Nghiên cứu những thách thức của việc ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin trong giảng dạy ngoại ngữ ở Trung tâm GDTX tỉnh Thanh Hoá

2.3 What are the barriers English teachers face during technology application in their teaching process?. Firstly, it timely touches upon an issue that is having great impacts on educati

ABSTRACT

The application of ICT in the EFL classroom is very important for students to learn in an information age Studying barriers to the use of ICT in teaching English may help educators anticipate difficulties and become successful technology adopters in the future This study aims to provide an analysis of teachers’ ICT use to present perceived barriers to technology integration in teaching English The findings indicates that teachers have a strong desire for ICT application into EFL teaching but that, they faced up with many barriers The major barriers were lack of access, lack of time, lack of training and lack of technical support These barriers are mostly extrinsic barriers Therefore, it is very necessary for administrator to provide them to teachers for successful ICT integration However, it is undeniable to say that

no one component in itself is sufficient to provide good teaching The important thing is that the presence of all components increases the possibility of excellent integration of ICT in learning and teaching opportunities Generally, this study provides information and recommendations to those for the integration of new technologies into EFL teaching at Thanh Hoa PCEC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 Aims and objectives 1

3 Scope of the study 2

4 Methods of the study 2

5 Significance of the study 2

6 Design of the study 3

PART II – DEVELOPMENT 4

CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW 4

1.1 Theoretical background of computers and EFL 4

1.1.1 Education technology and EFL teaching and learning 4

1.1.2 Computer and EFL teaching and learning 4

1.1.2.3 Computer uses for language teaching and learning 7

1.2 Challenges of ICT application in EFL teaching 9

1.2.2.2 Extrinsic barriers 11

CHAPTER II: THE STUDY 16 2.1 The setting of the study 16

2.1.1 ICT in EFL education at Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing

2.1.3 Using computer in EFL teaching at Thanh Hoa PCEC 17

CHAPTER III: RECOMMENDATIONS 29

3.2 Recommendations to the administrators 29

3.2 Recommendations to teachers 31

PART III CONCLUSION 34

APPENDICES

LIST OF ABRREVIATION

 EFL : English as a Foreign Language

 ICT : Information Communication Technology

 Thanh Hoa PCEC : Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing Educational Centre

 OHPs : Overhead Projectors

 CALL : Computer-Assisted Language Learning

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3: Teachers’ preferred methods for professional development 21 Table 4: Percentage of Assessed Barriers that English Teachers Faced

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

Information technology (IT) is a major force which has brought about revolutionary changes in the development of the global, digital society Since its first appearance in Vietnam, IT has justified its usefulness in many fields to which teaching and learning have greatly contributed Regarding foreign language training, IT has been considered as a potential tool Many researches on IT application have been conducted Many articles on effectiveness

of IT application have been debated High standard technology classes have been set up in many schools and centers to help students study both receptive and productive skills Locally and internationally connected Computers allow students to take part in distant courses and search further information to support their studying Teachers with textbook and PowerPoint presentation, Word Processor, Window Media and more complexed using like Internet, WWW, Website, Weblog… have helped students be more motivated and more independent in studying

However, during the time of ICT application in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing Educational Centre (Thanh Hoa PCEC), along with IT strength, the author has found some challenges that affect the success of ICT intergration in teaching English Therefore, in this paper, the author investigates these challenges and suggests some solutions to them

2 Aims and Objectives

This study aims to investigate some challenges of IT application in English teaching at Thanh Hoa PCEC Hence, it is expected to achieve objectives which could be summarized into three

2.3 What are the barriers English teachers face during technology application in their teaching process?

3 Scope of the study

Due to the limitation of time and knowledge, this study only focuses on challenges

(barriers) of IT application in teaching EFL in Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing Educational Centre, and these challenges are analyzed and then recommendations to those will be given

4 Methods of the study

To carry out this research, some methods have been combined Theoretical knowledge on ICT and a review of challenges of ICT application in teaching language are stated Then, data

is collected through the survey questionnaires and interviews with English teachers After that data is categorized and challenges of ICT application in EFL teaching are compared and analysed Lastly, some recommendations to analysed challenges are stated

5 Significance of the study

Although the author of this study only focuses on the challenges of using technology in English teaching, its significance is remarkable

Firstly, it timely touches upon an issue that is having great impacts on education in technology age and is currently drawing many attentions from educators and teachers who are teaching English; particularly it is carried out in the context of Thanh Hoa PCEC where ICT application still needs consideration from teachers and administrators

The results of the study are also expected to improve the efficiency of applying technology

in language teaching by investigating some chanllenges and giving out some suggestions to limit them Besides this, the study is also hoped to lay the foundation for further research into the issue within a larger scope

