luận văn thạc sĩ technology as motivating factor to students an exploratory at thai nguyen college of mechanics and metallurgy

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN THUỲ DUNG TECHNOLOGY AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY AT THAI NGUYEN COLLEGE OF MECHANICS AND METALLURGY Công nghệ thông tin nhân tố tạo hứng thú cho sinh viên: Nghiên cứu khảo sát trường Cao đẳng Cơ khí - Luyện kim Thái Nguyên M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60 14 10 HA NOI - 2010 z VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES TRẦN THUỲ DUNG TECHNOLOGY AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY AT THAI NGUYEN COLLEGE OF MECHANICS AND METALLURGY Công nghệ thông tin nhân tố tạo hứng thú cho sinh viên: Nghiên cứu khảo sát trường Cao đẳng Cơ khí - Luyện kim Thái Nguyên M.A MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60 14 10 SUPERVISOR: PHẠM THỊ NGỌC PHƯỢNG, M.A HA NOI - 2010 z TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale The aims of the study Scope of the study Research questions The methods of the study Significance of the study Overview of the thesis PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY I.1 Education technology and EFL teaching and learning I.2 Computer uses for language teaching and learning I.3 Applications of technology (IT) in EFL I.4 Benefits of using Technology in EFL 11 I.5 Motivation in learning English 12 I.6 Effects of Technology on Motivation in EFL 13 I.7 Limitations of using computer in EFL teaching and learning 15 I.8 Considerations of computer-assisted EFL teaching and learning 16 CHAPTER II: THE STUDY 17 II The setting of the study 17 II Procedure 17 II Methodology 17 II 1 Subjects 17 II 2 Instrumentation 18 II 2 Data analysis 18 II Findings 31 II Implications 33 CHAPTER III: RECOMENDATIONS 35 III For the administrators 35 z III For the teachers 35 PART III: CONCLUSION 36 I Conclusion and limitations 36 II Further directions 36 References 37 Appendices I z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale For centuries foreign language teaching approaches, methods and techniques have been changing because of different factors Learning a foreign language is a challenging process and students always need motivation and encouragement during this period Technology might be one of the factors which affects students’ attitude positively in the teaching/ learning process Adiyaman (2002) defines one way of technological equipment such as radio, TV, cassettes, CD, DVD and two way of educational technological equipment used in EFL classrooms like e-mails, computers, interactive radio and television programs, teleconference and internet conferences In the process of teaching and learning a foreign language, learners are always the most important factors To be successful or get failure in understanding well or owning the language bases on the thing how the learners can use or work with that process It is the very thing that foreign language learners have not acquired as they expected at the beginning of time We are living in the era of explosion in information technology The foreign language training supported by Internet technology has appeared at the university level, secondary schools and vocational training in many countries around the world Vietnam at the application of technology in teaching in schools is also on the momentum of development Teaching English in Vietnam, especially in Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy where students are specializing in the field of Mechanics, is considered as an interesting but challenging job Today, learning and teaching English through the computer and learning how to use computer proficient in English through the trends in the foreign language training In the field of language education, a great deal of emphasis now focuses on using technology (IT) in ETL The application of ICT (Information and Communication technology) in the language classroom is one of new methods in renovating methods of teaching methodology of Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training The aims of the study: The study aims to reach the following targets: z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy - to investigate the teachers’ application of technology in order to find the advantages, disadvantages of the teachers in using technology in teaching English for freshman students of Mechanics department at (TCMM) Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy - to investigate the role of technology on motivation in the language classrooms and to review the students’ ideas on how to use technological equipment effectively - to discover how IT influences the students’ learning English, their feedbacks towards the use of technology in classroom instructions - to propose some recommendations for administrators, teachers in improving the quality of teaching and learning English at Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy Scope of the study Due to the limited time, the author only focuses on using technology in teaching English to freshmen students of Mechanics department at TCMM because most students of Mechanics department are at low level, they are uninterested in learning English; they are usually failed in the English exams It is the main reason why they not like learning English subject The purpose of using IT in teaching English at TCMM in order to make the lessons easier and more interesting to learn by presenting the difficult structures and terms popularly will be used in Mechanics with the assistance of Projector, searching information on the internet This study aimed at using IT in teaching for Freshman Mechanics Majors at Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy The respondents of the study will be 100 freshmen students of the two classes (CK 47 A, B) The research will be conducted during the time of the second semester 2009-2010, from December to April in 2009 – 2010 Research questions In odder to achieve the aims mentions in section 2, the present study focused on answering the research question: How does IT help to motivate students in learning English at TCMM? More specifically, it aimed to address the following sub-questions: z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy i How is IT used in teaching and learning English at TCMM? ii Do students get motivated by the use of the technology in learning process? iii.Are students and teachers aware of technology application in teaching and learning English? iv What suggestions students and teachers have for organization and language teachers? Methods of the study The method used in this study is exploratory research design which utilizes qualitative data collection techniques with an aim to answer the research questions To conduct the study, the author will carry out two surveys on six English teachers at TCMM and 100 freshman students of Mechanics department at TCMM Questionnaires were sent to six teachers who have taught students of Mechanics department and 100 freshman students who were selected from two classes (CK47 A, B) of Mechanics department The questionnaire was designed to find out the role of technology on the motivation of EFL learners in language classes and to put forward some practical ideas in order to make language learning more effective The aims of survey is to reveal how teachers use technology in EFL classrooms, their problems when working with computer, if there