pakistan so that they could meet their present and future requirements. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that its primary purpose was to provide assistance to relevant authorities, for instance the Higher Education Commission (HEC), in order to implement the revised curriculum. This initiative would permit the upgrading of existing assessment and instructional tools, ultimately culminating the establishment of a re-designed syllabus that especially targets English language proficiencies expected by engineers.
The examination of current state of practice to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) reveals it's remarkable conceptual and applied advancements in previous decades. Some elements, such as educational standards and aims, impacted its ever-changing structure. As a result of these issues, diverse perspectives and approaches emerged pertaining to language instruction. One of the most essential objectives that all of these techniques aimed to achieve included the development of competent learners. Some changes were introduced in English teaching to meet the requirements and needs of different groups of students which contributed to the implementation of teaching ESP. However, educators have long been concerned about measuring and evaluating the performance of their pupils and the courses they take. Since educational objectives have become more complicated and number of learners has expanded dramatically, therefore evaluation has become considerably more challenging.
Basturkmen (2019) asserted that both, academic (or EAP) and business (or ESP) English instruction is difficult to enter areas. In addition to teaching students in the classroom, instructors in these professions often have several other tasks, such as conducting research on student needs and specialised discourse, planning new courses, and developing new instructional resources. As a consequence, educators are burdened with a vast array of duties, many of which need specialised training. In EAP and ESP literature, the expectations of students have taken priority over those of instructors to date.
Notwithstanding, the pedagogy of ESP necessitates the consideration of three fundamental components, namely the learner, the language of choice, and the learning context. It is crucial to conceptualise the reasons behind why a particular group of learners with similar needs opt to pursue the study of the language in question. According to Amirian and Tavakoli (2009), ESP is commonly utilised as an umbrella term for the instruction and acquisition of English language skills tailored to meet specific purposes, such as EAP, EOP, and other related domains. Over the past 35 years, this topic has garnered considerable attention and has emerged as a crucial component of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in contemporary times. Conversely, the persona of the instructor has been employed as a framework for investigation and a teaching tool within the realm of education. According to Varghese et al. (2005), in order to fully grasp the process of language teaching and learning, it is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of various identities that teachers possess including their professional, cultural, political, and individual identities, whether self-claimed or assigned. Urrieta (2007) asserted that individuals' identity plays a crucial role in their capacity to comprehend their ownselves by means of various social environments they engage with, as well as their interactions with others both, within and beyond these environments. Learning to write in a non-native or secondary language is a complex occurrence, and as such, ESP is a highly important field within the realm of ELT worldwide (Tehseem & Batool, 2014). According to Pervaiz et al. (2017), L2 speakers may exhibit varying degrees of comprehension of the language. Salmani-Nodoushan (2002) provided an analysis of ESP by examining the intersection of students' language proficiency, pedagogical approaches, and their individual interests. The author posits that these three factors are crucial in developing effective ESP programmes. According to Strevens (1988, as stated in Gatehouse 2001), ESP is structured to satisfy the learners" needs and is tied to the contents of specific disciplines, activities, and occupations. An essential component of ESP courses or programmes, emphasizing language in context, is based on the analysis and interpretation of the outcomes derived from the needs" assessment of genuine language utilized in the intended professional environments (Chanloner, 2006). In contrast, Siddiqui (2007) posits that the curriculum is not a fixed and unchanging entity, rather a dynamic and active construct that encompasses the comprehensive interplay among the teacher, instructional materials, school environment, and learners. Similarly, Graves (2008) has posited that this is a continuous process that necessitates the ongoing assessment and evaluation.
Mostafavi et al. (2021) conducted a study by utilising the data obtained from a survey administered to engineering students in Iran. The findings indicated that the participants exhibited a lack of consideration towards active listening and comprehension. Nevertheless, the courses met the criteria to improve vocabulary and auditory comprehension. Although, the courses demonstrated the ability to address diverse learning objectives through the incorporation of content-specific assignments and a blend of teacher and peer scaffolding. Moreover, they were unlikely to satisfy the aspiration for leveraging an active mode of assessment and cutting-edge educational resources. Notwithstanding recent endeavours to provide Iranian engineering students with contextually relevant and localised materials, the divergent viewpoints expressed by the participants led to the determination that ESP courses continue to suffer from a lack of content authenticity. The absence of autonomy-enhancing concepts and practices, in the courses under review, also became a concern.
