Attitudes of ESL students toward the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in a university in China

With the development of educational technology, it is important to determine ESL students attitudes toward the effectiveness of technology used in the ESL classes in a university in Central Eastern China. Students' attitudes can reflect the reality of utilization of computer technology-based ESL courses. The findings can help educators to effectively use computer technology.;This study utilized two instruments: A demographic survey and a separate Scale of Attitudes toward Computer-Assisted Language Learning (SACALL). The research questionnaires were administered to 208 participants. Statistical methods including t-tests, correlation coefficient tests, and a one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data.;The study findings indicate that Chinese ESL learners had positive attitudes toward CALL. The t-test findings showed that female ESL learners in the university had more positive attitudes toward CALL than their male counterparts. The t-test also found that undergraduate learners had more positive attitudes toward CALL than did graduate learners. The ANOVA findings confirmed that students expressed different attitudes toward CALL based on the previous number of CALL courses taken and the frequency of the students' computer usage. The results of the Pearson's r correlation indicated that five out of six correlations were statistically significant among the following variables: (a) students' perceived abilities in computer use, (b) students' number of CALL-based ESL courses, (c) students' frequency of computer usage, and (d) students' attitudes toward CALL.;In the ESL field, this study found that students' attitudes toward CALL were a key factor for predicting the success of computer assisted learning. The findings of this study should be useful for both administrators and faculty who use CALL in their ESL courses.