The impact of IT-assistedSoufiane

presentation Skills
Abouabdelkader, onFLSH,
PhD, EFL engineering students’
Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco.
soufiane.abouabdelkader@gmail.com
communication abilities
Hassan Abouabdelkader, PhD; SIST, Casablanca.
Email: mrabouabdelkader@gmail.com

Moamly, 2010). The scope of the present research is to

Introduction
Khalid Ben Kaddour, PhD. investigate the effect of presentation skills on English
ENSAM, Menkes, Morocco. language learning among engineering students.
Email: khalid.benkaddour@gmail.com
Clearing the ground
Abstract: This study investigates the impact of technology- First, the term ‘presentation skills’ is conceived as a social
assisted presentation skills on EFL engineering students’
proficiency in English, as measured by students’ performance cognitive construct, the development of which is self-
on a criterion-referenced and summative test. The study regulatory (De Grez, Valcke and Roozen, 2008), context-
involved 183 fourth-year engineering students with at least a
B2 level of English. This population was grouped into 4 bound, and basically depends on the learner’s history and
groups and randomly divided into 2 experimental and 2 motivational drives. In contexts where authentic opportunities
control groups. The three sets of presentation skills taught
and assessed comprise the ability to 1) define and illustrate, of using English are rare, offering students to interact through
2) categorize and describe, and finally 3) compare and presentations, using their communication skills in the content
analyze engineering processes and products. The data consist
of a language test, an evaluation checklist and an interview. areas and social situations is a common practice in English
These data have been collected and analyzed both classes. Due to their social psychological power to immerse
qualitatively and quantitatively through a mixed methods
approach. The findings indicate that the experimental group the learner in social communication, presentation skills endow
students who received the presentation skills treatment the learners with motivational drives and confidence. In the
outperformed their counterparts in the control group. The
results also indicate that the students who have a high level of context where this study has been carried out, the use of
language proficiency benefit from this type of instruction presentations in the language classroom is a teaching approach
more than students with poor level of English. The results are
reported and discussed in detail for each group. Finally, a set that takes its root from Task-based teaching and learning (De
of pedagogical implications and limitations is provided. Grez, L. and Valcke, M., 2010). As part of the ‘constructivist
Key words: Communication skills; EFL/ESL methodology;
ICT and language teaching; presentational skills and English theory’ of learning, ‘presentation skills’ are a valuable tool
language proficiency. whereby students can practice the language in simulated
Due to social upheavals that have occurred on a large scale,
authentic settings. Drawing from the model of Bernd Schulz
the use of information technology assisted presentations in
(2008), the term ‘presentation skills’ refers to the skills and
the teaching of English as a foreign language classroom has
knowledge states required in the achievement of a
been recently upgraded to levels of global integration. This
communication task in English with the help of educational
shift towards knowledge and skill-based education leadership
technology. Though most current definitions given by many
(Snell, J Swanson, 2000) has enhanced the value of
researchers, including the definition given by Wikipedia,
presentation skills presentations in the language class due to
suggest that these skills promote students’ knowledge and
their do-it molds as a multi-layer means of preparing students
communication skills, there is still the need to identify what
to effectively communicate in English (De Grez, L. and
skills are needed and how they affect language instruction and
Valcke 2010)
learning.
According to the constructivist framework adopted in the
present study, this trend draws its force from the use of
Problem statement
information technologies which cater for individualised In the Post-Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, the current

learning and collaboration. Its value lies in its motivational educational context of teaching English to engineering

force to both improve students’ proficiency in English and students is facing a fork in the road. To cater to this new

promote their content knowledge in their vocational subjects, situation, many teachers try to use modern instructional

such as engineering, medicine and business matters (El designs that allow students to be carry out individual or group
tasks that motivate and leverage their learning outcomes. Their