Arno-Macia et al. (2020) suggested that conducting needs assessments may facilitate a reassessment of ESP programmes, thereby enhancing their flexibility to align with evolving classroom pedagogical standards. The application of acquired knowledge in ESP programmes, as reported, highlights the necessity for educators to equip their students with the skills required for academic and professional discourse. The effective written and oral communication skills, as demonstrated through email correspondence, job interviews, and presentations are integral components of a student's professional development, on par with the production of project reports, EMI assignments, and technical thesis (Stratton, 1999). The statement suggests that instead of relying on the subjective judgement of teachers, ESP educators may use data obtained from the assessments of individual students to inform their instructional choices related to engineering. The ESP curriculum ought to prioritise the cultivation of language self-awareness, fluency, and specialised vocabulary among engineering students. According to Arno-Macia et al. (2020), it is imperative for ESP course designers to take into account the diverse levels of student proficiency during the course designing process. The authors suggest that students with lower proficiency levels may require more support to enhance their general English skills, while those with higher proficiency levels may require less assistance. Attending events that are tailored to their field of study and desired career path might serve as a means for engineering students to improve their communication skills. Such activities must prioritise the development of students' reading, listening, and speaking proficiencies in the context of ESP to prepare them for eventual English-Medium Instruction (EMI) settings.
Furthermore, Rus (2020) underscored various attributes linked to innovative approaches in ESP as a component of an investigation into the function and significance of creativity in the framework of the developing paradigm in education and specialised language acquisition, specifically. The shift in perspective was instigated by the implementation of Industry 4.0 principles, which were not only adopted in the industrial domain,however, also in the educational sectors, responsible for preparing the professionals to function in the Industry 4.0 milieu. Rus (2020) conducted an analysis of the challenges faced by language instructors in facilitating the successful acquisition of foreign language skills and competencies among ESP students. The study also sheds light on the situational and contextual factors that impact the judicious selection of pedagogical techniques, materials, and activities in the teaching of English in technical academic settings. Additionally, the author advocates to adopt innovative approaches to ESP instruction, citing their potential benefits. The results underscored the significance of the instructor's pedagogical assessments in shaping the language proficiency levels that students ultimately attain. Enhanced student motivation is a crucial requirement for the effective application of language skills in a professional language setting. This can be achieved, in part, through the implementation of innovative teaching methods in ESP.
The current study has set general to specific objectives. The general objectives attempted to evaluate the existing syllabus of English at the undergraduate level in Pakistani engineering universities. Moreover, it also offered recommendations and appropriate guidelines for syllabus designers. The specific objectives for this study are to:
The current study attempted to answer the following questions to claim the above-mentioned objectives:
The sample of the current study comprised of three categories, that is, 50 male and female students who have completed at least one course of English. These students were selected from different disciplines of engineering universities, mostly from engineering universities located in Lahore. The second category of sample comprised of twenty English language teachers. The majority of these teachers were employed in the same university, whereas some of the ELT teachers were selected from two different engineering universities in Lahore. The third category of sample was based on twenty professional engineers and the sample belonged mainly to the electrical and civil engineering corporation. Some of the samples were taken from the professionals working in a cellular company in Pakistan. However, the gender variable in the data collection was not considered and had no effect on the outcomes.
Three different types of questionnaires were devised to make the research credible, accurate, and effective. The questionnaires were not borrowed or adapted, however, were self-constructed. The 1st questionnaire was given to the participants which contained 28 assertions about various aspects of university syllabus, divided into 9 categories. The 2nd questionnaire which had 23 items, was sent to engineering academics who teach engineering students. The professional engineers were given the last questionnaire which comprised 25 questions. The questionnaires were based on a 5-point Likert scale for all of them.
Following was the point of focus during the interviews.
