Getsempena English Education Journal (GEEJ) Volume 12.
Number 1, 2025 pp.
P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
Open Access: https://ejournal.
id/geej EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF DIGITAL AUTHENTIC MATERIALS:
CHALLENGES IN TAILORED LANGUAGE LEARNING IN ESP CONTEXTS
Khainur Jannah*1 .
Dadang Sudana2.
Fathin Anjani Hilman3 1English Education Study Program.
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
Indonesia 2Linguistics Study Program.
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
Indonesia 3Hajj and Umrah Management Study Program.
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati.
Indonesia * Corresponding Author: khainurjannah@upi.
A B S T R A CT
This research analyzes the effectiveness of tasks based on Article history:
digital authentic materials (DAM) in custom language Received : Jan 15, 2025 Revised : Apr 20, 2025 instruction in English for Specific Purposes (ESP).
The Accepted : May 19, 2025 study analyzes the barriers to applying DAM to enhance Available online : May 31, 2025 ESP learners' linguistic and professional skills.
A case study approach was used with data triangulation to Keywords:
Digital Authentic Materials.
ESP, address the problems associated with using DAM in selflanguage learning.
paced learning programs.
The participants consisted of six ESP lecturers across diverse disciplines at one public university with established ESP programs across various The results indicate that although DAM enhances engagement and contextual understanding, issues of content scope, technological barriers, and learner diversity regarding proficiency levels are still present.
This study advances the discourse on the optimal use of digital authentic materials by considering the parameters defined by ESP frameworks, particularly for pedagogical strategies geared towards efficient language acquisition customization.
The authors offer suggestions that can be put into immediate action by educators and material creators who want to mitigate the concerns reinforced in this study while trying to harness the full capabilities of digital tools resources within an ESP teaching and learning context.
ARTICLE INFO
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.
Copyright A 2025 by Author.
Published by Universitas Bina Bangsa Getsempena
INTRODUCTION
Digital Authentic Materials (DAM) refer to real-world resources, such as podcasts, videos, articles, or interactive websites, originally produced for native speakers of a given language that have been digitally adapted for use in a teaching or learning context (Danansooriya, 2022.
Mandarsari, 2023.
Nur Fitria, 2022.
Treve, 2.
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while acquiring functional and fluent proficiency (DjaAofar, 2022.
Hussein & Elttayef, 2018.
Iroda, 2.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) greatly enhances existing qualifications and skills in professional and vocational settings.
It refers to teaching English within particular professional, technical, or academic contexts, thereby ensuring that learners gain the requisite specialized English skills (Basturkmen, 2.
In specific fields such as business, engineering, medicine, and law, trust and effective communication cannot be exercised without possessing relevant terminology and communication strategies, making ESP With the increasing need to communicate on a global level with experts in various fields, the significance of ESP has remarkably heightened as a fundamental area of teaching regarding languages across the world (Chaovanapricha & Champakaew, 2024.
Costa & Mastellotto, 2.
Simultaneously, there has also been a shift from teaching in a physical classroom setting to a fully online digital learning environment.
The emergence of English teaching and learning mobile applications, software programs, and other electronic resources has transformed the teaching and learning of English and other languages.
As a pedagogical approach, digital learning environments allow learners greater access to authentic materials and resources, catering to individualized, self-paced learning (El-Sabagh, 2021.
Hoppe et al.
, 2.
These changes respond to the increasing demand for greater flexibility to freely interact with content as learners actively seek ways to engage with course materials, especially ESP materials, that are relevant to their needs.
The increased adoption of digital resources in ESP programs reflects the overall tendency of technology usage in educational settings.
Unlike printed textbooks, digital resources include modern and relevant authentic materials representing real-life language Alptekin and Tercan .
argue that learners can engage with language through various forms, including multimedia presentations, interactive tasks, and group learning This shift demonstrates the effectiveness of such materials in aiding the learnerAos ability to reason, acquire new knowledge, and think critically within the language learning framework specific to vocational education and training.
Even with the promising advantages of DAM in English for ESP, there is still some research on its effectiveness and the problems it poses for integration into language Some prior works have studied the use of digital resources in general language teaching (Gufron & Azmin, 2022.
Mandarsari, 2.
, but analysis focusing on the relevance and impact of such resources on ESP is still scant.
Additionally, in areas of P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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study where accuracy and context are vitally important, understanding digital authenticity's influence on learners and learning outcomes is insufficient.