1
major challenge is to provide tasks that offer appropriate
learning materials and equitable learning opportunities. This
shift towards the use of the new technologies apparently set
the ground for the spread of presentation delivery aims at
getting students involved in vocationally oriented
communicative learning activities.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of
teaching presentation skills on students’ proficiency in
English. The argument is that students’ communicative
competence in English is a matter of making them involved in
experiential learning tasks with viable learning outcomes. One
of the assets of presentations in the English classroom is that
they give the learners the opportunity to experience situations
they are prone to meet in their future careers
(Abouabdelkader, S., 2019).
In its attempt to explore the impact of presentation skills on
students’ communication abilities and skills, the present
study makes the use of IT a crucial component in this
operation, due to their assistive power to provide the learners
with the right information and skill required.
Review of the Literature
Though very limited and scarce, the existing literature on
‘presentation skills’ indicates that preparing students to give
self-initiated oral presentations is a hands-on activity in which
students can practice some of the skills required in the job
market collaboratively. The studies reported in this section
relate to the communicative, the cognitive and the
technological benefits of presentation skills.
a. Communication skills and employability
Several research studies maintain that presenting skills are
ranked as key competency for communication strategies, on
the one hand, and an important asset of employability for
engineering students (Boud and Falchikov, 2006; Thom, M.
2016; Zusho et al, 2003). These researchers not only report
that these skills enable students to carry out communication
skills; they also make them experience technology-bound
skills that are necessary for their prospective engineer career
(Gyori, 2013; Mousawa and Elyas, 2015). These studies have
identified presentation skills as an important facet of
2
employability and suggested that the teaching of such skills
should form part of the undergraduate curriculum (Fallows
and Stevens, 2000; Pittenger et al., 2004).
Besides, oral presentations offer students the opportunity to
learn several skills that are required in the job market and that
prepare them to the world of work (Al-Issa, 2007). As Al-Issa
and AL-Qubtan (2010, p.230) argue, “presenting in the EFL
classroom prepares students for the job market that they will
enter when they leave school.”
Within this trend, several researchers probed the content and
methodologies adopted in the current Moroccan English
curricula for EFL engineering students. Abouabdelkader, s.
(2019) maintains that communication skills, like the other
competencies needed by the engineering student, should
address the development of functional communication skills
within a frame that considers equity for all, adequacy and
employability. Along the same line, Chamorro-Premuzic,
Arteche, Bremner, Greven and Furnham (2010, p.221) stress
the importance of implementing “ … a set of non-academic
attributes, such as the ability to cooperate, communicate and
solve problems, often referred to as generic or soft skills in
higher education”.
Other researchers maintain that the delivery of IT-assisted
presentations is conceived as a learner-centered approach that
provides the opportunity for students to acquire the ever
changing and complex needs of the contemporary workplace
(Abouabdelkader, S., 2019; De Villiers, 2010; Sleezer et al.,
2004; Possa, 2006; the Bologna Declaration, 1999).
The above studies suggest that the empowerment of
engineering students with presentation skills to demonstrate
their communication skills in an age where the new
technologies are inevitably becoming a compelling path and a
key to success in modern time.
b. Presentational skills and cognitive skills
A first real-time fact is that you cannot give an oral
presentation to any audience without preparation. You need to
decide on several issues, starting from who you are
addressing, what you want to say, how to say it, and what for.
Such designs require that you make several decisions before
making any move. A second exigency is that you decide on
what information would allow you to achieve your goal. These
and many other steps, as described in Andrew Bradbury’s
book Successful presentation skills (2006), amply show how
much requiring these skills are at the cognitive and
metacognitive levels. Within this trend of research, two major
assets of presentational skills are reported: One is that
presentations make use of students’ ability to interact in
groups and call for thinking processes that involve problem
solving, selecting, organizing among others (Jahan & Jahan,
2008). These thinking skills promote communication students’
ability to communicate in English and increase their sense of
confidence (Mousawa and Elyas, 2015). The second asset is
that they are considered in educational research as essential
tools for effective learning (Adams, S., Montagne, M.,
Rodriguez, J. & Stevens, V., 2012).
Several other cognitive skills are reported to be triggered by
communicative language teaching/learning activities that seek
to develop students’ communicative skills. Iijima et al.,
(2001), for instance, emphasize the importance of some skills,
such as concept, problem identification and problem solving,
which may include both creativity and logical thinking when
applied to language learning. More specifically, they clearly
identify some of the attributes of communication skills.
According to them:
Communicative competence includes knowledge of
the grammar and vocabulary of the language, but
equally important is knowledge of the rules of
discourse -knowing how to begin and end
conversations, recognizing context and thus adapting
the topic, the forms of address and response type to
different situations. (p. 269)
This interest in the cognitive dimension of presentation skills
is also reported by Cismas (2009) in the proceedings of the 6 th
WSEAS International Conference on Engineering Education.
He reports that ‘presentation skills’ are a necessary skill for
engineering students because “Students’ mobility among
universities all over the world, research exchanges, and the
migration of professionals in search of better, more
3
challenging jobs, require both foreign language fluency and a
unified approach to communication tasks” (Cismas, 2009,
p.23).
In concrete terms, this process of teaching IT-assisted
presentation skills is likely to promote several cognitive
processes. As Delahunty, Seery & Lynch (2020, p. 395)
argue: “visuo-spatial cognitive processes were found to
support the conceptualization of convergent problem-solving
tasks.” Based on these facts, engineering students’ ability to
express their basic thoughts in social communication contexts
needs to be considered in terms of improving students’
thinking skills and knowledge content.
Importantly, Delahunty, Seery & Lynch (2020) suggest that
making students carry out presentations allows them “to
engage in six processes (i.e., problem and constraints
identification, research, ideation, analysis of ideas, testing and
refinement, and communication and metacognition) and
behaviors (i.e., read books, brainstorm, search websites, do
hands-on activities, and communicate with their group
members)”. (p. 159). These dimensions of presentation skills
make of this practice a student-centred learning tool par
excellence. Gyori (2013) pointed out that presentations help
teachers “discover hidden talents in our students and in
ourselves and begin reinventing the education system in the
place where it lives and breathes: our classrooms” (p.183).
Most of the strengths listed above are also reported by the
proponents of project-based learning (PBL). Bransford,
Brown, & Conking (2000) and Hutchinson (2001), for
instance, advocated that PBL encourages the use of critical
thinking and of language in real life situations, focusing on
developing communicative skills for lifelong learning and
collaboration among students. Others, such as Helle, Tynjala,
& Olkinuora (2006), Belland (2010), and Gallagher (2009)
suggest that collaborative work pushes the learners not only to
achieve their goals and objectives, but also to improve their
achievements. Similarly, Ben Kaddour (2020) carried out a
study that investigated a set of skills like the ones investigated
in the present research through project-based learning and
concluded that providing freedom to students to prepare
projects with the help of information technologies leads to
better language performance among engineering students.
Other researchers also reported that learner-centred instruction
approaches to learning have the advantage of developing
students’ cognitive abilities and several skills (Basilotta et al.,
2017, De Grez and Valcke, 2010).
Based on the attribute reported in the studies cited, it is
assumed in the present study that presentation skills are among
the most needed skills in English for engineering curricula
because their role in improving students’ cognitive abilities.
opportunities for independent learning in the English
language class, creating more effective interaction between
the two parties.
Other researchers report that IT-aided presentation skills
serve as a simulation of real-life activities that enable
students to juggle with the vocational knowledge related to
their field of study, on the one hand, and practice their
communication skills, and techniques to achieve
communicative acts, on the other (Tversky, 2005; Van Rooij,
2010). Obviously, renewed attention and praise of both