6 Design of the study

This study consists of three parts: introduction, development and conclusion

The introduction presents the rationale, aims, scope, methods and significance of the study

and design of the study

The development consists of three chapters:

Chapter I: the author reviews the theoretical backround to the application of technology in

EFL

Chapter II details the setting, the study, and the findings of the study

Chapter III is centered on the author’s recommendations to administrators and teachers

The conclusion, apart from summarising the main issues so far touched upon in the study,

proposes some suggestions for further research

PARTB: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Theoretical background of computers and EFL

1.1.1 Educational technology and EFL teaching and learning

Technology in FL classroom, which is called “Educational technology” (Harmer,2001:134) becomes available in every type of classroom According to Warschauer and Meskill (2000), each type of FL classroom teaching has its own technologies to support The first technologies based on classrooms with chalk, blackboards, pens, paper and textbooks FL teachers who followed the grammar-translation method treated the blackboard

as an useful way to convey information In Harmer’s view, the boards “provide a motivating focal point” for the whole class focusing and can be used for many different purposes as note pad, explanation aid, picture frame, public workbook, game board or notice board (Harmer,2001)

Nowadays, these means still keep their own values in the teaching and learning process However, the appearance of modern media with clear and easy-to-use instruction makes this process more creative and flexible Pictures, charts, radios, cassette players, recorders, overhead projectors (OHPs), movies, televisions have changed the classroom atmosphere and structure and have positively supported learners’ knowledge acquisition process OHPs can offer “showing the exercises and texts, pictures or diagrams or students’ writing of very high quality” (Hamer, 2001:136) Songs, stories and news recorded on audio tapes create an exciting classroom environment Videos help bring the real life things and events into classroom

It is undeniable that the improvement and achievement of technology in education is non-stop process The actual revolution in FL education, however, is still waiting for achievements of scientific branch called Information Technology whose core component is computer or computer technology

1.1.2 Computer and EFL teaching and learning

Computer has had a certain effect on the general picture of FL education since the first time introduced to FL teaching and learning in 1960s Parellel development of IT, the impact

of computer in FL teaching and learning still makes controversal The following subsections will present brief information about definition of CALL, history of CALL and uses of computers in FL classroom

1.1.2.1 CALL

Since first introduction of computers into the field of second language education, a great number of practitioners have agreed that this technology keeps great potential for language learning (Levy, 1997; Muyskens,1997; Pennington,1996; Warschauer,1996, Warschauer& Healey,1998) This beliefs leads to what is known as Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

According to Levy, CALL is defined as “the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning” (Levy, 1997) Beatty in “Teaching and Reasearching CALL, Pearson, 2003” gives a broader definition of CALL that takes into considerations of its changing nature: “any process in which a learner uses a computer and, as

a result, improves his or her language” There are many other definitions to describe CALL,

but they have the common views: describle CALL as a good tool for learning and teaching

process

1.1.2.2 History of CALL

Though CALL has developed over the last 30 years, this development can be categorized in terms of three somewhat distinct phases which the author will refer to as

behaviorstic CALL, communicative CALL and Integrative CALL

- Bahavioristic CALL is the first phase of CALL It conceived in the 1950s and

implemented in the 1960s and 1970s CALL in this phase was based on the then-dominant behaviorist theories of learning Program of this phase entailed repeative language drills and can be refered to as “drill and practice”

“Drill and practice” courseware is based on the model of computer as a tutor (Taylor, 1980) In other words, the computer servers as a vehicle for delivering instructional materials

to students The rationale behind drill and practice was not totally spurious, which explains in

part the fact that CALL drills are still used today Briefly, according to Taylor, behavioristic CALL:

 Repeated exposure to the same material is beneficial or even essential to learning

 A computer is an ideal tool for carrying out repeated drills , since the machine does not get bored with presenting the same material and since it can provide immediate non-judgemental feedback

 A computer can present such material on an individual basis, allowing students

to proceed at their own pace and freeing up class time for other activities

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, bahavioristic CALL was undermined by two important factors Firstly, bahavioristic approaches to language learning had been rejected at both the theoretical and pedagogical level Secondly, the introduction of the microcomputer allowed a whole new range of possibilities The Stage was set for a new phase of CALL

- Communicative CALL: The second phase of CALL was based on the communicative

approach to teaching which became prominent in the 1970s and 1980s Proponents of this approach felt that the drill and practice program of the previous decade did not allow enough authentic communication to be much value Communicative CALL corresponded to cognitive

theories which stressed that learning was “a process of discovery, expression and development” ( Warschauer, 1998) CALL activities within this phase were designed to help

learners communicate not only with the machine but also with each other These activities focus more on using forms rather than on forms themselves, teach grammar implicitly rather than explicitly, allow and encourage students to generate original utterance rather than just manipulate language and use the target language predominantly or even exclusively

