Knowledge and Attitudes of English Instructors in Iranian EFL Language Centers on the Application of Computers and Technological Tools for Instructional Purposes

Knowledge and Attitudes of English Instructors in Iranian EFL Language Centers on the Application of Computers and Technological Tools for Instructional Purposes

Although the rapid growth of technology and its accessibility has created great interest in computer assisted language teaching (CALT) among English as a foreign language instructor, little is presently known about EFL instructors’ use of technology and computer. Research shows that the most serious obstacle to successful use of technological tools in language teaching is the lack of experience of technology use by teachers and their inability to understand its capabilities. This paper addresses this issue and reports the findings of a research that examined the knowledge and attitudes of Iranian English instructors in EFL language centers on the application of computers and technological tools for instructional purposes. A total of 126 teachers participated in a survey and answered the questions of how they thought about CALT, how they used the computer, and what types of language teaching programs they used on computers. The findings of the study suggested that lack of confidence in computer use, insufficiency of educational technology for the needs of learners, and the lack of proper presentation of computer and technology to learners are among the factors preventing teachers from becoming familiar with the use of technological skills in education. It was also revealed that certain significant factors influence the use of computer and new technological tools in EFL teaching environment: instructors’ personal interest in using them, their abilities to integrate new technological tools and software into classroom activities, online resources, as well as computer facilities and technical supports. Professional teacher training courses for CALT are suggested for further development and implementation of computer and technological tools in Iranian EFL language centers.

Although the rapid growth of technology and its accessibility has created great interest in computer assisted language teaching (CALT) among English as a foreign language instructor, little is presently known about EFL instructors’ use of technology and computer. Research shows that the most serious obstacle to successful use of technological tools in language teaching is the lack of experience of technology use by teachers and their inability to understand its capabilities. This paper addresses this issue and reports the findings of a research that examined the knowledge and attitudes of Iranian English instructors in EFL language centers on the application of computers and technological tools for instructional purposes. A total of 126 teachers participated in a survey and answered the questions of how they thought about CALT, how they used the computer, and what types of language teaching programs they used on computers. The findings of the study suggested that lack of confidence in computer use, insufficiency of educational technology for the needs of learners, and the lack of proper presentation of computer and technology to learners are among the factors preventing teachers from becoming familiar with the use of technological skills in education. It was also revealed that certain significant factors influence the use of computer and new technological tools in EFL teaching environment: instructors’ personal interest in using them, their abilities to integrate new technological tools and software into classroom activities, online resources, as well as computer facilities and technical supports. Professional teacher training courses for CALT are suggested for further development and implementation of computer and technological tools in Iranian EFL language centers.