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A medida que más profesionales requieren experiencias de aprendizaje más especializadas de un idioma, los cursos de inglés para fines específicos (ESP) se han tornado más relevantes. En Costa Rica, el idioma inglés ha sido un pilar fundamental para su desarrollo económico, y la creciente necesidad por currículos más específicos ha sido abordada por la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) en el Posgrado en la Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera. Esta investigación dirigió sus esfuerzos a analizar las necesidades de estudiantes de ingeniería eléctrica e ingeniería mecánica, así como conocer el rol de tareas previas en función de tareas principales, esto en un curso en línea con fines específicos (ESP) . Esta investigación se encuentra dividida en cuatro secciones. En el primer capítulo, se presenta un detallado análisis de necesidades incluyendo carencias, pretensiones e insuficiencias comunicativas reportadas por la población meta. En el segundo capítulo, se detalla un programa de estudios basado en el enfoque de enseñanza por tareas. En el capítulo tres, se brinda una descripción de los procedimientos e instrumentos de evaluación. Finalmente, en el capítulo cuatro, las investigadoras e investigador se refieren al reporte de evaluación del curso, en el cual se establecen relaciones entre tareas previas y el desempeño de estudiantes en tareas principales, basados en el uso de vocabulario meta y la percepción de los estudiantes. Los resultados de esta investigación no son definitivos, pero ofrecen implicaciones importantes que podrían ser útiles para futuros estudios en las áreas de inglés para fines específicos, enfoque de enseñanza por tareas, y el aprendizaje en entornos virtuales. As professionals demand more specialized language learning experiences, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses have become more relevant. In Costa Rica, the English language has been a cornerstone for economic development, and the growing need for more specific curriculums has been addressed by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in the Master’s Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This study aimed at analyzing the needs of electrical and mechanical engineering students from UCR and investigated the role of pre-tasks in main task performance in an online ESP course for those individuals. This paper is divided into four sections. In the first chapter, a thorough needs analysis is presented, including the needs, wants, and lacks reported by the target ESP population. In the second chapter, a syllabus following the Task Based Language Teaching approach (TBLT) is described. In chapter three, a description of the assessment procedures and instruments is provided. Finally, in the fourth chapter, the researchers refer to the course evaluation report, in which connections between pre-task stages and main task performance are established based on target lexical item use and the students’ perceptions. The findings in this study are not conclusive but offer important implications that could be useful for future research in ESP, TBLT, and online learning. UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado::Artes y Letras::Maestría Profesional en Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera

Selecting course materials is a crucial decision for many language departments, as the textbook is often the guide for any course. However, course material selection rarely takes into account students’ wants and needs (Wright, 1990). This study examines both student and teacher attitudes toward a textbook and online platform used for the first time in a first-year English course at a public university in Costa Rica. This study also addresses whether students and teachers consider a supplemental grammar booklet necessary for the course. A questionnaire and interviews were the sources of data collection that assessed specific impressions of the course materials. The results of the research show that perspectives regarding the books, from both students and teachers, are not as positive as one might expect. Preference for a supplemental grammar booklet was shown, but questions remain as to whether this material is truly necessary for the course. Positive attitudes toward some aspects of the new books were present, yet various issues with the material were voiced throughout the entire study. Following a thorough analysis and discussion of results, we provide recommendations that the English department and its professors can consider in response to the main findings of this study. Seleccionar los materiales de un curso es una decisión esencial para muchos departamentos de inglés como lengua extranjera (ILE). El libro de texto suele ser la guía de muchos cursos. Este estudio de caso busca determinar las actitudes de estudiantes y docentes hacia un libro de texto y una plataforma en línea utilizados por primera vez en un curso de primer año de la carrera de inglés en una universidad pública en Costa Rica. Además, esta investigación aborda si los estudiantes y profesoras consideran necesario un folleto suplementario de gramática. Un cuestionario y entrevistas fueron las fuentes de recopilación de datos que evaluaron impresiones específicas con respecto a los materiales. Los resultados del estudio muestran que las perspectivas de estudiantes y docentes sobre los libros no son tan positivas como se esperaba. Se mostró una preferencia hacia tener un material suplementario de gramática, pero aún queda la duda de si es realmente necesario. Se detallan actitudes positivas hacia ciertos aspectos de los nuevos libros, pero también problemas con los materiales a lo largo de la investigación. Tras un análisis exhaustivo y una discusión sobre los resultados, ofrecemos recomendaciones para el departamento de primer año de Inglés y otras instituciones ILE que estén considerando usar Skillful 2 o cambiar sus libros de texto.

With recent increases in mineral prices, the Canadian Arctic has experienced a dramatic upswing in mining development and exploration. The communities living in close proximity to proposed mining are poised to experience dramatic change in the face of industrial development and an injection of wage employment. With the development of the Meadowbank gold mine, the nearby Hamlet of Baker Lake, Nunavut is currently experiencing these changes firsthand. In response to an invitation from the Hamlet of Baker Lake, this research seeks to document Baker Lake residents’ experiences with the Meadowbank mine. During two months of fieldwork in 2010 and 2011, these experiences - manifest in stories, opinions and concerns - were recorded. It is evident that the community has changed with the opening of the mine. The employment rates and income have increased, and there have been resulting decreases in food insecurity, increases in hunting participation and increased hope for the future of Baker Lake. However, these outcomes are not felt homogeneously across the community; indeed, residents’ experiences with mining have been mixed. Beyond this core finding, the research suggests four further notable insights. First, employment has provided the opportunity for people to elevate themselves out of welfare/social assistance, provide for their families and pay down debts. Second, the pursuit of high school and post-secondary education has become more common, but some students are leaving high school to pursue mine work. Third, local businesses are benefiting from mining contracts, but this is generally limited to those companies that had the capital and equipment in place before the mine; economic diversification and the development of small business have been minimal. Finally, varied individual experiences are in part generated by an individual’s context; that is, the experience of the mine is conditioned by personal context (finances, education, family, personal history) and personal choices (e.g. alcohol vs. debt repayment, unskilled mine employment vs. education/training). The documentation of these experiences is useful not just for our understating of mining’s impacts on Aboriginal communities, but also for the efforts of the Hamlet of Baker Lake and higher government authorities to develop mitigation measures including niche programs.