On the face of things, communication seems like a significant advance over its predecessor However, by the end of the 1980s, many educators felt that CALL was still failing to live up to its potential (Kenning &Kenning, 1990; Pusack& Otto, 1990; Roschoff, 1993) The challenge for advocates of CALL was to develop models which could help intergrate the various aspects of the language learning process Luckily, advances in computer technology were providing the opportunities to do that

- Intergrative CALL: Intergrative approach to CALL is based on two important

technological developments of last decade-multimedia computer and Internet

Multimedia technology- exemplified today by the CD-ROM- allows a variety of media (text, graphic, sound, animation and video) to be accessed on a single machine When multimedia resources are all linked together, this techonlogy becomes more powerful and is

called hypermedia Learners can navigate their own path by pointing and cliking a mouse

Hypermedia provides a number of advantages for language learning such as:

 Create a more authentic learning environment

 Assisting the integration of differrent skills

 Offerring students greater control over their learning

 Facilitating a principle focus on the content without sacrificing a secondary focus on language form or learning strategies

Three phases of CALL suggest that the computer can be used for avariety of purposes in lnaguage teaching It can be a tutor for laguage drills or skill practice; a stimulus for discussion and interaction; a tool for writing and research and a medium of global communication and a source of limitless authentic materials (Warschauer, 1996)

1.1.2.3 Computer uses for language teaching and learning

Computers are potential in various uses in FL classroom The current main uses for computers in language teaching and learning can be generated as:

 Reference tool: this is one of the main uses of computer With CD/ VCD-ROMs or

internet, teachers and students can search all sorts of information relating to language teaching and learning CDs/VCDs/DVDs of FL have always been programmed and produced to meet the enormous needs of FL teaching and learning Encyclopedia and

FL Dictionaries are two programs most wanted The Encyclopedia such as Encarta, Grollier, Hutchinson contains knowledge of most fields with maps, photos and films

To those who teach and learn FL, FL Dictionaries can be used as an excellent tool for reference They are availbale on CD-ROM or Internet Actually, Internet is now the most convenient source of materials According to Teeler & Gray (2001; p.36)

Internet can be as “a vast virtual library” and it “ offers a seemingly endless range of

topics to choose from, all in one handy location” Google, Yahoo…have been the

most popular searching engines Only with a key word, teachers and students can find

a vast amount of information related

 Teaching and learning programs: Language teaching software is always available on

CD-ROM to meet the demand of learners at various levels of multiple learning purposes These softwares allow students to participate in many learning activities at the same time such as: studying conversation, doing grammar vocabulary exercises, listening to the text, recording their own voices for comparision Many CD- ROMs now are accompanied with course books, providing a lot of extra input material and exercises

 Communication tool: According to Abrams (2006), this is the process of using

computer to facilitate authentic communication between two or more people Such kind of communication could be in an asynchronous (delayed) form such as email, electronic bulletin boards or electronic newsgroups; or in a synchronous (immediate) form such as real time internet chat or instant message Students can make use of this

to contact everybody locally and internationally through emails or chatting or blogs to exchange experiences in studying FL, to get information to enrich their background

 Websites: There are now a huge number of web sites on the Internet According to

Harmer (2001, p18) almost every web site has a great potential for EFL students and teachers to access authentic language They can search for all types of information in several forms: text, audio and video There are also a great number of web sites designed for EFL students where they can exchange email, do exercise, search

information, and play games An example of this is http://www.eslcafe.com or hhtp://www.esl-lab.com Teachers can also plan their lesson online.

 Word-processor: Word-processor is computer software used earliest in FL learning

and teaching In the article published in 1978, Alison Piper suggested that the most successful educational use of computer at that time was the word-processor.( Piper A,1987, cited in Harmer, J, 2000, P15) Word processor has been using in writing skill and it can be successful tool for the process approach.

All above is an overview of the concepts of information technology and computer as a component of IT and how facility has been used in FL teaching and learning The next section will concentrate on the discussion about the challenges of IT application in FLteaching and learning

1.2 Challenges of ICT application in EFL teaching

The act of intergrating ICT into teaching and learning is a complex process and one that may encounter a number of challenges These challenges, in this case, are known as barriers

In this part, the author will center on the barriers of ICT application in EFL teaching A barrier

is defined as “any condition that make it difficulty to make progress of to achieve an objective”

(WordNet,1997, as cited in Schoep,2005,p2) The objective being analysed in this paper is sucessful ICT application in EFL teaching

1.2.1 Classification of the barriers:

Different categories have been used by reseachers and educators to classify barriers to teacher use of ICT in EFL teaching Several studies have devided the barriers into two categories: extrinsic and intrinsic barriers However, what they meant by extrinsic and intrinsic deffered In one study, Ertmer (1999) refered to extrinsic barriers as first-order and cited access, time, support, resources and training and intrinsic barriers as second-order and cited attitudes, beliefs, practice and resistance Extrinsic barriers were considered as pertaining to organisations rather than individual and intrinsic barriers as pertaining to teachers, administrators and individuals