C. Presentation skills and Information Technology synchronous and asynchronous use of IT in education have
even multiplied with the Covid-19 pandemic (Bonk, C.;
To the question of whether presentation skills are Most of the
Wiley, D., 2020) in order to achieve these objectives.
existing research related to language education agrees that
In fact, research on the integration of information
communication -oriented ELT activities are suitable means
technologies in language education is also supportive of this
for the new generations of learners.
new trend. Billings (2000) stated that internet-assisted
It is not possible to dissociate presentations from the new
learning environments allow students to increase the time
technologies. In preparing presentations, students use their
available for completing learning goals. Means and Haertel
computers during all the process, search for information on
(2003) argue that, by using technologies, students have more
the internet, brainstorming, finding images and videos and
than what teachers can offer, and that they have “electronic
constructing their slides. As reported in a study by Pino
analogs to virtually every educational resource traditionally
(2008) on the importance of web-based learning, the internet
employed for teaching and learning –not only books,
is a useful resource on the ground that “the potential to
encyclopaedias, chalk-boards, pencils, and typewriters but
integrate effective Web-based instruction into ESL courses
also drafting boards, three-dimensional models, slide-rules,
for their immediate application can add a valuable new
and dissecting tables”. (Means, Haertel and Moses, 2003, p.
dimension to language teaching and learning (Pino, 2008; p.
2).
70).
In response to the above cited reality, new guidelines have
From a pragmatic perspective, using presentation delivery, as
been approved at the educational level internationally by the
a mode of instruction in vocational English language
Institute of Professional Engineer New Zealand (IPENZ) and
teaching, is tied up with the use of new technologies, on the
the US Accreditation Board for Engineering which consider
one hand, and has a constructivist dimension, on the other.
effective communication skills as an essential component of
The role of technology assisted learning opportunities would,
the engineering formal education and training (Cochrane,
then, be to provide additional opportunities to learn and
2009). Locally, the Moroccan ministry of Higher Education
practice the new language in simulated real-time situations,
recommends the reinforcement of the teaching of soft skills, of
or what Neal, (2005) referred to as the student’s ‘learning
which communication skills are a necessary component, in
culture’. Neal’s argument is that learning a foreign language
order to align the curricula with the requirements of
is a matter of using the foreign language in purposeful and
globalization and employability. This move towards the
meaningful experiences through authentic content-based
empowerment of students with skills that would facilitate
resources and simulated real-life situations. This practice
mobility has been reported in a benchmark key competencies
would leave little room for didactic teaching and offer more
report (Chaibate et al., 2020; MEN, 2017).

4
Altogether, these views suggest that the teaching of English  Compiling information and materials
to engineering students is not simply a matter of exposure to  Polishing and putting on one’s personal touch
the foreign language; it is a matter of guiding the students to  Presenting coherent discourse
develop their communication skills through collaborative
While the technical aspects were not an issue, the training was
work and exploitation of information technologies (Jonassen,
mainly focused on the communication skills at stake and how
2000). Despite all the reviewed studies, this combination of
to carry them out in English. To this end, a model project was
skills needs further investigation in terms of its impact on
produced by the teacher in the form of a portfolio in order to
English language proficiency improvement; a task which has
guide the students towards the course expectations. This
been prioritized in the current study.
orientation, being part of the planned action, is prepared for
Methodology during the induction session of the semester. Keeping the
The methodology adopted is quasi-experimental and uses a students engaged and motivated to learn 21st century
set of instruments that address the variables under communication skills, planning and execution were the focal
investigation. The main purpose of this methodology is to point of these induction sessions.
empirically examine the impact of involving engineering
Research question:
students in delivering presentations on their English language
The research questions addressed in the study aim at
proficiency. All the variables investigated seek to examine
exploring the impact of IT-assisted presentations on
the extent to which the use of IT-assisted presentation
engineering students’ achievement in English regarding their
delivery impacts engineering students’ communication skills
performance on the set of skills prescribed. These questions
and English proficiency level and isolate the skills that
are:
students master more.
1. Does students’ achievement, in English improve in
The population of the study consists of 183 Fourth-year
the investigated skills at the Posttest?
students, divided into 46 groups of four. For their
2. Is IT-assisted presentation preparation and delivery
presentation, each group selected the theme of a section from
an effective EFL teaching approach to engineering
one of the 6 Units to be covered during the term. The six
students?
major skills targeted in these 6 Units are grouped into three
3. How do students perform across the skills in their
sets of data: 1) define and illustrate, 2) categorize and
presentations?
describe, and finally 3) compare and analyse, all of which
Investigation of these three inter-related questions, a mixed-
relate to engineering products and processes.
methods approach has been used in the data collection and
The steps adopted in the study consist of three phases. First,
analysis (Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J., 2004). As
the students were administered a language test in order to
the use of presentations lends itself to unexpected intervening
diagnose their proficiency level at a Pretest. Then, they were
variables, these data have been analyzed both qualitatively
introduced to the targeted skills through explanation and
and quantitatively. To ensure the validity and the reliability
illustration. Elements of what ‘presentation delivery’
of the data, several measures have been taken in the design of
involves is also introduced for the purpose of establishing
the different types of instruments used.
clear milestones of the targeted activity. Finally, a Posttest
was administered to the whole population of the study. Instruments
As regards the preparation and execution of presentations, the The three sets of instruments used in the study include: a) a
training included steps on how to achieve the following: teaching course/treatment containing the communication
 Planning and organization skills required in the preparation and delivery of effective

