Needs Analysis for Enhancing Academic English Writing Instruction among Chinese EFL University Instructors

Academic English writing (AEW) is a crucial language skill that enables university students to participate in scholarly dialogue and is strongly linked to their overall academic achievement. However, university instructors face considerable challenges in implementing this teaching task, underscoring the necessity for more effective instructional approaches. Advancements in science and technology have profoundly transformed pedagogical methods and instructional practices. There is an urgent need to reconsider existing pedagogical approaches and integrate ICT tools to meet the demands of contemporary educational paradigms. This study investigates the need for developing a pedagogical module tailored for Chinese AEW university instructors using a quantitative method. The needs analysis was conducted through a questionnaire adapted from Romanowski (2017), and the data was collected from 60 instructors through simple random sampling. The survey questionnaire was analyzed through descriptive analysis using percentage score and frequency. The study investigated the instructors’ perspectives according to Target Situation Analysis (TSA), Present Situation Analysis (PSA), Learning Needs Analysis (LNA), and Means Situation Analysis (MSA). The findings underscore the significance for course designers, AEW instructors, and higher education institutions. Furthermore, the study addresses the growing demand for ICT tools in AEW instruction and highlights the potential of ICT tools to help instructors enhance their AEW classes.