In this study, the author reviewed both intrinsic and extrinsic barriers:

1.2.1.1 Intrinsic barriers

1.2.1.1.1 Insufficience of teacher confidence: Many researchers indicate that one barrier that

prevents teachers from using ICT in their teaching is insufficience of teacher confidence

Some studies have investigated the reasons for teachers’ lack of confidence with the use of ICT For example, “fear of failure” caused a lack of confidence and limitation of teacher’s ICT knowledge makes them feel anxious about using ICT in classroom and thus not confident to use it in their teaching Similarly, Becta (2004) concluded their study with the

statement “ many teachers who do not consider themselves to be well skilled in using ICT feel anxious about using it in fron of the class of children who perhaps know more than they do” (p.7) Lack of confidence could make teachers afraid of entering the classroom and influence teacher’s motivation to use ICT in the classroom

1.2.1.1.2 Insufficience of teacher computer competence: This barrier is directly

related to teacher confidence According to Newhouse (2002), many teachers who lacked the knowledge and skills to use computers were not enthusiastic about the changes and intergration of supplementary learning associated with bringing computers into their teaching practices

In their study of the correlation between teachers’ attitude and acceptance of technology, Francis- Pelton and Pelton (1996) maintained, ‘‘Although many teachers believe computers are an important component of students’ education, their lack of knowledge and experience lead to a lack of confidence to attempt to introduce them into their instruction’’ (p 1)

A large number of studies showed that teachers’ computer competence is a significant predictor of their attitudes toward computers (Berner, 2003; Na, 1993; Summers, 1990) Al-Oteawi (2002) found that most teachers who showed negative or neutral attitudes toward the use of ICT in education lacked knowledge and skill about computers that would enable them

to make ‘‘informed decision’’ (p 253) Hence, lack of teacher computer competence may be one of the strong barriers to ICT application in education

1.2.1.1.3 Negative attitudes towards ICT: Attitudes are key factors in whether teachers

accept computer as a teaching tool in their teaching practices Correspondingly, a number of studies were carried out to determine teacher attitudes toward computer use These studies found that teachers’ negative attitudes were a significant barrier Harrison and Rainer (1992)

in their research stated that participants with negative computer attitudes were less skilled in computer use and were therefore less likely to accept and adapt to technology than those with positive attitudes

Schoepp’s study (2005) found that, although teachers felt that there was more than enough technology available, they did not believe that they are being supported, guided, or

rewarded in the application of technology into their teaching According to Empiraca (2006), teachers who are not using new technology such as computers in the classroom are still of the opinion that the use of ICT has no benefits or unclear benefits

1.2.1.2 Extrinsic barriers:

1.2.1.2.1 Lack of time: Some recent studies indicate that many teachers have compentence

and confidence in using computer in classroom, but they still make litlle use of technologies because they do not have enough time A significant number of researchers identified time limitations and the difficulty in scheduling enough computer time for classes as a barrier to teachers’s use of ICT in their teaching (Al-Alwani,2005; Becta, 2004; Beggs, 2000; Schoepp, 2005; Silicia, 2005) According to Silicia (2005), the most common challenge reported by all the teachers was that they lacked time to plan technology lessons, explore the different

Internet site, or look at various aspects of educational software

Becta’s study (2004) found that lack of time exists for teachers in many aspects of their work as it affects their ability to complete the tasks, with some of the participant teachers specifically stating which aspects of ICT require more time These include the time needed to locate Internet advice, prepare lesson, explore and practice using the technology, deal with technical problems and receive adequate training

Recent studies show that lack of time is an important factor affecting the application of new technology in teaching language According to Al-Alwani (2005), lack of time is a barrier affecting the applictaion of ICT in Saudi Arabia because of busy schedules In Canada, Sicilia (2005) concluded that teachers take much more time to design projects that include the use of new ICT than to prepare traditional lessons

1.2.1.2.2 Inadequacy of training: The barrier most frequently referred to in the literature is

lack of effective training (Albirini, 2006; Balanskat et al., 2006; Beggs, 2000; Ozden, 2007; Schoepp, 2005; Sicilia, 2005; Torakci, 2006) One finding of Pelgrum’s (2001) study stated that there were not enough training opportunities for teachers in the use of ICTs in a classroom evironment Similarly, Beggs (2000) found that one of the top three barriers to teachers’s use

of ICT in teaching students was the lack of training

According to Becta (2004), the issue of training is certaintly complicated because it is

important to consider several components to ensure the effectiveness of the training These

