Teaching Maritime English to ESP Learners Through Moodle Platform

Authors

  • Mohammad Azim Arbabi Universiti Brunei Darussalam
  • Deyuan He Universiti Brunei Darussalam
  • D. G. E. Ho Universiti Brunei Darussalam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36312/ijlic.v3i1.2609

Keywords:

Online learning, virtual environment, English for Specific Purposes, Moodle, Maritime English

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Moodle as a virtual learning platform on oral communication skills of Iranian seafarers as ESP (English for Specific Purposes) learners. The study collected quantitative data using a quasi-experimental design. Participants in the study were 30 Iranian seafarers, divided into two groups of 15 people in the control and experimental groups. As part of their job requirements, as mariners, participants were required to practice maritime English. The researchers used Moodle as a virtual learning platform and compared participants' pre- and post-treatment results to determine the impact of the platform on their learning outcomes. To help seafarers improve their oral communication skills at sea or offshore, participants in both groups were taught a few chapters of standard marine communication phrases. During the first week of the five-week course, students learned how to use Moodle. Treatment was done in three weeks and evaluation was done in the last week. The results showed a significant improvement in participants' maritime English oral communication skills via Moodle. The study suggests that Moodle can be an effective tool for ESP learners. Due to its practicality, easy accessibility and versatile functionality, the researchers propose using the Moodle virtual learning environment for the development of fully online-based ELT courses.

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Author Biographies

Mohammad Azim Arbabi , Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Mohammad Azim Arbabi is a PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. He has established two prominent language schools in Chabahar, specializing in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, and has been teaching English for 15 years. His research interests include the application of modern technologies, such as generative AI tools, in teaching and learning practices. Specifically, he focuses on academic writing, generative AI tools, ESP, and higher education AI policies. He has presented his research at various conferences, including Teacher’s Day in Brunei Darussalam, the Malaysia-Brunei Forum in Malaysia, and the Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) in the United States. His PhD research explores the integration of generative AI tools into academic writing, examining their benefits, challenges, and effectiveness within the higher education contexts of Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Deyuan He, Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Dr Deyuan He is a Senior Assistant Professor at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. His research interests include world Englishes, second language acquisition, and college English teaching. He has published his works in journals like World Englishes, TESOL Quarterly, Educational Studies, RELC Journal, Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, and Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics. He has also published two monographs (Foreign Language Learning Anxiety in China and China English in World Englishes) and a co-edited book Researching Chinese English: The State of the Art since 2017 with Springer. He has been awarded ‘The Best Paper’ twice in international conferences.

D. G. E. Ho, Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Dr. Debbie G. E. Ho is Associate Professor in English Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Most of her research has to do with applied linguistics and the social sciences. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, particularly in language vitality, code-switching and gender studies and more recently on e-learning. She has published in a number of journals including RELC, World Englishes, Australian Review of Applied Linguistics (ARAL) and Asia Pacific Education Review (APER).

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Published

2025-03-29

How to Cite

Arbabi , M. A., He, D., & Ho, D. G. E. (2025). Teaching Maritime English to ESP Learners Through Moodle Platform. International Journal of Linguistics and Indigenous Culture, 3(1), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.36312/ijlic.v3i1.2609

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1: March 2025

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammad Azim Arbabi , Deyuan He, D. G. E. Ho

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