The validity and reliability of all the three questionnaires" items was assessed and exponentially increasing factors were created from them. The 1st factor, with six components, was the significance of English. The 2nd factor with five items was the present syllabus that met current and upcoming requirements and needs. The goals and objectives of the syllabus, which had five components, was the 3rd factor. Improvements and alterations are, necessary and much needed which had three components and it was the 4th factor. The fifth factor, that is,"viewpoints regarding classroom environment", had seven items. The 6th factor,"requirements of teaching content and material", had six components. The 7th factor,"course duration", had 4 items. The 8th factor, with three items, was"Interest level or motivation of students". The need for teacher training was divided into eight categories, each with two tasks. Vocational and academic Skills, which had twenty-seven categories, was the final factor. The following tabular representations additionally display the number of entries under each factor.
Table 1
The Table Represents Factors in Questionnaire
|
Sr. No |
Categories |
No. of Items |
|
1 |
Significance of English |
6 |
|
2 |
Present syllabus satisfying current and upcoming needs |
5 |
|
3 |
Objectives and goals of the Syllabus |
5 |
|
4 |
Alterations are needed |
3 |
|
5 |
Viewpoint regarding the class environment |
7 |
|
6 |
Requirement of teaching content and material |
6 |
|
7 |
Course duration |
4 |
|
8 |
Interest level or motivation of students |
3 |
|
9 |
Need for teacher training |
2 |
|
10 |
Vocational and academic skills |
27 |
SPSS (Statistical Data for Social Sciences) was utilized with manual entries for data analysis. Only the complete data set was included. Chi Square was used to compute the means of each category. A two-way contingency table was used to see if professionals, teachers, and students agreed or disagreed. According to Worthen and Sanders (2004), the main goal of every evaluation project is to make a solid choice about a program's process of development. According to Wang (2015), such a decision might result in a range of outcomes, including a) continuous progress towards the objectives, b) improved programs execution c) accountable data, d) community engagement for measures, e) financial guarantee, and f) increased trust among policymakers. Keeping these standards in mind, the analysis of the data revealed the following points which are explained below with the help of graphs and tables.
Figure 1
Issues in Group A
Note. X-Axis = Categories A-I & Y-Axis =Frequency of Occurrence. A = Percentage of the viewpoint of students, teachers, and professionals concerning the significance of English in the syllabus for engineering. B = Percentage of viewpoint about the future needs and existing syllabus. C = Percentage of viewpoints stated by the students, teachers, and professional engineers about the objectives and goals. D = Percentage of viewpoints about the necessary alterations in the present syllabus. E = Percentage of viewpoints about the classroom environment. F = Percentage of viewpoints stated by the students, teachers, and professional engineers about the special content and material, essential for teaching in the classroom. G = Percentage of the viewpoints of students, teachers, and professionals concerning duration of English course. H = Percentage of viewpoints concerning the level of interest or motivation in the class. I = Percentage of the viewpoints of teachers and students regarding the requirements of teacher training.
The major conflict regarding the significance of English as a course is embedded in a professional degree, that is, whether there is a requirement of an English language course for the students pursuing professional degrees or not. The percentage of all the considering three distinctive categories was similar, that is, 90,90 and 85.
The percentage of viewpoints concerning the present syllabus and upcoming potential needs and requirements of all the three categories was similar, that is, 8, 10, and 27.
The above chart reflects a discrepancy in the viewpoints of all three categories as only 13% of students, 50% of teachers, and 40% of professionals agreed on the purposes and objectives, as shown in the graph. The findings of Chi-square test (Pearson 2(2, N=90)=0.394, p= 0.05) reflected a substantial difference between the perspectives of students, teachers, and professionals. Only 13% of students, 50% of teachers, and 40% of professionals concurred on the course goals and objectives. However, on this subject, they had differing opinions.
The percentage of viewpoints about much-needed alterations in the current syllabus of all three categories was 94% of students, 100% of teachers, and 90% of professionals. Moreover, everyone agreed that modifications and alterations are needed in the present syllabus.
