16T6 essay ICT in language teaching

I/ INTRODUCTION It is broadly recognized that technology has applied significant impacts on all segments, counting education As such, not only inventive technologies have the potential to advance educational hone but they moreover totally change whole learning situations (Groff 2013) What is more, the advancement of technology has come about in radical changes in language instructing and learning, particularly the English language (Amiri 2012; Warschauer 2000) Suitably, various hi-tech things, such as laptops, desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones have been utilized for particular purposes As a result, the appearance of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) is necessary and inescapable Multimedia computers, the Internet, mobile phones, smart boards, videotapes, online chatrooms, web pages, interactive audio conferencing, and so on are all examples of technology It is irrational to expect a single study to tell us everything about the effectiveness of using technology in language learning However, a comprehensive review of many studies (Lou, Abrami, & d'Apollonia, 2001; Salaberry, 2001) can help us get closer to an answer The findings of numerous empirical studies must be analyzed using a research method known as a metaanalysis to determine the effectiveness of using technology in language education (Glass, 1977; Lyons, 1995a), Meta-analysis aids in the creation of a detailed map of past and current studies in the field of technology and language learning Through meta-analysis, this review attempts to investigate the overall effectiveness of using technology in language education It is noted that several factors, namely instructional method, aptitude, age, and affective variables (e.g attitude, motivation, & empathy) are considered significant in language learning Research on the effectiveness of instructional methods and find out the benefits and challenges of using technology-enhanced language learning tools in teaching and learning English shows that there's no prevalent or perfect strategy compared to any other approach in instruction (Midraj 1998) In Vietnam, in arrangement with improving the quality of English language education, the Vietnamese government has contributed to computers in schools across the nation, and instructors are empowered to apply technology into their education rather than using traditional hone (Peeraer and Tran Nu Mai Thy 2012) According to a few considers conducted in Vietnam (Huynh Huu Thanh, 2016; Tri Hoang Dang and Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, 2014), TELL is a successful instrument in learning and improving the abilities of language learning English as a foreign language It gives learning proficiency, adequacy as well as inspiration More vitally, students tend to have positive states of mind towards cutting-edge advances and think that technologies make them capable of learning EFL, and EFL securing can be expanded through TELL On the other hand, the investigation on TELL conducted by Mitchell (1992) demonstrates that the demeanor of learners towards TELL plays an imperative part in language procurement Tragically, although there are numerous studies carried out to investigate the impacts of technology on language learning in Vietnam, the use of technology in English language instruction over instructive levels remains unclear III/ CONTENT 2.1 Definition of technology-enhanced learning In education, it is frequently assumed that technology will ‘enhance learning,' and as a result, the term ‘Technology-enhanced Learning' (TEL) is becoming increasingly popular in Europe and other parts of the world “TEL subsumes the older term E-learning, which was used with a confusing form of that means (GuriRosenblit, 2009b) when it came to the application of data and communication technologies to teaching and learning.” However, finding specific statements about what TEL means is rare TEL is frequently considered in the same way that instrumentality and infrastructure are For example, the Data Systems Association of many universities and schools provides only a technical definition of TEL: "Any online facility or system that directly supports learning and teaching." (Walker et al., 2012, p.2) Using technology is costly, not only in terms of the financial investment made by organizations for infrastructure, equipment, and technical support staff but also in terms of the personal investment made by employees and students in using technology for teaching and learning Institutional 'learning environments' are virtually ubiquitous in Western universities, and their use by academics and students is no longer considered a novelty or the domain of enthusiasts alone Despite the widespread increase in observation, questions remain about the extent to which technology is being used effectively to improve the educational expertise of scholars (Cuban, 2001; Guri-Rosenblit, 2009) 2.2 The benefits of technology use in language classrooms Engagement One of the benefits of technology use, according to some analysts, is an increase in student inspiration (Dunkel, 1990), because fun and games are brought into the classroom (Lee, 2000) This amusing character could be a valuable asset in a language classroom (Galavis, 1998; Warschauer & Healey, 1998) Moreover, the novelty of the new technologies or learners’ experience of those technologies in the classroom can enhance learners’ engagement and motivation in fulfilling tasks Improvement in Academic Ability Furthermore, technology appears to improve the academic ability of language learners Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), according to Lee (2001), can help with this This improvement is most likely the result of students' learning attitudes changing and their self-confidence increasing