Teachers' Perception Of Computer Technology In English Teaching

This study is focused on middle school ESL teachers'experiences in using technologies and their personal views on technology integration. In the past, most of the studies were case studies of outstanding teachers using technology in their teaching. Many books related to the use of technology in ESL are about class activities and effectiveness of software applications. At present, there is little research discussing teachers'perception of the use of technology in middle school education, and even fewer studies investigate ESL teachers'integration of technology and their attitudes toward technology applied in the classroom. Nor has much attention been paid to how the attitudes might have impacted adoption of technology in ESL education and ultimately contributed to students'language learning.This study explores the factors that have affected teachers'decisions when they use computer and other technologies in their teaching. The participants in the study were five ESL teachers from Santai middle schools in Mianyang, Sichuan province. The materials were collected mainly through interviews and questionnaires. In study, it is discovered that these teachers'computer use is little and their experience of using technologies affects their views and perceptions of technology use.The results of the findings have revealed a total of six major themes in regard to factors that may impact participants'decisions of using technology in teaching. They include benefits of using technology, comfort levels in using computers, reality factor, time, environment, and other possible factors affecting computer use. Each theme reflects individual participants'different points of view. All the participants see the value and benefit of using technology for students and themselves in terms of communication, preparation, and internet search. The overall comments on their environment are favorable. The results appear that these factors are weak indicators of influencing these participants'use of computer technology in their teaching.Several internal and external factors are also revealed. They are: understanding of value or benefits, anxiety of a lack of confidence, technology and language teaching, technological environment. The findings show that the use of computers is being accepted as an aid in ESL teaching by these teachers while video, VCRs and the like already are considered as part of language teaching just as videos and projectors are necessary part of the language classroom. None of participants mentioned any prior negative experiences with technology. The ESL teachers in this study use different technologies such as video, VCRs, and television frequently in teaching. They all use computers for class preparations and e-mail communications. They make a strong point in favor of using computers for this purpose. This indicates that each of them sees an obvious benefit in using computers as a means of communicating with students and preparing lessons. Occasionally some of them use the internet for research on the topic regarding their teaching. The findings indicate that they believe that technology is just a tool and can be used to support teaching and learning as a supplement. The teachers have shared their similar perceptions of using technology in language teaching as their aid but not as a substitute.Seven major conclusions emerge from this study. 1. All of the teachers perceive technology as a tool in their teaching and they do use it this way. 2. All of the teachers know that the technological circumstances in the world influence their technology decisions. 3. A problem is raised by the teachers in regard to technology use and the subject area:"which technology you use depends on the class"or"the choice of technology follows the curriculum."4. To some extent, personal style may influence one's technology decision. 5. Teachers'demographic information has no influence on their perceptions and use of technology despite whether or not they use computers in teaching and how they use them. 6. These teachers tend to use the term of"technology"to imply"computers."Also, few teachers exhibit the knowledge concerning computers use in ESL teaching regardless of their perceptions or the actual utilization of computer technology. 7. There is no doubt that the changes of teachers'perceptions and use of educational technologies in teaching will be of great benefit to English teaching and will improve English teaching greatly.