might be, and their needs for better use of computer in the classroom Significance of the study Teaching English is one of the main responsibilities and priorities of Vietnam Educational System This study implements to find the way to improve capabilities of students in learning language The big problem of the freshman students at TCMM is that most of the students are low-motivated Besides, the problem of what to teach, how to teach and what is the teachers’ way to motivate their students There are some significances of the study: Educational Controllers The results of this study will make this group of people aware of the importance of using information technology to take it into the curriculum program in teaching English at TCMM z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy English Language Teachers The study will also make English language teachers identify that the application IT is more effective in teaching English for freshmen students (Most freshman students are non-major English learners) Students Especially, it will help them be interested in English and not be afraid of learning English and they will find themselves more confident and motivate in spending time on learning English Overviews of the thesis: The study consists of the following chapters: Part I - Introduction: introduces the rationale for the research, the aims, the scope, and the research questions of the study, the methods, the significance and the organization of the study Part II – Development: includes three chapters: Chapter I- Literature review: reviews the theoretical background to Education technology and EFL teaching and learning , the applications of technology in ELT, benefits of using technology in ELT, effects of technology on motivation in EFL, the limitations of using technology in ELT, and some considerations using technology in ELT Chapter II – The study: discusses the detailed methodology to the research It comprises participants, instrumentation, and data collection Next, presents in details the data analysis, findings and implications of the study Chapter III – Recommendations: concerns the researcher’s recommendations and suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of using technology in ELT Part III – Conclusion: summarizes the main ideas expressed throughout the research, analyzes limitation of the paper and suggests further research orientations z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy PART II: DEVELOPMENT Chapter I – Theoretical background to the study I Education technology in EFL teaching and learning For the past several decades, a great deal of debate has raged on about the pedagogical worth of computers in the classroom On the one hand, computer and software companies often provide mostly anecdotal evidence as to the usefulness of technology in language instruction, stating heightened student motivation and more engaging learning However, a number of researchers have suggested that while technology has grown leaps and bounds, teachers’ use of it often remains very antiquated, limited to simple writing assignments and Internet searches (Cuban, 2001; MacDonald, 2004; Oppenheimer, 1997, 2003) Technology should make language teaching more effective and efficient However, merely including technology in instruction does not guarantee results or learning outcomes (Healey 1999) Some have suggested that this has been due, in part, to educators’ limited vision of the role of technology in language instruction In fact, Garrett (1991, p 75) pointed this out when she stated that “the use of the computer does not constitute a method” and it is only a “medium in which a variety of methods, approaches, and pedagogical philosophies may be implemented.” Although this statement was made a number of years ago, its premise still applies to our learning environments today, especially in light of the fact that there is a growing disparity between technology and effective classroom implementation of it According to Warschauer, M and Carla Meskill (2000), nearly every type of foreign language classroom teaching is supported by its own technologies The grammar-translation method has been the most popular method of teaching with chalk, blackboard, pens, paper and textbooks The blackboard can be considered a perfect tool for grammar-translation method The teacher uses the blackboard (or whiteboard) for many purposes, such as note pad, explanation aid, picture frame, public workbook, game board or notice board (Harmer, 2001) In global education, the traditional educational technologies are currently used by teachers or educators However, a few years lately the teachers and educators have used more modern media, such as radios, pictures, charts, cassette players, recorders, overhead projectors (OHPs), movies, televisions, etc in teaching foreign language They have changed the z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy traditional teaching method, and Nguyen Lan Trung (2002) said that they have changed classroom structures and have assisted learners’ acquisition of knowledge The activities in foreign language classroom have been much more attractive both teachers and learners Learners have many chances to learn foreign language by listening to CDs/ tapes, watching films/ programmes or finding information from internet Without a doubt, technology has revolutionized society in many places around the globe, including how language instruction is taught and delivered In particular, the computer is now quite a useful multi-purpose tool for foreign language education Information technology (IT) started the actual revolution of innovating methods in foreign language education Keeping all of this in mind, the next section of this paper will address the impact of technology on language teaching I Computer uses for language teaching and learning With many preeminent characters, more and more computer plays an important role in language teaching and learning Computers are potential in various uses in FL classroom with the dominated technological features The current main roles for computers in language teaching and learning can be generated as follows: Firstly, computers are used for reference tool This is one of the main uses of computer Through CD/DVD-ROMs or Internet, teachers and students can search for all sorts of information relating to language teaching and learning and any information about the world There are now a number of popular encyclopaedias available on CD-ROM English Language Teaching ( EFT) dictionaries are now available on CD-ROM or online, offering not only definitions but also the pronunciation of the words, and practice exercises and activities as well Internet is considered to be the most convenient reference tool Accessing directories or using search engines such as Google, Yahoo, etc Can help finding out information about “any subject under the sun” (Harmer, 2001:146) Secondly, computers are used for Teaching and Learning programs Language teaching software are currently available on CD-ROM to meet the demand of learners at various levels and of diversified learning purposes, which eases the teaching and learning of Fl These software packages offer students chances to participate many learning activities at the same z luan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgyluan.van.thac.si.technology.as.motivating.factor.to.students.an.exploratory.at.thai.nguyen.college.of.mechanics.and.metallurgy