were time for training, pedagogical training, skills training and an ICT use in initial teacher training Providing pedagogical training for teachers, rather than simply training them to use ICT tools, is an important issue (Becta,2004) Cox et al.(1999a) argue that teachers are to be convinced of the value of using ICT in their teaching, their training should focus on the pedagogical issues The results of the research by Cox et al.(1999a) showed that after teachers had attended professional development courses in ICT they still did not know how to use ICT

in their classroom although they knew how to run a computer and set up a printer They explained that this is because the sourses only focus on teachers acquiring basic ICT skills and did not often teach teachers how to develop the peagogical aspects of ICT In line with the research by Ocx et al.(1999a), Balanskat et al.(2006) indicated that inappropriate teacher training is helping teachers use ICT in their classroom and in preparing lessons They assert that this is because training programs do not focus on teachers’ pedagogical practices in

relation to ICT but on the development of ICT skills

However, besides the need for pedagogical training, according to Becta (2004), it is still nessary to train teachers in specific ICT skills Schoepp (2005) claims that when new technologies need to be integrated in the classroom, the teachers have to be trained in the use

of these particular ICTs According to Newshouse (2002), some initial training is needed for teachers to develop appropriate skills, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the effective use of computers to support learning by their students He argued that this also requires continuing provision of professional development to maintain appropriate skills and knowledge

Fundamentally, when there are new tools and approaches to teaching, teacher training

is essential (Osborne & Hennessy,2003) if they are to integrate these into their teaching However, according to Balanskat et al.(2006), inadequate or inappropriate training leads to teachers being neither sufficiently prepared nor sufficiently confident to carry out full integration of ICT in the classroom Newhouse (2002) states that “teachers need to not only be computer literate but they aslo need to develop skills in integrating computer use into their teaching/learning programs” (p.45)

According to Newhouse (2002), teachers need training in technology education (focusing on the study of technologies themselves) and educational technology (support for teaching in the classroom) Similarly, Sicilia (2005) found that teachers want to learn how to use new technologies in their classrooms but the lack of opportunities for professional development obstructed them from integrating technology in certain subjects such as teaching language ( English, literature…) Other problematic issues related to professional development

in ICT are that training sourses are not differentiated to meet the specific learning needs of teachers and the sessions are not regularly updated (Balanskat et al 2006)

Pre-service teacher education can also play a significant role in providing opportunities for experimentation with ICT before using it in classroom teaching (Albirini,2006) Lack of ICT focus in initial teaching education is a barrier to teachers’use of what is available in the classroom during teaching practice (Becta, 2004) Where training is ineffective, teachers may not be able to get access to ICT resources

1.2.1.2.3 Lack of resources

Several research studies indicate that lack of access to resources, including home access, is another complex barrier that discourages teachers from integrating new technologies into education and particularly into teaching foreign language

The various studies indicated that several reasons for lack of access to technologies occurred In Sicilia’s study (2005), teachers complained about how difficult it was to have access to computers The author gave reasons like “computer had to be booked in advance, and the teacher would forget to do so, or they could not book them for several periods in a row when they wanted to work on several projects with the students” (p.50) In other words, a teacher would have no access to ICT materials because most of these were shared with other teachers According to Becta (2004), the inaccessibility of ICT resources is not always merely due to the non-availability of the hardware and software or other ICT materials within the school It may be the result of one of a number of factors such as poor organisation of resources, poor quality hardware, inappropriate software or lack of personal access for teachers (Becta, 2004)

The barriers related to the accessibility of new technologies for teachers are widespread and differ from country to country Empirica’s (2006) European study found that lack of access is the largest barrier and that different barriers to using ICT in teaching were reported by teachers, for example a lack of computers and a lack of adequate material Similarly, Korteand Husing (2007, p.4) found that in European schools, there are some infrastructure barriers such as broadband access not yet being available They concluded that one third of European schools still do not have broadband internet access Pelgru (2001) explored practitioners’ views from 26 countries on what were the main obtacles to the implementation of ICT in schools He concluded that four of the top ten barriers were related

to the accessibility of ICT These barriers were insufficient numbers of computers, insufficient peripherals, insufficient number of copies of software, and insufficient simultaneous Internet access Toprakci (2006) found that low numbers of computers, oldness or slowness of ICT systems and scarcity of educational software in the school were barriers to the successful implementation of ICT into Foreign Language teaching

Basically, there are several barriers associated with lack of access to ICT In his research, Gomes (2005) found a lack of appropriate infrastructure and a lack of appropriate material resources to be barriers However, overcoming such hardware barriers does not, in itself, ensure ICT will be used sucessfully According to Balanskat et al (2006), the accessibility of ICT resources does not guarantee its successful implementation in teaching, and this is not merely because of the lack of ICT infatsruture but also because of other barriers such as lack of high quality hardware, suitable educational software and access to ICT resources