5
presentations; b) a language test that addresses students’ These skills comprise: 1) defining and illustrating, 2)
English proficiency level at both the Pre- and Posttest stage categorizing and describing, 3) comparing and analysing. All
and c) an observation checklist, and an interview. the items of the tests have been drawn from the textbook in
a. Course Content/treatment use. As written tests, they are easy to collect and evaluate. The
Pretest was administered at the beginning of the course and
The English course assigned to 4th year seeks to develop a set
the Posttest at the end of the module.
of communication skills through the preparation and delivery
The course has served as a treatment that purports to introduce
of presentation on topics related to the vocational orientations
the learner to the six skills addressed in the module, the
of the learner. The skills targeted are drawn from a textbook
teaching of which has been carried out through induction
called Cambridge English for Engineering, by Ibbotson
sessions, after the Pretest.
(2008). Due to the limited number of hours allotted to the
c. Peer evaluation checklist
course, only the units that associate vocational content with
The qualitative data collected for the purpose of the study
the specific set of communication skills to be tested were
consist of students’ evaluation of the features of their peers’
selected. The main objectives of these units are:
presentations. These features have been considered in the
 Improve students’ functional communicative
ability. peer evaluation judgment checklist used to this end
 Promote proficiency in the use of engineering jargon (Appendix 1). This checklist is adapted from a tentative
and knowledge to solve vocational real-life issues.
 Foster their oral and written communication skills in textbook evaluation checklist used by Mukundan, J. and
English. Nimehchisalem, V. (2012).
 Familiarize learners with the fundamentals of By engaging students in peer evaluation, every effort was
presentation skills in English.
 Encourage collaborative work outside the classroom made in order to get at a better understanding of the variable
and get familiar with team work. under investigation. Focus of this evaluative judgment was
 Provide hands-on problem-solving activities.
on the following criteria: 1) General attributes; 2) Content
Thus, the course has served as a treatment that purports to
and methodology; 3) technological attributes; 4) thinking
introduce the learner to the six skills addressed in the
skill, and 5) language abilities. These five rubrics seek to
module, the teaching of which has been carried out through
understand the extent of student engagement in performing
induction sessions, after the Pretest.
the targeted skills. In order to familiarize the whole with the
b. The language proficiency tests content of the activity, the checklist was distributed to all
The notion of English language proficiency in the present students prior to the presentation delivery.
study is considered in terms of its functionality rather than its a. Interviews
general configuration. By functionality is meant the extent to
Due to the nature of the variables investigated, data are also
which a student’s English proficiency level matches the
collected from students’ perceptions of learning through
learning outcomes sought in the curriculum and the way they
project IT-assisted presentations. These semi-structured
are applied in the vocational context (Abouabdelkader, S.,
interview data were collected after the delivery of the
2019). The language proficiency tests (Appendix II and III),
presentations with students who were willing. These
used at a Pre and a Posttest stage are almost similar; they have
interviews were organized individually and with focus groups
been designed and administered to the population under
based on the rubrics included in the evaluation checklists and
investigation within a framework that combines learning
consist of questions regarding the factors under investigation.
outcomes and assessment. The tests involve a set of rubrics
that address the students’ English language proficiency in the b. Data Analysis Procedure

three clusters of the communicative skills taught in the course.

6
Both qualitative and quantitative analyses have been used for deliver effective communication ins English. What the
the purpose of the study. These analyses were based on students learn, as portrayed in the results, the extent to which
numeric counts and views of students on the different factors they manipulate the English language is determinant of the
involved in IT-aided presentation delivery. For ethical level of mastery of the skills investigated. Details of the
reason, only students who wish to participate have been results are presented below in accordance to the research
involved in the interview sessions. Consequently, the number questions and the objectives of the study.
of interviewees was 75 students. Some were carried out a. Overall Results
individually, while the majority was done through ‘focus
In answer to the research questions addressed in the study, the
groups’ (Gibb, A., 1997), a useful method in the social
analyses obtained reveal some interesting facts. With regard to
sciences. As students were free to fill in the peer evaluation
students’ achievement, they indicates that the mean score of
checklists for ethical reasons, only 84 copies were returned.
students’ achievement at the Pretest was M = 58.18 with a
The quantitative analyses, on the other hand, consisted of the
minimum score of 06/20, and a maximum score of 14/20,
Pre- and Post-test scores collected for the purpose of testing
while the Posttest Mean score M= 63.10 with a minimum
students’ English language proficiency prior to the
score of 8/10 and a maximum score of 17/20. The minimum
experiment and at the end-of term exam. The tests were rated
score of each of the 3 rubrics of this scale is 1. The mean
the two teachers in charge of Fourth Year engineering
scores of the sub-skills were also significant. The results
students. The sum of the total score of the three sub-sections
related to the sub-skills show that students’ general
determines the total score.
achievement is relatively high in comparison to the three sets
Altogether, both data analyses seek to answer the research
of sub-skills, suggesting that not all the sub-skills have been
questions of the study. While the qualitative analyses attempt
improved at the same level and that students still have a lot of
to investigate the query of RQ2, whose concern is the
problems handling some requirements of the English course.
isolation of the benefits of presentation delivery, the
Not surprisingly, however, some students displayed bad
quantitative analyses, in turn, seek to display the differences
results at both the Pre- and the Post-test, suggesting that the
in performance in English, prior and after the experiment as
students’ background is also a determinant factor in English
well as the variation between the communicative skills
language instruction and that language skills are hardly subject
investigated, as a response to RQ1 and3.
to change in situations below a certain linguistic ability
The results threshold. The effectiveness of the IT tool in the development
The findings of the study are interesting for the Post-Covid of students’ communication skills, as obtained from these
pandemic pedagogies. While they confirm that the use of IT- analyses as well as the observation checklists and the
assisted presentations can serve as a catalyst for the interviews, has been revealed as a supportive tool to students
development of students’ communicative abilities, they also with a high level of language proficiency. Details of these
indicate that such pedagogy might not be beneficial to analyses are reported in the following diagram:
students with low level of English proficiency. In other
words, while this approach improves students’ achievement
in English, it also proves to have limitations.
As such, the focus of this approach in the TEFL domain
needs to make communication skills its main priority and,
therefore, needs more focus in terms of the language
components required for achieving the skills needed to

