TEACHING IN CLOUDS: USING THE G SUITE FOR EDUCATION FOR THE DELIVERY OF TWO ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES COURSES

Abstract

Being one of the most important and influential advancements in information technology since the emergence of the Internet, cloud computing has invaded the area of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), among other fields, due to its flexibility, availability, practicality and cost effectiveness. In 2006 Google developed its Apps for Education, currently referred to as “G Suite for Education”, that provide teachers and students with access to different tools, such as Classroom, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Docs, etc., each serving different educational purposes. This paper reports on a research study conducted at the Cyprus University of Technology Language Centre in Fall 2016, in the context of two blended English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses for first-year students of the Departments of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science and Commerce, Finance and Shipping, which are based on social constructivist approaches with elements of connectivism and student-centered teaching methods. The study aimed at eliciting data on the students’ views regarding the ease of use of G Suite for Education tools, difficulties encountered during their use, and their efficiency in the teaching and learning process. Data was obtained through an online questionnaire, consisting of Likert scale and open-ended questions, administered to the students at the end of the semester. Findings illustrate that students viewed the use of G Suite for Education tools in their EAP courses very positively, both in terms of ease of use and efficiency in the learning and teaching process, encountering only minor difficulties during their use.