Newhouse (2002) asserts that poor choices of hardware and software and lack of consideration of what is suitable for classroom teaching are problems facing many teachers, Similarly, Cox et al.(1999a) found that the majority of teachers agreed that insufficient ICT resources in the school and insufficient time to review sofware prevent teachers from using ICT According to Obsborne and Hennessy (2003), the limitations on access to hadware and software resources influenced teachers’ motivation to use ICT in classroom

1.2.1.2.4 Insufficence of technical support

Without both good technical support in the classroom and whole-school resources, teachers cannot be expected to overcome the barriers preventing them from using ICT (Lewis, 2003) Pelgrum found that in the view of primary and secondary teachers, one of the top barriers to ICT use in education was lack of techical assistance

In Sicilia’s study (2005), technical problems were found to be a major barrier for teachers These technical barriers included waiting for websites to open, failing to connect to the Internet, printers not printing, and malfuctioning computers “Technical barriers impeded the smooth delivery of the lesson or the natual flow of the classroom activity” ( Sicilia, 2005, p.43)

Korte and Husing (2007) argued that ICT support or maintenance contracts in schools help teachers to use ICT in teaching without losing time through having to fix software and hardware problems The Becta (2004) report stated that “if there is a lack of technical support available in a school, then it is likely that technical maintenance will not be carried out regularly, resulting in a higher risk of technical breakdowns” (p.16) Many of the respondents

to Becta’s survey (2004) indicated that technical faults might discourage them from using ICT

in their teaching because of the fear of equipment breaking down during a lesson Although lack of technical support can prevent teachers from successfully integrating ICT into education, recent research indicates that in some countries such as United Kingdom, Neitherlands, Latvia, Malta and Czech Republic schools have recognized the importance of technical support to assist teachers to use ICT in the classroom ( Korte and Husing, 2007)

In general, several studies have identified a range of the following or similar factors as widespread barriers, but in this study, the author only focused on two main barriers: Intrinsic barriers which stated barriers relating to lack of teacher confidence, lack of teacher computer competence, negative attitudes towards ICT and extrinsic barriers which focused on lack of time to prepare lessons with new technology, lack of effective training, lack of resources and lack of technical support There are complicated relationships among these barriers We hope

to see more researches to focus on these relationships to view the common points among them

CHAPTER II: THE STUDY 2.1 The setting of the study:

2.1.1 ICT in EFL education at Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing Educational Centre(Thanh hoa PCEC)

Thanh Hoa Provincial Continuing Educational Center is one of the biggest centers in Thanh Hoa which is allowed by Thanh Hoa People’s Committee to provide several sorts of training and education: in-service training course, distant training These courses are provided

in cooperation with some famous universities in Hanoi (Distant Opening Institute, National Economics University, Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies), University

of Hue, Vinh University English is one of the compulsory subjects in these courses Besides these courses, my centre also opens many evening classes which provide short –term English courses for adults and children

With mentioned scale and the need of using ICT in teaching, Thanh Hoa PCEC equips standard classes to facilitate teaching and learning: each classroom is equipped with an internet connected computer, overhead projector, TV set, and good sound speakers There is also one internet room with 40 computers where teachers and students can access to internet free of charge Students are trained with essential skills to use these devices

English language teaching has been conducted by Foreign Language and Informatics Department There are 9 teachers in FL and Informatics department Half of the department’s staff are young and active teachers with good skills in applying ICT in teaching The rest are elders who are very experienced in teaching with textbook and board but their ICT capacity is still premature Three of nine teachers have their own laptops and all have their own computers at home to use to design the lessons

2.1.2 Teaching EFL at Thanh Hoa PCEC

EFL teaching has become one of the important tasks in education and training at Thanh Hoa PCEC since its establishment Every year, there are many classes learning English at the centre: 2 classes of Law, 3 classes of Accounting, 2 classes of Business and Administration, 2

classes of primary teachers’ training Depending on the need of learners, the centre has some classes of Advanced English (with focus on listening and speaking) and English for children (there are currently 2 classes of Advanced English and 2 of English for Children) Some classes study English on weekdays Some study at the weekend and in the evenings (Monday-Wednesday-Friday evenings and Tuesday-Thursday- Sunday evenings) Materials for these courses are Lifelines (Elementary; Pre-intermediate; Intermediate) (by Tom Hutchinson), English for Law students (provided by Hanoi Opening Institute), Enterprise 1, 2, 3 (by CJ More & Judy West….), Superkids (by Aleda Krause & Greg Cossu- from level 1 to level 6)