This gap in research complicates matters for educators who might not know how best to use digital resources effectively in their instructional approaches.
Unlike other areas of language instruction.
ESP focuses on learners' precise language needs related to different professional, academic, or technical disciplines.
The digital authentic materials that are currently available have the potential to provide learners with contextually relevant content.
however, their impact on the learning outcomes within an ESP framework is not well understood.
This research is groundbreaking in that it evaluates the applicable authentic digital materials within the context of an ESP program, as opposed to general language studies.
Apart from measuring an educatorAos effectiveness, this research analyzes the difficulties encountered when integrating digital authentic materials into customized ESP Many instructors lack appropriate instructions or policies regarding the selection, modification, and use of these materials, which leads to inadequate or inefficient teaching and learning processes.
This study examines the underlying barriers to integration and offers a useful framework on pedagogical content that enhances the digital contentAos authenticity and relevance.
This study combines theoretical evaluation with an analysis of findings to construct a targeted strategy for integrating digital resources into ESP education.
This strategy assists language educators in aligning instruction with the documented specialized or occupational needs and objectives of the This paper addresses the research question: What are the challenges of integrating digital authentic materials in ESP programs? The primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of DAM in ESP contexts and explore the challenges encountered by learners and educators when using them.
Through this research, we seek to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding integrating digital resources in ESP programs, ultimately providing valuable insights for improving the design and delivery of tailored language learning materials.
RESEARCH METHODS
This research utilizes a qualitative case study method to consider the implementation and impact of digital authentic materials and the obstacles faced in customizing language teaching within the ESP framework.
The case study approach is P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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useful for this research because it enables rich, in-depth analysis of complex phenomena within their real-life context (Yin, 2.
The study aims to address the gap between pedagogy and practice by exploring the experiences and perceptions of university lecturers about integrating digital authentic materials into teaching, revealing the greater purposes and fundamental challenges of teaching with materials in ESP classes.
The study was conducted at one public university with established ESP programs across various faculties.
Participants were selected from a larger pool of practitioners using purposive sampling (Creswell, 2.
to guarantee focus and richness of The sample consisted of six ESP lecturers across diverse disciplines.
Selection criteria included: .
Minimum of two yearsAo experience teaching ESP at the university, .
Active use or experimentation with digital authentic materials .
, websites, videos, podcasts, digital newspaper.
, and .
Willingness to participate in interviews and reflective discussions.
This study utilized triangulated data collection techniques in order to obtain rich qualitative data, including:
Semi-Structured Interviews: Primary data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews, providing depth and flexibility to participant responses.
Participants were asked open-ended questions regarding their experience, perceptions, and strategies for utilizing digital authentic materials in teaching ESP.
Interviews were conducted one-on-one and took about 45 to 60 minutes.
Interviews were conducted in Bahasa Indonesia or English, depending on the participants' preferences.
With consent, all interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis.
Document Analysis: Several teaching documents, as well as interview data, including syllabi, lesson plans, sources of digital material, and sample student tasks, were analyzed.
This analysis aided in understanding the context within which the digital materials were employed and the objectives of the course.
Reflective Journals: Lecturers were asked to submit self-reflective journals .
to 2 page.
chronicling their interactions with digital authentic materials throughout a teaching cycle.
Such reflections offered insights into personal experiences and highlighted emerging challenges that might not arise in interviews.
The data analysis was also carried out using thematic approaches (Braun & Clarke, 2.
, which involved repetitive coding and pattern-recognition cycles.
The data from P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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interviews, documents, and journals was coded manually.
Six steps guided the analysis:
familiarization, coding, theme identification, theme review, naming, and interpretation.
To enhance trustworthiness, the following techniques were utilized:
Member checking: Participants provided feedback on their transcripts and preliminary themes.
Peer debriefing: Checked the coding with colleagues researching ESP and digital Triangulation: The use of multiple data sources enhances credibility.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
This part elaborately explains the critical insights obtained from the qualitative case study.
The insights are organized around primary themes identified during data analysis regarding the teaching advantages, hindrances, and barriers lecturers encounter while utilizing digital authentic materials in ESP frameworks.
Pedagogical Benefits of Digital Authentic Materials Digital authentic materials are helpful for pedagogical planning in teaching ESP.
Incorporating these materials seems to correspond with the fundamentals of communicative language teaching and task-based approaches (Sholeh et al.
, 2.
encouraging participation and meaningful connections with the students.
Increased Student Engagement The strongest finding concerns the advantage of digital materials regarding student engagement.
