Faculty Members’ English Language Educational Needs in the Faculty of Management and Medical Informatics in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences: Faculty Members’ Perspective

Introduction: One of the essential needs of faculty members is English language educational needs. Identifying and fulfilling these needs could contribute to promotion of education and research in universities. The aim of this study was to determine faculty members’ English language educational needs in the faculty of management and medical informatics in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2014-15. Methods: The population of this applied descriptive survey included all the faculty members of three specialized departments (n=20) and faculty members of nonspecialized departments (n=15) of the faculty of management and medical informatics who were selected by means of census method. Data collection tools were a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability had been confirmed. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests. Results: According to the findings of study, paper writing (44.6%), scientific conversation in conferences (33.3%), and improving English language proficiency (31.4%) were faculty members’ highest priority needs respectively. Among the skills needed for work environment, reading comprehension (51.4%), English-to-Persian translation skills (40%), listening skills (37.1%) were highest priority needs respectively. Conclusion: Results showed that reading and comprehending English sources were the most important faculty members’ needs. Among educational needs, English paper writing, academic writing workshops and conversation in English were of great importance which requires appropriate planning.