7

16
14
12
10
8 students. They have particularly been useful in providing real-
6 life evidence of the features displayed by the students’
4 delivery skills during the presentation sessions as well as their
2 knowledge management strategies. Details of these two types
0
Defining and Il- Categorizing Comaparing
lustrating and Describing and Analyzing
Mean Score in the Pretest Mean score in the Posttest
Comparing between Mean Score in the Pretest and in the
Posttest
The general observation is that most of the students have
achieved an increase, though to varying degrees, in the
overall mean score from pretest to posttest in all the sub-
skills investigated. In the case of the Defining and Illustrating
sub-skills, for example, the progress was considerable: from
9,93 in the pretest to 15,35 in the posttest. As for the other
pairs of sub-skills, the progress was less impressive. The
mean score of the Categorizing and Describing sub-skills
have been significant, as student’ grades moved from 13,69
to 15,95, whereas those of the Comparing and Analyzing
sub-skills increased slightly from 13,08 to 14,67. These
differences are meaningful for the present study. They
positively confirm the effect of presentation delivery on
students’ English language proficiency.
As regards the concern of RQ2, one of the main research
questions raised in the study, very interesting results have
been drawn from the qualitative analyses reported below.
b. The overall qualitative results
The qualitative results of the study related to RQ2 indicate that
‘presentation skills’ have a strong impact on students’
communicative ability, as assessed by the English language
proficiency tests used in the study. These results have been
8
very useful in determining facts that could not be gleaned
from the quantitative ones.
Firstly, these analyses have revealed that the use of new
technologies in vocational education have an important role in
the development of English proficiency among engineering
of results are reported below from various angles.
A second finding is that technology enables the students to
practice the language, using genuine information related to
their vocational orientation. This result is consonant with the
findings reported in the research literature (Doolittle and
Hicks, 2003; Pino, 2008). According to the analyses,
students’ presentational skills have been largely improved; as
students demonstrated noticeable confidence and motivation
to learn the foreign language. The improvements displayed
by most presenters are reported below:
• 72% of the presentations were attractive and displayed a
variety of the communication skills investigated in the
study.
• 87% of the presentations produced made good use and
management of PowerPoint or Prezi technical aspects
successfully.
• To anticipate IT probable failure and problems, and to
optimize efficiency of their presentations, all groups of
students brought with them additional laptops and extra
appliances, such as loud speakers for the audio mp3s.
A third point revealed by the findings is that the use of
information technologies has been enjoyable and profitable.
The students’ revelations in the interviews also indicate that
the choice of the six pertinent skills helped the students
manage their ideas and communicated them in terms of type,
category, and other organizational processes, such as:
• Selecting relevant and important information related to
the topic of the presentation with the help of technology
sources in the best possible ways.
 • Providing diversity of resources as a major asset of
high-quality presentations (19 out the 24 presentations
produced contained relevant videos to illustrate the
matters involved).
• Providing additional explanations, illustrations, and
comparisons for each point presented.
• Trying to associate ideas with reality. The checklists
consolidate the existence of a large number of pictures
that served the purpose of defining, illustrating,
categorizing and illustrating the points presented.
Many students reported that using IT-assisted presentations
also helped them acquire a lot of knowledge related to their
vocational education.
However, it is worth noting that not all the qualitative results
related to the research questions addressed are positively
attributed to the teaching of IT-assisted presentation skills.
Many negative points have also been reported in the
interview sessions. First, several presentations (37%) did not
refer to the source of the information and the illustrations
presented and most of the students with low language ability
reported that they have been given smaller roles in the
presentation delivery process. Besides, they also admitted
that they needed more exposure to the language in order to
prepare and deliver presentations in English. In spite of all
this, the qualitative results report that these students were
mostly in charge of the technical sides of the presentations
and that they were satisfied with this practice of learning
English.
Another and equally important problem is that most of the job
was done by students with higher English proficiency, and that
students with poor English were assigned very small tasks.
The interviews revealed that students with low English
language proficiency were also reported to have learned their
roles in the presentations by heart and through repetitive
rehearsals.
As reported in the findings, this category of students had
problems to grapple with presentations as a learning tool. The
challenges of delivering presentations in English are too high
for them to overcome, suggesting that IT can be beneficial to
9
students’ learning when it is not beyond their zone of proximal
development, or (ZPD), as predicted by Lev Vygotsky (1978),
especially at the level of communication requirements, and
that these learners need further support to make students able
to cope with these learning tools and promote their ZPD to
effective communicative competence (Shabani et al., 2010).
While the above qualitative results amply reply to the
questions raised by RQ2, the results related to RQ3, are amply
reported and substantiated for in the following quantitative
analyses. These results relate to the effect attributed to the sub-
skills under investigation:
Results Related to the Sub-skills under Investigation
Importantly, the quantitative results indicate that students do
not successfully attend to all the skills required; they only use
the ones with which they are more familiar. The variations in
the results obtained for each of the sub-skills investigated in
the study suggest that not all of them are equally lay in term
of difficulty and that some of them are more demanding than
others, suggesting that presentation delivery is only
beneficial to students with a minimum language proficiency.
On the other hand, the qualitative analyses uphold the
benefits of IT in the development of presentation skills for
both high and lows English language proficiency.
Results of the defining and illustrating skills
Of all the sub-skills examined in the study, defining and
illustrating skills have shown to be more prone to change
through oral communication practice. The results related to
the defining and illustrating skills show that there is a
significant difference between the Pretest sub-score1 and
Posttest sub-score1 (the t-value is -11,12). The mean scores
displayed at the Pre- and Posttest respectively 9,93 and 15,39
are indicative of the large effect of IT-assisted presentation
delivery in the development of these two sub-skills in EFL
instruction a revealed by the students’ global achievement in
the English test. Supporting evidence is also provided by the
figures obtained in the standard deviation (Eta squared = .65)
prove that there is a large effect with a significant difference
in the evaluation sub-scores obtained for the two sub-skills
before and after the project-based instruction English for
engineering course.
The qualitative analyses were equally interesting. They have
enabled us to discover what could not be uncovered in the
quantitative analyses. According to the interviews and
evaluation checklist results, the students who took part in the
experiment reveal that the improvement in defining skills is
the result of being able to do the tasks at their own
convenience and attribute their success to the ability to search
the internet. Most students affirm that their presentations and
those of their peers could not have been completed if it were
not to the assistance provided by the internet. Some of them
said that they followed the steps of defining as provided in
class and delivered in some of the videos they watched on the
internet during the preparatory stages.
Regarding ‘illustrating skills’, only two students gave
adequate explanation to the few illustrations provided in their
presentations. Many of them say that in science, information
must be precise. This wrong grasp of how illustrating can be
achieved is due to lack of practice of this skill the English
module. Most of them admitted that illustration is a skill they
had problems with because it requires mastery of the English
language. As it applies to RQ3, this finding indicates that
some skills are easier to perform in English than others by
this category of learners.
Results related to the categorizing and describing skills
The ability to describe and put materials into appropriate
categories in English is crucial for an engineer. These skills –
one of the most familiar types of skills in engineering- have
been successfully demonstrated in the students’ presentations
as well as the Posttest results. As a closely related skill, the
ability to describe and categorize materials is a necessary
competency in engineering. In fact, the Pre- and Posttest
results are significant. The figures provided in the analyses of
the second set of sub-skills, namely categorizing and
describing, (t-value is -5,18) and the degrees of freedom is
df=64), show that there is a significant difference between
students’ achievement on the Pretest sub-score 2 and Posttest
sub-score 2. It should also be noted that the Mean increase ( -
10
2,15, with a 95 per cent confidence interval stretching from a
Lower bound of -2,98 to an Upper bound of -1,32) is
indicative of a significant effect of the treatment. As also
evidenced in the end-of-the English Course Module at the
Pre- and Posttest, the categorizing and describing skill test
results (13,69 and 15,95 respectively) show that there is a
significant improvement in the Posttest sub-score2, These
results show, therefore, that IT-aided presentation delivery,
as a learning approach, has had positive effect on the
student’s achievement. The figures reported by the standard
deviation are also significant (Eta squared = .28), showing
that there is a large effect with a significant difference in the
categorizing and describing skills evaluation sub-scores after
the project-based instruction. The dispersion of the results,
however, does not indicate whether any of these skills is easy
to learn through the adopted approach than the other.
The qualitative results obtained in the interviews are also
supportive of the importance of categorizing and describing
for engineering students. Similarly, the peer evaluation
checklist results are also in tune with these findings. As
reported by the students interviewed, “categorizing is what
we do all the time in our engineering studies”. Other students
report that “both categorizing materials and describing them
are two things that go together”. Those who couldn’t perform
well in these skills say that they have never been asked to do
tasks of this type in English before. In response to the query
of RQ3, these results suggest that the use of an IT-assisted