The lecturers reported better motivation from their students when using authentic materials instead of traditional textbooks.
This aligns with several other studies (DjaAofar, 2022.
Gufron & Azmin, 2022.
Mitrulescu & Negoescu, 2024.
Nur Fitria, 2022.
Sabir & Ahmad Hammad, 2.
, which maintained that authentic materials heighten learner motivation (Bactiar et al.
, 2023.
Isna.
Pratama & Fridolini, 2.
as students interact with content that reflects the language they use or experience in their workplace environments.
Students learn through authentic documents, conversations, and media that represent the language of the specific professions they will be required to work in, thereby making their learning more relevant.
The relevance of this is further argued by Hudiananingsih et al.
and Shlowiy & Lidawan .
, who highlighted the importance of digital resources in addressing the discrepancies between scholarly knowledge and its practical application.
Podcasts relevant to a field and other professional publications and articles expose P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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learners to practical uses of language, allowing them to observe and engage with it in its natural environment.
Such resources are helpful in healthcare, business, and engineering, where the language of textbooks differs considerably from everyday speech.
With such resources, students can master the disciplineAos jargon and communication practices expected of them professionally.
Hence, unlike traditional textbooks, digital resources enhance learning by creating an engaging, interactive environment.
Moreover, the use of language in context contributes to a student's comprehension of its relevance, piquing their interest and fostering enhanced retention.
Richards .
states that students are more motivated to study the language when they have authentic materials corresponding to their career goals.
This perception creates a positive attitude toward greater effort for learning because students recognize that their academic efforts will help them succeed in their careers.
The availability of digital materials representative of real-life situations increases learner motivation and makes the teaching more relevant.
These resources reflect and respond to the realities of work, illustrating their pedagogical The importance of digital authenticity in language learning has been furthered by recent research, including Godwin-Jones .
Godwin-Jones posits that the perpetually evolving digital tools and resources have made large amounts of previously hard-toaccess or incorporate materials readily available.
This ease of access, in turn, makes it possible for students to understand language in a much more fluid and interconnected way, considering its relation to the culture and profession they will encounter after The practical application of this concept goes beyond access frameworks.
highlights the necessity of incorporating credible digital content into language instruction as it meets contemporary didactic needs and purposefully aids in effective language learning and teaching.
In this regard, it is apparent that the motivation and deliberate application of such content requires fostering active and driven learners, proposed as Aiprepared.
An Relevance to Professional Fields As students prepare for the actual work environment, authentic digital materials help them understand the digital language relevant to their prospective professions.
Lecturers also pointed out that these digital materials enable students to interact with languages suitable for their advanced careers.
Different researchers agree on the pedagogical benefits of digital authentic materials, particularly the flexibility they provide for learners to study different P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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This latter point stood out with many lecturers who noted that digital materials helped students use language about their professions.
This is especially true for teaching materials such as reports, authentic videos, and sound files, which contain realworld information and for which their use integrates theory and practice.
Authentic texts, videos, and audio help educators teach students what they need to know and what they will work on after graduation, thus bridging the gap between understanding theories and practical professionalism (Domogen, 2.
This perspective concurs with KernAos .
assertion that specialized content assists in acquiring technical vocabulary and communication comprehension within the particular specialty, and disciplines student learners.
In this sense, digital materials of authenticity aid learners in engaging with language and communication practices relevant to their field of study.
For instance, business or marketing learners can engage with case studies, reports, and marketing pieces that contain current language in the field.
Equally, students in the healthcare field can work with actual medical documents, patient-care techniques, and professional conversations, providing them with the real context of the language and communication frequently used at their place of work.
The real-life context of the digital materials helps students to use language and think actively about gab and discipline, thus nurturing their ability to effectively understand and use gab-based communications, especially in (Gabdullina et al.
, 2024.
Shlowiy & Lidawan.
Moreover, learners for communication activities they will encounter in future employment.
Such training goes beyond acquiring specialized terminology to include the necessary interactions with other communicative stakeholders, such as clients and colleagues.
For example, business students who practice email correspondence, presentations, and negotiation role-plays tend to understand communication's importance in professional settings better (Cenere.
Integrating real-world scenarios in language instruction ensures that learners gain relevant academic knowledge while developing skills necessary for professional success.
Thus, emphasizing authentic digital materials when teaching ESP helps students shape the learning experience to meet the unique challenges of their prospective jobs.