Galavis (1998) and Dunkel (1990) argue that the use of technology improves learners' language proficiency and their overall academic skills A Paradigm Shift in Teaching and Learning The advent of technology and development in the field of education has accelerated a shift in language learning and teaching from teacher-centered to learner-centered approaches Teachers must take on a new role Instead of being traditional bench-bound instructors, they must be facilitators who support and guide students' learning Learning technologies assist in this critical shift for the learner's benefit to meet the needs of digitally mature students Collaborative Learning Enhancement Another advantage of using technology in the classroom is that it encourages collaboration and communication New technology, according to Gillespie (2006), allows students to collect information and interact with resources such as images and videos Murphy (2006) states that the Internet can be used not only as a source of information but also as a means of communication It is argued that technology allows users to connect to the world outside of the classroom, allowing them to produce high-quality work while knowing that it will be seen by a large audience Learners can also communicate with peers from other schools, industry experts, and members of interest groups Lowering Learning Anxiety Level Another benefit of technology is that it can help students feel less anxious (Levy, 1997) Ozerol (2009) selects 60 language teachers from various schools in Turkey to investigate how EFL teachers perceive CALL These educators all agreed that technology reduced students' language learning anxiety while increasing their communication opportunities Braul's (2006) study, which found that using computers in language classrooms added variety to the classroom environment, developed learners' specific language skills, and increased learner autonomy, is consistent with these findings 2.3 Challenges of technology use in language classrooms Our country is undergoing a major transformation, one that includes integration and globalization As a result, the acceptance of new human technologies, including information technology, is unavoidable; it is an objective factor that confirms each country's development The advancement of science and technology is inextricably linked to a country's development However, to develop science and technology, the knowledge economy must be a top priority; the use of information technology in education demonstrates the growth of science and technology, the economy and it will fundamentally alter the overall picture of that knowledge economy The importance, effectiveness, and influence of using information technology in the classroom have been validated by practice in our country, and it has become an unavoidable educational trend Integrating the use of information technology into teaching and learning is a complex process and may present some difficulties Difficulties in applying information technology in teaching have attracted much attention from researchers and educators in educational institutions, and some studies have divided the problems into categories outside and inside External factors such as access, time, support, resources, and training, as well as internal factors such as the subjects' attitudes, beliefs, and practices, are referred to as difficulties by Ertmer (1999) Meanwhile, Al-Alwani (2005) discovered that external factors have a greater influence on the use of information technology in teaching Another perspective shows the obstacles in the use of information technology in educational institutions related to physical and non-physical conditions (Pelgrum, 2001) The immaterial obstacles come from teachers 'not having enough information technology knowledge and skills, difficulty integrating the use of information technology in teaching, and not enough time for teachers' Teachers must be aware of potential frustrations when introducing technology into their classrooms to avoid them Zhao (2013) identifies some challenges that teachers may face when using technology-enhanced learning tools in their classes, including with respect to limits of the effectiveness of technology use in language education When it comes to the application of information technology in teaching, it means Increasing investment in information technology facilities and equipment to meet the user needs of staff, teachers, and students; Using information technology devices, software as tools to support teaching and learning subjects in school, well-exploiting lesson design software such as PowerPoint, Word, violet, ; Increasing the use of the internet to exploit information, refer to and build quality e-curriculum; therefore, the infrastructure of information technology plays an extremely important role Therefore, in the content of this essay, the author focuses on analyzing the difficulties and obstacles in using technology tools to support language learning in general and English in particular, stemming from issues regarding physical conditions For those schools and individuals who can barely afford or not have access to a computer or an Internet connection, a lack of access to technology resources that require an Internet connection is a significant disadvantage (Coghlan, 2004) For low-budget schools, initial startup costs (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000), as well as the costs of hardware and computer equipment (Gips et al., 2004; Lai & Kritsonis, 2006), are also a concern (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000) According to Mike (1996), both language teachers and students have been frustrated by the lack of equal access to technology and the Internet Inaccessibility to technology resources is not the result of the non-availability of such resources in and of itself The low frequency of technology use could be due to the teachers' lack of expertise In some cases, school budgets may not be sufficient.