In the percentage of viewpoints about the classroom environment, 45% of professionals, 56% of students, and 52 % of teachers were contented with surroundings, whole environment, and method of teaching in the classroom.
The percentage of viewpoints given by the students, teachers, and professional engineers about the special material and content required for teaching in the classroom was 86 % of students, 95% of teachers, and 95% of professionals and everyone agreed that there was an evident requirement and need of special content and material for teaching.
The percentage of the viewpoints of students, teachers, and professionals concerning English course duration based on 21% students, 15% of teachers, and 35% of professionals and everyone agreed to the existing duration of the course.
The degree of agreement among students and teachers varies, with professors agreeing more than students on their degree of motivation and contentment. Teachers had high expectations of their learners and there was a big gap between their perspectives and those of their students. The Chi-square test findings demonstrated that there was a substantial difference between the perspectives of students, teachers, and professionals (Pearson 2(2, N=90) =0.394, p = .05). In English class, 18% of students were enthusiastically engaged and motivated, whereas teachers believed that 45% of students were strongly driven and motivated.
Regarding the percentage of the viewpoints of students and teachers, concerning the need to train teachers, 100 % of teachers offered their viewpoint in favor of training teachers, in addition to this, 90 % of professional engineers also showed agreement.
Figure 2
Individual Items in Group B
Note. X-Axis = Categories A-I & Y-Axis =Frequency of Occurrence. A= Alterations must be introduced to enhance the effectiveness of the present syllabus. B = Viewpoints must be collected from the engineering students to design the course. C = The goals and outcomes of the course must revolve around the academic requirements and needs of learners. D = Language skills are significant for engineering students and play a vital role in enhancing their vocational English. E = Special content and material for teaching must be constructed for the engineering students. F = Language skills play a significant role for the students to enhance their academic English professionally. G= Viewpoints must be collected from the engineering students when English course is designed. H= An excessive number of vocabulary items used in the classroom are somehow connected to the subjects of engineering only. I = The viewpoints that exercise listening to English were more than enough to enhance English language competence.
About 94% of students, 100% of teachers, and 90% professionals offered viewpoints, concerning the need for alterations in the course. About 76% of students agreed that their opinions need to be considered while designing the course. About 8% of students, 65% of teachers, and 40% of professionals agreed to consider the needs of students while defining the goals and objectives. Approximately, 88% of students, 85% of teachers, and 90% of professionals concurred with the opinion that language skills play a vital role in improving vocational English. Both, the teachers and the students agreed that there is a need for special content and material to be taught in classrooms, that is, 86% of students and 95% of teachers. About 92% of students, 85% of teachers, and 90% of engineers offered the viewpoint that language skills play a significant role in improving academic English professionally.
Approximately, 76% of students concurred with the idea that their viewpoints must be considered while designing an English course. About 46% of students considered that vocabulary items, excessively employed in the classroom, are connected to the subjects of engineering. Approximately, 18% of students thought that listening exercises while learning a language are more than enough to enhance their competence in English.
After analyzing the data, it was determined that all engineering students, regardless of technology, felt that studying English is of great importance to them. Moreover, the instructors in engineering universities were certain that studying English as a subject is very beneficial for their students. This strong predisposition is mostly due to the predominating prominence and worldwide significance of English. Students and professors are driven to use English as their primary mode of communication despite belonging to varied linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, the findings indicated that all three groups of students, teachers, and professionals agreed that the existing curriculum must be revised to align with global norms. Moreover, the existing curriculum does not satisfy the demands of both, the present and future generations.
The curriculum must be revised to make it both relevant and suitable. The fundamental component of each linguistic region is language growth and development with social and technical progress. Similarly, since the professional world keeps evolving, the language to be taught in academics must be constantly updated. For instance, whether students are asked field-related questions in English or an engineer is required to submit a written report, the employee must be adequately taught and educated about the probable scenarios. Furthermore, the opinions of students, teachers, and professionals are contradictory, suggesting that the administration's aims and goals are not effectively accomplished. Students who are unsatisfied with their aims and goals have different opinions than educators, who feel that half of the objectives, or 50% of the objectives, have been realised by the present curriculum. Experts are in the center, believing that a portion of the objectives has been met. This multifaceted reaction from students demonstrates that the curriculum does not meet all of the students" needs and requirements.