Learners who work with materials that reflect their disciplines' language and communication gain the technical and communicative competencies required in the This broadens their language skills and enhances their understanding of the application of language in their career of choice.
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Technological and Institutional Barriers Despite the benefits, several technological and institutional obstacles restrained the effective adoption of digitally authentic materials.
Such challenges are more relevant in resource-poor institutions where the existing infrastructure and technological equipment do not adequately support digital systems for language teaching and instruction.
Infrastructure Limitations One of the most prominent obstacles mentioned by lecturers was the universityAos inadequate infrastructural facilities.
This encompassed slow internet speeds, insufficient technical assistance, and restricted access to important online facilities necessary for retrieving and using authentic materials.
Such obstacles impaired teaching and caused aggravation when trying to conduct lessons.
This aligns with Singun .
, who documented that a lack of technological infrastructure continues to represent a serious obstacle to using digital resources in teaching, especially within underfunded institutions.
The efficacy of digital pedagogy is undermined when technical issues during instruction disrupt the learning process, thus diminishing educational work and engagement of teachers and students alike.
To remove these constraints, institutions need to implement effective ICT infrastructure (OECD, 2.
that guarantees adequate provision of internet services, current technology, and extensive technical aid.
Besides, sustaining teaching aids for the educators facilitates the improvement of digital skills, which guarantees proper usage of digital content in instructional practices (Halim & Rohmah, 2020.
Hizam et al.
, 2.
addressing these technological and administrative constraints, universities could enhance students' immersion in obtaining digitally authentic materials, thereby enriching the learning experience for students.
Platform Constraints When considering the problems associated with infrastructure, the gaps offered by the digital teaching platforms used by lecturers appear to be equally challenging.
One of the major issues educators encounter is that the university does not provide a modular digital platform that can be altered.
The inability to customize such an adaptable platform makes it impossible to change materials for classes that are more specific than others, such as ESPs, which often have to deal with a specific field or area of study.
While other researchers (Myrtin et al.
, 2.
argue that digital platforms come with many resources, customization remains critical in meeting the demands of ESP settings.
This difficulty is especially acute when the so-called general language teaching tools are P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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utilized in ESP teaching.
These platforms may offer a broad spectrum of resources.
However, they typically lack discipline-specific resources and functions necessary to deal with advanced professional language, the communicative demands of relevant professions, and various novel disciplines.
In ESP, attention to specialized vocabulary, specific professional genres, and authentic communicative situations requires appropriate platforms.
It appears that general-purpose platforms fail to structurally include relevant field-categorized content or integrate professional term vocabulary, which is vital for students anticipating certain career fields.
This is a notable gap in research as many have argued digital learning environments lack attention to broader diversity with learning ESP by claiming that offers should be more focused and systematically guided (El-Sabagh, 2021.
Siddique et al.
, 2.
Such a narrow focus may compromise the ease of modifying lesson plans, quizzes, and assessments to meet the objectives of ESP courses, which could impact the efficacy of digital learning.
Therefore, there is a trend to utilize such platforms for teaching purposebound subjects to develop more rigid frameworks that focus specifically on weaker pedagogical areas in ESP education.
Material Suitability and Adaptation Another issue pointed out in this study was the problem of identifying appropriate materials that correspond to the learnersAo levels of competence and the course targets.
Given the immense array of digital resources, lecturers struggled to locate appropriate and relevant materials for their students.
Content Alignment Authentic materials that the lecturers found on the internet were useless because they were boring or irrelevant.
They lacked creativity and were not linguistically representative of studentsAo disciplines.
It was heavily critiqued that people in Western societies focus on the heavily structured online material crafted for advanced students and overlook the resources made for intermediate learners.
Navigating authentic online materials prepared for learners in a particular discipline posed a challenge for the lecturers.
Although rich in language, authentic materials tend to provide contexts that serve as practical applications for the language learners who were taught during the course.
This is different from textbook English, making them devoid of major focus on what students require in the classroom (Hutchinson & Waters, 1.
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poses a serious threat to students who have yet to reach the intermediate stage in This problem fits LierAos .
claim that although authentic materials have important linguistic advantages, they may also be culturally or linguistically inaccessible unless tailored to students' language levels.
The problem is on both ends of the spectrumAitoo much authenticity means inaccessibility, while too little enables a lack of growth in learnersAo language skills.
Richards .
emphasizes this need by pointing out that ESP course instructors must consider the materials' authenticity in relation to the teaching objectives.