(Vi, 2005) Early accounts of technology integration centered much of their attention on expanding the number of computers available in schools (Fisher, Dwyer, & Yocam, 1996) Certainly, widespread access to the equipment required to run educational computer programs is the most basic step toward effective technology integration The use of educational technology cannot be sustained if computer lab time is limited to one hour per week Many students not have regular and reliable access to a computer, even though many schools across the country are transitioning to one-to-one (1:1) computing (Warschauer, Zheng, Niiya, Cotton, and Farkas, 2014) Instructors find it extremely difficult to incorporate technology into existing lesson plans due to inconsistent computer access A basic requirement is to have regular access to the hardware (such as laptops or tablets), software (such as reading and writing software, and internet browsers), and an internet connection Teachers will not be able to overcome the barriers to ICT use without both good technical support in the classroom and whole-school resources (Lewis, 2003) According to Pelgrum (2001), one of the most significant barriers to ICT use in education, according to primary and secondary teachers, is a lack of technical assistance Technical issues were identified as a significant barrier for teachers in Sicilia's study (2005) Waiting for websites to load, being unable to connect to the Internet, printers failing to print, computers malfunctioning, and teachers working on old computers were among the technical barriers “Technical barriers impeded the smooth delivery of the lesson or the natural flow of the classroom activity” (Sicilia, 2005, p 43) ICT support or maintenance contracts in schools, according to Korte and Hüsing (2007), enable teachers to use ICT in their classrooms without wasting time fixing software and hardware issues “If a school lacks technical support, it is likely that technical maintenance will not be performed regularly, resulting in a higher risk of technical failure,” according to the Becta (2004) report (p 16Many respondents to Becta's survey (2004) said that technical problems might deter them from using ICT in their classrooms because they are afraid of equipment breaking down in the middle of a lesson Several studies have found that a lack of technical support is a major barrier to using technology in the classroom ICT integration in teaching, according to Gomes (2005), necessitates the presence of a technician, and if one is not available, a lack of technical support can be a barrier Toprakci (2006) found that lack of technical support was one of two major barriers to ICT integration in science education in Turkish schools and that it could be considered "serious" Science teachers in Saudi Arabia would agree to use computers in the classroom if they didn't think they'd run into issues with technical support or hardware (Almohaissin, 2006) Technical problems create barriers to teachers' smooth lesson delivery, according to Sicilia (2005), regardless of the type of technical support and access teaching staff they have, whether they have twenty years of experience or are new to the profession III/ CONCLUSION In this digital era, the use of information technology in the classroom is important to allow students to learn and apply essential 21st-century skills Therefore, studying the issues and challenges associated with the use of technology in teaching and learning can assist teachers to overcome these obstacles and become successful users of technology As the result, the main purpose of this essay is to analyze the challenges related to the physical conditions faced when using technology tools to support learning in the language classroom Proving evidence has been gathered through the synthesis of empirical studies Overall, the main problems and challenges found in teachers' use of learning-supporting technology tools in language teaching in general and English, in particular, are the limitations in providing technology equipment to support teaching in integrating information technology into teaching It is hoped that the results of this essay provide appropriate information and recommendations for those responsible for integrating new technology into the teaching and learning process of educational institutions IV/ REFERENCE Al‐Alwani, A (2005) Barriers to Integrating Information Technology in 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Disadvantages of Using Computer VNU Journal of Science, Foreign Languages, Walker, R., Voce, J., & Ahmed, J (2012) Survey of technology enhanced learning for higher education in the UK, Oxford: Universities and Colleges Information Systems Handover Version 32 Association Warschauer, M., & Meskill, C (2000) Technology and Second Language Teaching and Learning In J Rosenthal (ed), Handbook of Undergraduate Second Language Education, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Zhao, Y (2013) Recent developments in technology and language learning: Literature review and meta-analysis CALICO Journal, 21(1), 7-27  ... trend Integrating the use of information technology into teaching and learning is a complex process and may present some difficulties Difficulties in applying information technology in teaching. .. teaching in integrating information technology into teaching It is hoped that the results of this essay provide appropriate information and recommendations for those responsible for integrating... the main problems and challenges found in teachers' use of learning-supporting technology tools in language teaching in general and English, in particular, are the limitations in providing technology