Furthermore, instructors and professionals have divergent perspectives on courses, which must be made more focused and pleasant. Additionally, the data revealed that all three sample groups agreed that the curriculum needed to be altered and modernised to match the contemporary methodologies utilised by new engineers in the first world. Moreover, the results indicated that professional engineers, professors, and students were unsatisfied with the existing curriculum because they believed it does not match the demands of engineers. It showed that the stakeholders are prepared to modify the course's content and methods to meet the current standards. While determining the success of a course, the contentment of students is of extreme importance.
Keeping in view the above-mentioned findings of the questionnaire, the results revealed that even in Pakistan's institutions with the most advanced technology, academic resources, notably A.V. support, are inadequate. This is because children do not use computers to study English and they are not permitted to participate in any CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) sessions. The introduction of technology-based learning among students, particularly engineering students who are more likely to employ technology in their professional lives, is the first step that may be made. The fact that students are not comfortable in a technology-friendly setting is also indicative of their limited exposure to technology-based learning, which must be modified to meet the demands of the modern academic world.
Similarly, both students and instructors agreed that particular teaching materials should be employed to fulfill the requirements of the students. In addition, instructors should design their materials to fulfill ESP purposes and to adapt it to students' needs. These results are crucial because they demonstrate not just the significance of course content and materials, however, the significance of their quality as well. Although it is considered that university students are self-motivated, it is the role of ESP practitioners at all academic levels to keep pupils motivated and engaged. The fact that whether the students are demotivated or less motivated would undoubtedly effect their comprehension and coursework as a whole. Course designers must also consider the thoughts of students pertaining to the approaches and strategies that teachers adopt in their classrooms.
The results indicated that the course duration was inadequate, since many of the technologies only had a six-month course length, while others had a six-month course duration, that is, six credit hours. In a competitive environment, however, students are aware of the significance of communication abilities, especially oral communication skills. This discovery is the most widespread problem among students participating in semester-long programs, however, to address it, academics and course designers must explore ways and strategies to make learning process simple, steady, and efficient. If a student is unable to comprehend the key ideas before the conclusion of the course, two possible solutions have been proposed to address this issue. These solutions include expanding the number of credit hours or improving the quality of course delivery. However, the most effective root is to improve and enrich course delivery by including high-quality content and supplementary materials that not only help the students in addressing their deficiencies, but also expose them to something fresh and synced with contemporary academics.
The study postulated that the present English curriculum, taught in colleges to engineering students, does not meet the demands and circumstances of today's world since it appears to lack the challenges, diversity, and global perspectives that are necessary in the present world. It also lacks basic elements as well as exercises that could assist pupils in developing their abilities, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Additional modules, such as learning and teaching web quests, CALL, and other similar types of modules may help students learn a certain language which should be included in the course. Contents that test higher-level learning skills, such as decision-making, problem-solving, creative thinking, and critical thinking need to be developed. Every professional discipline including engineering requires a replacement for GE Course to identify objectives and targets and conduct needs analysis by complementing the demands of the intended learners. Moreover, the current study was both, analytical and exploratory in its scope. It may be useful to design a new syllabus of English in engineering universities, especially UET. It can excessively play a vital role in tracking down the basic as well as specific issues faced by students and teachers. Moreover, it would also cater to the difficulties faced by professionals. Based on the analysis, some recommendations have been presented which would ultimately provide some guidelines to the policymakers in the area of course development, especially the development of a curriculum that could serve the demands of the age.
The apparent delimitations of the current study are that this procedure demands considerable time and labor and for practical reasons the researcher focused on a particular site for data collection. Most of the data was collected from the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, NESPAK Lahore, FAST Lahore Campus, and the Engineering Section of Mobilink Pvt. Pakistan. The classroom procedures were also observed at the regional campus of UET Faisalabad and results were compared with the main campus so that the validity of the research could be maintained.
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