Materials should be selected in a way that does not compromise relevance by contextualizing the learning experience while ensuring the tasks are cognitively demanding but not exhausting.
The emergence of new research on materials adaptation in ESP contexts accentuates the struggle to balance authenticity in language and adequacy in teaching Research has shown that materials selection and adaptation must be relevant to the learner's particular context, ensuring that the materials are appropriate for the learner's level and field of study (Dudley-Evans & Saint John, 2.
Furthermore, new developments regarding the pedagogy of ESP highlight the need for innovative and more adaptable strategies concerning materials adaptation that guide teaching at all levels due to the changing nature of language specialization and the multiple characteristics of the learners (Basturkmen, 2.
Therefore, while teaching with authentic materials exposes learners to diverse language use, the process of selection and adaptation needs to contribute towards pedagogical integrity at all levels of learner Linguistic Complexity The linguistic complexity of authentic materials was also raised as an issue.
Most texts used in the ESP context, like professional reports, academic journals, or industryspecific articles, include sophisticated vocabulary and intricate sentence patterns, which pose deep comprehension challenges for students.
These materials help expose an authentic language context.
however, they may pose difficulties for learners and limit interaction with the content, including critical thoughts and deeper engagement.
Authentic materials, although very helpful in terms of exposing learners to real-life situations, tend to be too much for students, especially those with lower proficiency levels (Mayarega et al.
, 2023.
Orooq & Hussein-Abdel Razeq, 2022.
Sabir & Ahmad Hammad, 2.
The materials essential for developing academic and P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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professional literacy support at that level of learning are often overwhelming.
In reality, if left unscaffolded, these texts are rich with overload potential.
Relevant materials must be selected and incorporated carefully to resolve the issue in this case.
The materials must, at the very least, be altered or added to in a way that supports the learners so that they interact meaningfully with the content.
Glosses, brief definitions or explanations of difficult words or phrases, are one popular strategy that helps learners gain understanding of the text without being lost in unfamiliar vocabulary (Nation, 2.
Moreover, context, alongside prior knowledge, can be activated with the use of prereading tasks, which make the material easier to understand.
Moreover, vocabulary lists can also assist learners in becoming familiar with specialized vocabulary prior to meeting the vocabulary in the text (Nation, 2022.
Schmitt, 2.
In doing so, educators can scaffold authentic materials such as the learnersAo advanced abilities and support them freely strategizing complex texts as well as real-life language on their own, giving them the confidence to take full advantage of such materials.
Additionally, more recent studies back the claim that scaffolding is critical in ESP For example.
Reynolds .
argues that instructional scaffolding enhances understanding and retention of complex academic texts, especially for lower-level learners, when applied during the reading process.
Equally.
Yildiz and Celik .
contend that appropriate scaffolding improves learnersAo ability to deal with specialized discourse, thus enhancing their understanding as well as their language use.
These observations illustrate the need for careful planning and systematic selection of materials in ESP contexts so that learners are provided with genuine language useful for their level and the activities they need to perform.
Student Readiness One of the recurring themes in the data concerns the studentsAo readiness to interact with genuine digital resources.
this was a problem for some learners.
Even though certain students exhibited comfort in utilizing digital tools, others did not possess the basic competencies required to maneuver through websites or meaningfully interact with the Digital Literacy Gaps The research indicated that several students lacking sufficient digital literacy skills stunted their ability to access and engage with content on materials autonomously.
One of P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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the more critical problems was the lack of understanding that students had about learning management systems (LMS), which prevented students from being able to use and navigate the system proficiently.
Alongside this, learners experienced challenges in the management of audiovisual materials such as videos, interactive parts, and digital documents, which are essential components in today's ESP teaching.
Besides, the research pointed to a considerable absence of freedom in controlling one's actions in the digital environment because most of the students were overdependent on the instructor to direct their activities instead of seeking and using digital resources independently.
As Burgos and Anthony .
noted, possessing digital literacy skills is important for engaging with various online learning materials.
Engaging with content and learning from it can be quite difficult when learners do not have the basic skills to maneuver around the tools provided, further suggesting a desperate need for learning skills alongside the tools.
This gap seems to persist, as many students face challenges dealing with technology because they lack adequate digital literacy, which further affects their performance and self-esteem.
(Jaya & Sucipto, 2023.
Orozco, 2.
In addition, these students face higher hurdles due to their lack of training and assistance, which creates an environment devoid of the fundamental building blocks for digital competence, negatively affecting their learning outcomes (Koehler et al.