presentation preparation and delivery promotes students’
categorizing and describing skills. According to the students’
reports, preparing presentations enabled them to visualize
several models of descriptions in YouTube, which raised
their understanding and metacognition awareness of these
processes.
The qualitative analyses also revealed that the completion of
the tasks was not easy for most of the students involved in
the study. It should be noted, however, that many cases of
utter plagiarism were reported -14 presentations-. Out of 46
presentations 14 were mere ‘cut and paste’ presentations. The
students who resorted to this practice have been found to be
low achievers at both the Pre and the Posttest, suggesting that
students with poor language ability cannot perform this type
of activity. When asked why they displayed others’ works
without mentioning the sources or making any changes to
their content, they replied that preparing and giving
presentations in English is too hard for them and that they
had neither the language nor the skills required for this type
of task.
One of the most important deficiencies reported in the
interviews relates to lack of vocabulary knowledge and
language use, as evidenced in the recurring grammar,
spelling and punctuation mistakes. This finding suggests that
potential changes related to English language empowerment
need to be introduced in the curriculum in order to assist
students overcome these deficiencies. In the absence of a
curriculum that gradually trains students improve their
language skills and abilities, throughout their five-year
training and education, it seems fair to expect such
deficiencies.
Results related to the comparing and analyzing skills
One step above the issue of categorizing and describing lie
the processes of comparing and analyzing. These two
processes require a lot of background knowledge and higher-
order thinking skills the practice of which is normally part of
the students’ training and education. The analyses related to
these sub-skills, as displayed in the probability value
(p=.0005), indicate that there is a significant positive
difference between the comparing and analyzing skills in the
Pretest sub-score3 and Posttest sub-score3. This finding
indicates that students’ use of ICT-assisted Presentations as a
learning tool has helped them improve their performance in
the two skills tested. Though lower than those obtained for
the categorizing and describing skills, the figures reported in
the standard deviation show a statistically significant increase
in the comparing and analyzing skills test sub-score3 from
the Pretest time (M1=13,95; M2=14,37) and (SD1=3,37,
SD2=2,53), We should also note that the Mean increase is -
1,67, with a 95 per cent confidence interval stretching from a
Lower bound of -2,18 to an Upper bound of -1,05, showing
that there is a difference between the two tests at the level of
11
students’ performance in the sub-categories under
investigation. These figures indicate that ICT-based
presentation delivery has contributed to the increase of
students’ comparing and analyzing skills, though to a small
degree.
These results have also been confirmed in the qualitative
data. As evidenced in the students’ judgments of their peers’
PowerPoint and Prezi presentations, the ability to achieve the
comparing and analyzing skills has been improved.
Admittedly, comparing and analyzing have been reported to
be easy for some students, but difficult for some others. It
should, once again, be noted that the former cases were
representative of highly competent students with good
knowledge of English while the latter were students with
language deficiencies. This suggests that before completing a
presentation, students need to be familiarized with the
language required for the tasks and skills to be performed. In
other words, these findings suggest that learning outcomes
need the support of the required tools.
Pedagogical Implications
The results gleaned from the above findings indicate that the
use of ICT-assisted presentations in the EFL context can
yield pertinent results if it takes into consideration, among
other measures, two crucial issues: a) focused curricular
decisions that empower students with the ability to use
English effectively in real-time communication situations,
and b) offer effective conditions and knowledge of how to
use the new technologies in language instruction.
Focused Curricular and Content Decision Making
As revealed by the current research finding, the use of IT-
assisted presentation delivery in the EFL for engineering
course needs to align learning outcomes with methodological
adjustment in order to foster students’ communication skills.
By suggesting that IT use is better when the learner has
achieved a threshold level of English, these findings reveal
that it is necessary to make language proficiency in
conjunction with the targeted skills at the root of the
curriculum. To this end, the students’ level of English and
vocational cognitive load, as well as their aspirations and
future occupation need to be considered. All these measures
can contribute to the implementation of an English language
course through
 Initiating learners to current topics and issues that
promote their thinking skills.
 Making sure the content of the course combines the
different aspects of their interests.
 Exposing the learners to functional vocabulary and
grammar related to the students’ vocational
education and training.
 Providing content that relates to the students’
inclinations and inspirations.
The results of the study amply suggest that success of the
English course depends on the extent to which it serves the
purposes of education and matches the students’
expectations.
Necessary Methodological Adjustment
At the methodological level, the results of the study give
credits to the use of Information technology as a potential
pedagogical tool for learners of English as a foreign
language. They suggest that the IT tool offers self-regulated
opportunities for personalized learning if used properly; and
that teachers need to be cautious in its implementation for
English language learning in vocational education. Teachers’
focus, therefore, needs to be oriented towards the educational
tool as a means of enrichment of students’ communicative
abilities.
In practical term, the construction of an IT-assisted
presentation design requires the implementation
appropriate communication skills that align language
proficiency with the appropriate thinking skills, on the one
hand, and the related assessment benchmarking, on the other.
As gleaned from the study, here are some suggestions for
application:
• Classroom activities need to leave room for
activities that give more room to collaboration
between the learners, on the one hand, and for more
assistance from teachers to students in need.
• English language Courses for engineering students
need to start with easy to handle learning tasks for
each of the skills involved.
• Initiation to web exploitation by focusing on one
aspect of learning at a time.
• Guiding students towards well-constructed websites
that empower the learners with the language tool
and familiarize them with IT as a learning
instrument.
• Encouraging the use of a variety of delivery
methods: workshops, online support, on-site or
classroom support and coaching.
• Providing tangible and skill-oriented IT samples and
clear instructions of the objectives to be reached.
 Starting with semi-structured IT-assisted tasks and
encourage students’ creativity.
 Delimiting the technology databases before
engaging the students in the preparation and design
of their presentations.
 Providing structured supervision, assistance and
feedback are a pre-requisite of success.
The above adjustments –as drawn from the analyses- suggest
that the use of IT-assisted presentation delivery can only be
successful through the implementation of a framework
which: 1) provides students collaborate with their peers at the
cognitive and psychological levels; 2) empowers students
with the linguistic tool required for effective communication;
and 3) familiarises them with an adequate benchmarking
of system that provides opportunities for improvement (De
Grez, L., Valcke, M., & Roozen, I., 2008; Abdelhamid, A.,
and Abouabdelkader, H., 2018).
General Conclusion
Altogether, the obtained results report a significant increase
of students’ achievement in English has been observed in
terms of all the communication skills investigated. Yet, a
clear distinction has been made between learners with high
level and students with low English proficiency level.
However, the question of how much the adopted assessment
benchmarking correlates with English language proficiency
12
standards adopted internationally. As the result indicate,
students’ English language proficiency in the Posttest has
been improved in all the skills investigated through IT-
assisted presentations, but that this practice has been more
beneficial to students with higher level of English proficiency
than students with poor English proficiency, as assessed by
the designed end-of-term English test. This finding is useful
in vocational language learning and teaching. It indicates that
IT-assisted presentation delivery has proven to be an
effective learning tool for engineering students regarding
their vocational orientation, as expressed in their need to
develop their communicative abilities.
In conjunction with the above claims, the findings also reveal
that, as an effective tool for learning, the new technologies
have an important role in the development of engineering
students’ communication skills. As Doolittle and Hicks
(2003) suggest, “if interactive technologies are truly going to
impact teaching and learning, there needs to be a shift … that
requires technology to be used as stimulus for inquiry,
perspective taking, and meaning making, and not as a conduit
for the transmission of knowledge” (p. 87). In fact, the
qualitative analyses reveal that students with high level of
English proficiency have managed to deliver good quality
presentations, while lower levels of English have found
several problems in completing their presentations and that
their main difficulty is lack of the language and skills needed
to communicate properly in English. This view is consonant
with Feuerstein’s (1980) view that instrumental enrichment
of the learners with the necessary tools is a pre-requisite of
their communication performance (Abouabdelkader, S.,
2019) and cognitive needs. These results also show that the
implementation of ICT-assisted oral presentations, as a
pedagogical teaching approach needs to be concomitant with
the language history of the learners and the skills required in
their vocational orientations. It is also worth noting that, the
communication skills that have been identified as still in
embryo or scarcely used by these learners, e.g., illustrating
and analyzing skills, need to be considered in the design of
curricula for engineering students. Similarly, the skill of
comparing has been hard to fulfill. One of the possible
13
reasons for this failure relates to lack of practice of these
skills in the students’ previous language learning history.
Finally, the findings amply reveal that further research is
needed in the field of information technology and its effect
on communication skills in English language education.
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Van Rooij, S. W. (2010). Project management in Soufiane Abouabdelkader is A. Lecturer at Chouaib
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About the Authors:
Khalid Benkaddour is A. Lecturer at University Moulay
Ismail, Morocco.