2.1.3 Using computer in EFL teaching at Thanh Hoa PCEC

For the need of learners and the utilization of ICT in learning and teaching, ICT facilities have been provided for about two years Therefore, the uses of this technology have just been promoted for last two years and EFL teachers seem to be the first ones to apply ICT

in classrooms All teachers have computer at home so when designing the lessons, teachers use Presentation PowerPoint and some other teaching software to support their teaching However, frequency of ICT application for each unit in textbook is not very regular and not all teachers can use computer for their teaching So the effectiveness of ICT brings to EFL class

is not highly appreciated

2.2.1.2 Measurement instrument

2.2.1.2.1 Survey questionnaires

To obtain sufficient data for the study, the main instrument is survey questionnaires

and interviews for teachers The instrument is employed and described as follows:

The survey questionnaires are composed of 5 parts with 47 questions among which there are 5 open-ended questions and the rest are three-level scale questions The first part including 5 questions is to check teachers’ status of using computer at home as well as at school The second part including 12 items and third part including 11 items regard teacher’s software use and other instructional tools and materials The purpose of these two parts is to find out the self-expertise level of EFL teachers The fourth part consists of 8 items about preferences for professional development on information gathering and support The final part

is composed of 10 items regarding barriers that teacher faced during ICT utilization in the teaching-learning process

2.2.1.2.2 Interview

The interview consists of 3 questions which teachers can answer based on their experience and actual situation The purpose of this part is to find out ICT use, the level of expertise and the barriers that hinder the use during ICT application in Thanh Hoa PCEC

2.2.1.3 Data Collection

The survey questionnaires were made on the paper in both Vietnamese and English version Vietnamese version was typed and printed then made into 9 copies to deliver to teachers with clear and detailed explanation After a day, the data was collected and then analyzed

Face to face interviewing was conducted on the other day among 5 teachers to address three questions which purport to investigate the benefits that ICT usage brings to the teachers, their problems that they face during ICT application and their solutions for their problems The language for interview was Vietnamese due to the preference of all respondents This choice of language helped consolidate the preciseness of data as well as avoid misunderstanding among both interviewers and interviewees

2.2.2 Data analysis

In this part of the thesis, data obtained from the survey questionnaires and interviews conducted on 9 teachers of Foreign Language and Informatics Department will be carefully looked at and analyzed for later discussion

2.2.2.1 Data analysis of teachers’ survey questionnaire

2.2.2.1.1 Teachers’ computer use

The majority of English teachers in this study, 100 percent (9/9) teachers have their own computer at home 88.8 percent (8/9) have access to a computer at work and 77.7 percent (7/9) have access to the Internet Daily computer use of English teachers was found as follows: 55,5 percent (5/9) use a computer for less than one hour, 33,3 percent (3/9) use a computer for between 1 and 3 hours, 22,2 percent (2/9) use computer for between 3-5 hours and 11,1 percent (1/9) use a computer for more than five hours a day

2.2.2.1.2 Teachers’ software use

Software Use Good Average None

6 Web Page Development Tools (FrontPage, dreamweaver) 0 2 7

7 Web Browsers (Netscape, Explorer, Mozilla Firefox…etc) 7 2 0

Table 1: Teachers’ Software use

The English teachers specified their level of expertise on twelve types of computer software by using a three-level-scale (Good, Average and None) Over 80 percent of the participants rated their skills as good at word processing, presentation software, web browsers, search engines, electronic mail Over 60 percent of participants rated their skills as good at Spreadsheets (Excel etc.), Chat and/or Forum, Instructional Films (video, CD, VCD etc.) There were over from 55 to 77,7 percent of teachers did not know about Web Page Development Tools (FrontPage, dream weaver) and Databases ( Access…), and 45 percent of teachers rated their expertise as average at Computer Aided Instruction Software

2.2.2.1.3 Use of Instructional Tools and Materials

Use of Instructional Tools and Materials Frequently Sometimes Never

Table 2: Use of Instructional Tools and Materials

The English teachers indicated their use of eleven types of instructional tools and materials by using a three-level scale (Frequently, Sometimes and Never) 67% of teachers used Internet/Web Environment frequently 100% of teachers never used Video Camera, Computer-Project system and Document Camera in their teaching process About 67% of teachers never used Cassette Recorder or Multimedia Computer to support their teaching The

preferred instructional tools according to using rate are: board, printed materials, overhead projector, and slide projector (used nearly 100%)

2.2.2.1.4 Teachers’ preferred methods for professional development

Teachers’ preferred methods for Professional

Development about ICT

Prefer Neutral Not prefer

Table 3: Teachers’ preferred methods for professional development

The English teacher’s preferences for professional development, namely accessing knowledge (5 questions) and support services (3 questions), were taken through a three-level-scale (Prefer, Neutral and Not prefer) In the previous 5 items on Information Resources, 88,8% of teachers prefers Printed materials and Participating seminars or taking courses 77,7% of teachers prefers In-service education and internet resources 55,5% of teachers prefers self-study In 3 later items on Support Resources, the majority of teachers favored every kind of support service: experienced teachers (88,8%), colleagues in the same field (77,7%) and technical support group within the school (88.8%)

2.2.2.1.5 Barriers to Technology Use

Barriers to Technology Use Agree Neutral Disagree

1.Inefficient time to prepare materials based on technology 9 0 0

2.Inefficiency of teachers’ technical knowledge to prepare

3 Problems about accessibility to existing hardware

(computer, overhead projector etc.)

