High School English Teachers' Perceptions And Use Of Computer Technology In Teaching

With the reform of high school education in China, more and more computer and related technologies gets into the classroom and the teaching and learning process. Many teachers embrace this shift of trend positively. However, some teachers do not hold the same opinion. Therefore, it is necessary to do research on this.This interpretive qualitative study examined high school English teachers' experiences in using technologies and their personal views on technology integration. It also explored the factors that affected these teachers' decisions for using computer and other technologies in their teaching. The interviewees in the study were five English teachers from five different high schools in Fuzhou. The qualitative data were collected mainly through interviews along with self-report surveys and document materials.Overall positive statements were found in the teachers' experience and attitude towards their technology use in teaching. Nevertheless, it appears that these teachers' computer use is very limited and their beliefs and attitudes of technology use are impacted by their experience of using technologies. Eight influential factors are identified from the emerged themes in affecting these teachers' technology decisions. The factors include: perceived benefits or value; anxiety; personal style; machines and language teaching; environment; colleagues' influence; teaching style; and time. The findings in this study also indicate that teachers' demographic information has no influence on their opinion on and use of technology despite whether or not they use computers in teaching and how they use them.