Appendix 1
Dear student:
Please read the criteria included in the following list before the presentation. Keep in mind the point included while watching
your peer. Then try to provide your evaluation of the work accordingly.
If you think a criterion is missing, you may add it to the end of the list and indicate its level of importance. In
addition, if there is a term that would be hard for evaluators to understand, please ask for assistance from your friend or from the
teacher.
If you have any further comments about each criterion, you may mention it in the Comment column. Thank you for your
cooperation.
Evaluative Criteria Comment
I. General attributes
A.The presentation in relation to syllabus and curriculum
1. It matches to the specifications of the syllabus.
2. It matches the exigencies of a professional presentation.     
B. Methodology
3. The presentation is well structured.     
4. The activities are well presented.     
C. Suitability to learners     
5. The topic is compatible with the concerns of the students.     
6. The points raised are interesting.     
7. The presentation is compatible to the needs of the learners.     
8. It is compatible to the interests of the learners.     
II. Technological attributes
9. The slides are good looking.     
10. The presenters make efficient use of text and visuals.     
11. The use of the technology is adequate.     
12. The use of the technology is helpful.     
13. The visual materials presented are well understood.     
14. The presentation is sufficiently supported by clear and attractive audio-materials.     
III. Learning-teaching content
15. Most of the tasks in the presentation are interesting.     
16. Tasks move from simple to complex.     
17. Task objectives are achieved.     
18. Cultural sensitivities have been considered.     
IV. The language

16
 1.General
16. The language in the presentation is simple and easy.     
17. The situations created in the presentation are well explained.     
2.Speaking
18. The pronunciation of the presenters is appropriate.     
19. The intonation and rhythm of the presenters is up to high standards.     
20. The presenters’ English is easily understood.     
3.Communication skills
21. The points raised in the presentation are clear.     
22. The speakers gave clear definition to the topic presented.     
23. The issue debated is well defined and explained by the presenters.     
24. The points t presented are illustrated sufficiently.     
25. Examples are interesting and clear     
26. The number of ideas in each slide is appropriate.     
27. There is a good distribution (simple to complex) of ideas across the whole work.     
28. The slides are well organized.     
29. The presenters’ work is analytical and efficient     
University Moulay Ismaïl Time allotted: 1h30min
ENSAM – Meknes English Test October 2015
4th Year
Name: ................................................ Section &Group: ........................................