, 2.
Passive Learning Habits Besides the relative gaps in digital literacy, it was observed that some students practiced passive learning behavior.
Students waited to be told how they could and should employ the resources at their disposal, which worked against the notion of selfdiscovery.
The self-exploratory phase is important.
however, in this particular situation that students are in, it would have worked in their favor if these students were more digitally literate.
This behavior goes against the idea of exploring new possibilities.
limits the opportunity for students to be exposed to digital resources as well as the necessary skills meaningful in contemporary education (Dwivedi et al.
, 2.
This form of the issue correlates with the more overarching problem of cultivating learner autonomy in digital environments.
Scheel et al.
have highlighted the integrating components of autonomy in learning when it comes to fluid digital learning There is a strong possibility that these students are at risk of not fully exploiting the available resources unless a change happens in their approach vis-a-vis the digital tools available to them, which will impede academic progression and enhance digital P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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Moreover.
Almulla .
shows that people's willingness to use available digital resources is determined by their level of exposure to technological devices and motivation to manage their learning activities.
Consequently, gaps in self-directedness and selfregulation, and the collaborative gap in literacy, have to be crossed before moving into freely accessible technology such as digital learning.
Professional Identity of Lecturers The adoption of digital materials has equally affected lecturers' professional Quite a number of ESP instructors expressed concerns that their responsibilities were changing from conventional, face-to-face teaching to more of technology Flexibility with new developments, especially with digital tools, required a change in professional identity for some lecturers.
This transformation was most notable when they began identifying themselves as mediators, language teachers, and facilitators of digital literacy.
This is in tandem with Pambudi et al.
, who claimed that technology has a greater impact on language teaching.
This tends to shift the responsibility of lecturers towards a more proactive function of interplay between the students and the digital materials, using technology to foster learning.
Findings from this study suggest that although digital authentic materials have some drawbacks, such as stifling student engagement and failing to connect learning to practical settings, they are still useful from an educational perspective.
In comparison, these barriers include technological constraints, appropriateness of materials, and learners' levels of preparedness.
Meeting these barriers requires more institutional funding for technological resources and basic literacy instruction tailored to learners and In addition, the shifting teaching role of higher education instructors highlights the need for advanced training focused on the supports of teaching and learning ESP through digital technologies.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This investigation sought to analyze the effectiveness of digital authentic materials in individualized language teaching within the scope of English for Specific Purposes (ESP).
The results of the study showed that digital authentic materials have great educational value, particularly in improving learner motivation and the relevance of content to their professional aspirations.
Exposure to industry-related articles, podcasts, and videos provides students not only with the language but also with knowledge P-ISSN: 2355-004X E-ISSN: 2502-6801
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pertinent to their fields, thereby enhancing their professional language skills and understanding of their professional context.
On the other hand, this research also found some constraints within the effective utilization of such digital materials.
An underdeveloped educational infrastructure that matches other advanced technologies constrains the use of digitally authentic materials in the teaching of ESP.
In addition, problems regarding adequate materials and the illdefined, more complex authentic lesson texts posed problems for the teachers and The lack of digital literacy skills among the students poses additional barriers that necessitate instructional assistance in order to interact with materials meaningfully.
Furthermore, the study pointed out the changing functions of ESP lecturers who blend older teaching approaches and new technology into lesson delivery, underscoring the need for these professionals to constantly update their knowledge and skills for the use of new technologies in instruction.
Although this research enriches the discussion surrounding the implementation of digital authentic materials in ESP contexts, it is apparent that more work is needed to assess the lasting impacts of such materials on learnersAo educational and professional Further research might explore the effects of long-term exposure to such digital materials on language skills in retention and transfer to professional contexts.
Moreover, analyzing the efficiency of adaptive instructional technologies and their capacity for automated customization of instructional materials in ESP contexts might shed light on the role of technology in individualized language instruction.
Moreover, cross-field comparison studies within the different subdomains of ESP, such as business, engineering, and medicine, may prove beneficial in addressing the gap by devising appropriate strategies for using digital materials for their specific disciplines.
Finally, this research sheds light on the uncharted qualitative aspects of the problems encountered by instructors in structuring assessments of digital authentic resources within the context of teaching English for Specific Purposes.
As the study was qualitative, the deep insights provided also pose a challenge due to their limited breadth and scope.
Future studies may expand on these findings through the application of mixed methods, which would help validate the results and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the defined learning objectives.
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