3 2 4

5.Inefficient number of media (printer, scanner etc.) for

6.Inefficiency of technical guidance and support by

administration

9 0 0

7.Deficiency in material resources for technology use 7 2 0

8.Inefficiency of English software/ hardware resources 9 2 0

10 Inadequacy of the effective training courses of

Table 4: Percentage of Assessed Barriers that English Teachers Faced During

Technology Use in Teaching-Learning Process

The participants used a three-level-scale (Agree, Neutral and Disagree) to rate their ideas about barriers to ICT Use (Table 4) Of the 10 statements, 4 have been rated by 33,3%

of teachers with an agreement that they meet problems in computer competence, lack of computer knowledge, accessibility with computer hardware or lack of interest in technology use 2 have been rated by 77,7% of the teachers as barriers to adoption of technology into the teaching-learning process: (1) Inefficient number of media (printer, scanner etc.) and (2) Deficiency in material resources for technology use Of these 10 statements, the top four with 100% of teachers agreed with barriers They are; (1) Inefficient time to prepare lessons based

on technology, (2) Inefficiency of technical guidance and support by administration, (3) Inefficiency of instructional English software/ hardware resources, (4) Inadequacy of the

effective training courses for professional development offered to teachers There is only a minor percent of teachers feel neutral in ICT application during their teaching process

Generally, the barriers that teachers faced during their teaching process can be summarized in 4 typical barriers: Lack of time, lack of effective training, lack of English hardware and software resources and lack of technical support

2.2.2.2 Data analysis of teachers’ interview

2.2.2.2.1 Question 1: What benefit does ICT use bring to you during your English teaching process?

Five teachers who were interviewed with this question have the same answer that they get many benefits from using ICT in teaching Available technologies include word processor, Internet ( The world wide web, messenger, email), audio CDs, VCDs, DVDs, projectors, camera, CD ROMs….support them a lot in their teaching These tools make teaching and learning activities more active, motivative and flexible Presentation PowerPoint helps teachers design more scientific, vivid and interesting lessons A word processor can be used in writing compositions, in preparing a class newsletter or in producing the homepage All agree that these tools make them more responsible for the final product and consequently make them work more laboriously

Three of 5 teachers added that the use of computer technology helps develop learners’ autonomy and independence Students also can gain confidence through “learning by doing”

in activated environment Using computer to learn English can help learners to become more disciplined It also helps them practice four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing and provide them with corrective advice Doing exercises on computer, students can choose level,

be self-paced and timed In general, teachers stated many benefits that they gained from ICT use

2.2.2.2.2 Question 2: What problem do you have when you apply ICT in your teaching process?

From result of question number 1, we could not deny the advantages that ICT use brings to teaching and learning process of both teachers and students However, teachers also

met a number of troubles when they apply ICT in their teaching Results from interviewing question number 2 showed that 3 teachers showed their interest in ICT application However, due to a big number of lessons per week or sometimes due to so long lessons, they did not have enough time to prepare lessons based on technology or they cannot apply ICT effectively during the lessons Moreover, software and hardware supporting English teaching process (such as Hot potatoes, Sound spliter, Sound recorders ) and supportive CD, VCDs, DVD for English practice could not be provided at Thanh Hoa PCEC, it was very difficult for teachers

to make full use of ICT in their teaching

Two teachers expressed their discouragement with computers They said that they could not apply ICT in all lessons in the textbook due to their little experience with computer They said they also used Internet resources for further information in ICT use, but what they read was very theoretical Meanwhile they did not have any technical support from the centre or practical trainings That’s why they could not solve their problems with computer when they met

2.2.2.2.3 Question 3: What are your solutions to limit mentioned problems?

With this question, the majority of teachers answered that they wanted to enrich their knowleage on ICT use with professional training on pedagogical methods They truly stated that they used computers very often, but how to use computer effectively in classroom still needed more trainings To limit their problems with ICT, they also expressed their expectation

to be provided with English software and hardware which were sometimes so costly for their income

For time limitation, three teachers said this was out of their control However, they also wished to have the number of lessons reduced so that they could have more time to prepare lessons based on ICT

Another teacher added that a solution to a problem which was lack of experience with computer did not stop at training It must be a change in negative attitude towards ICT Anyone knew the fact that traditional methods with simple steps in teaching delayed teaching process moving forward Therefore, in order to have successful ICT use, teachers must be