TaskI: When referring to automated systems, four properties are of importance: measurement, flow, control, sensor.
A. Match each of the following definitions to one of the above properties (2 pts)

1. A device which detects or measures a physical property. a. measurement

2. A device by which a machine is regulated. b. Flow
3. Movement of a substance, usually a liquid or gas. c. control
4. An amount, size, or extent as established by measuring. d. sensor

B. Give an example for each definition in a meaningful sentence: (4 pts)

1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………..…………………..
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………..…………………..
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………..…………………..
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………..…………………..
Appendix II
Task II: Write two meaningful sentences for each of the following prompts, using all of the following cause and effect
expressions (Consequently, owing to, result in, as a result of) and the given key words: (4pts)
Example of a possible cause: A high speed train (TGV) has derailed because of excessive speed.
1. A high speed train (TGV) has derailed: (Key words: tension of the catenary, camber of the track, damaged coaches, burnt
motor)
a. Possible cause: …………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
b. Possible effect: …………………………………………………………….………………
………………………………………………………………………...…………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
2. A chicken cannon test results in unexpected damages: (Key word: frozen chicken, canon malfunction, shattered windshield,
a hole in the driver’s seat)
c. Possible cause: …………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
d. Possible effect: …………………………………………………………….………………
………………………………………………………………………...…………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
Task III: Write a five paragraph essay about the following question: (10pts)
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 What would be the most suitable environmentally friendly source of energy for Morocco: Wind farms or solar towers? Justify
your choice according to each source’s advantages and drawbacks.
1. Introduction: (State your point of view)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Advantages of the chosen source
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Drawbacks of the other source
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Illustrate your choice, giving supportive examples
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Conclusion:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
University Moulay Ismaïl Time allotted: 2 hours
ENSAM - Meknes English Test June 2016
4th Year

Name: ................................................ Section &Group: ........................................

Task I: Describe some of the main functions and applications of the devices below, using the following words adequately:
ensure, used, prevent, useful. (4pts)
a. Two main applications of a drill:
1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Two main functions of a water jet cutter:
1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
Task II: Write four meaningful sentences for the following prompt, using all of the following cause and effect expressions
(Consequently, owing to, result in, as a result of) and the given key words.(4pts)
Prompt: A chicken cannon test’s damages are unexpected.
Key words: Frozen chicken, canon malfunction, shattered windshield, a hole in the driver’s seat
Get inspired by the following example of a possible cause:
A chicken cannon is ineffective because of a temperature issue.
a. Possible causes:
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
2. ……………………………………………………………………………………..……
………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Possible effects:
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………..………
4. ……………………………………………………………………………………..……
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Task III: Complete the conversation using the following words (cost-effective, efficient, inefficient, reliable, uneconomical,
and unreliable) (6pts)
An engineer at a power station is talking to a manager.
Engineer: Given the age of these gas turbines, you’d think they would be breaking down all the time – starting to get (1)
………………….. . But that’s not the case at all. They’re performing perfectly well. The problem is, in terms of energy
consumption, compared with modern equivalents they’re just very (2)………………….. . So financially speaking, it’s just not
(3) ……………………. to keep running such (4) …………………. equipment.
Manager: So we need to look at replacing them with a more economical solution before they reach the end of their planned
lifespan? That’s basically what you’re saying?
Engineer: I think we have to, yes. If we wait until they break down, we’ll still be using them in 50 years’ time. In a sense, you
could say they’re too (5)………………………….
Manager: OK. And in terms of energy consumption, how (6)……………………… would a new installation be, comparatively?
Task IV: Using the statements in the box below:

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  Traditional light bulbs are cheaper to manufacture.
 Traditional light bulbs convert 95 % of the electricity they use to heat, not light.
 Traditional light bulbs last 1000 hours.
 Traditional light bulbs are not poisonous.
 Traditional light bulbs can be thrown away with rubbish after use.
 Energy-saving light bulbs take much more energy to manufacture.
 Energy-saving light bulbs use up to 80% less electricity when turning energy into light.
 Energy-saving light bulbs last 10000 hours.
 Energy-saving light bulbs emit harmful magnetic fields.
 Energy-saving light contain mercury and need to be recycled carefully.
A. Compare traditional light bulbs and energy-saving light bulbs for each of the three stages (pre-use, in-use, and post-use)
(4pts)
1. Pre-use: …. …………………………………………………………..……………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………………………..
2. In-use: …….. ………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………………………..
…………………………………………….………………………………………………..
3. Post-use: …….. ………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………….……………………………………………….
B. According to you, which light bulb is more environmentally friendly? Justify your answer. (2pts)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………….……………………………………………….
Task V: For each heading in the table below, choose 3 items from the box. Add 1 more item from your own to each category
(4pts)

Aluminum glass stainless steel copper

bricks titanium porcelain plastic

Non-ferrous metals Ceramics

TaskVI: Explain the difference between the following physical forces: (4pts)
1. Compression and contraction:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Expansion and tension:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
TaskVII:
What are mechanical and non-mechanical fixings? What are their main advantages and disadvantages? Illustrate your answers
using the following words (adhesive, bolt, clip, rivet, screw, and weld) (6pts)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Task VIII: Compare the given cutting options using the phrases in the box below. (6pts)

Phrases:

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Here are some definitions to help you:

 Sawing: abrasive cutting, removing a kerf of material. Includes cutting with toothed blades and abrasive
wheels.
 Milling: removal of surface layers with multiple cutting wheel passes.
 Guillotining: Making straight cuts by applying pressure to shear the material.
Look at the example for inspiration:
 Grinding / Flame-cutting (heat affected zone)
Both grinding and flame-cutting are not the best solution if you don’t want a heat-affected zone.
1. Milling / Drilling with a hole-saw (for cutting timber)
………………………………………………………………………………….…………….
2. Sawing / Waterjet-cutting (for cutting curved edges)
………………………………………………………………………………….…………….
3. Punching/ Guillotining (for cutting thin materials)
………………………………………………………………………………….…………….

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