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University teachers’ technology integration in teaching English as a foreign language: evidence from a case study in mainland China

ABSTRACT: Despite the increasing use of technology in education, university teachers’ perceptions and use of technology are under-explored, particularly in the context of English language classrooms in mainland China. To fill the research gap, this article reports the findings of a case study exploring university teachers’ perceptions of and practices with technology as well as the challenges of technology implementation. To provide a microscopic understanding of these issues from teachers’ perspective, an online survey was first distributed to all 60 English teachers at a focal university, with 35 valid surveys returned. Subsequently, nine survey respondents participated in in-depth follow-up interviews. The findings suggest that teachers used technology predominantly for teacher-centred purposes rather than for active student engagement although they had positive perceptions of technology integration. They also held critical viewpoints on the use of technology in English teaching. In addition, teachers perceived more external barriers to technology integration (e.g. insufficient technical and pedagogical training, “the Great Firewall”) than internal challenges (e.g. students’ lack of interest in technology). The study contributes to the understanding of university teachers’ technology uptake and carries important implications for the promotion of teaching innovation and effectiveness in higher education contexts.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-021-00223-5.

SUBMITTER: Liang W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8390105 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:With the educational revolution driven by COVID-19, traditional face-to-face teaching methods have rapidly been transformed into accessible, reliable online distance education. This has meant revisiting and reinventing existing technology-based educational processes and models. This study investigates whether teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) are confident that they have the requisite knowledge of how particular technologies are used for remote teaching, both during COVID-19 and as they look to the future. By adopting a mixed-method approach, this paper investigates teacher practices and perceptions regarding teaching online during Covid-19's emergency remote teaching. One hundred and twenty-nine participants were recruited through an online survey. All analyses were carried out using SPSS version 25. Data was based on ranking and non-parametric tests were used. Qualitative data from the open-ended question were analyzed using data-driven thematic analysis. Teachers reported significantly increased reliance on self-teaching, colleagues' knowledge, staff tutorials, and online school support. The gap between knowledge and usage of digital tools was found to be associated with the challenges facing EFL teachers with distance learning. Teachers who reported knowing more or roughly the same about the tools compared to their usage of them knew how to incorporate their knowledge into their practical teaching, took control over the management of their instruction, and had higher pupil engagement and motivation. However, teachers whose knowledge of digital tools was lower than their usage encountered technological difficulties that impaired their teaching. Some implications can be drawn from the study, such as the need for teacher education programs to improve teacher awareness of new pedagogical-technological learning methods, and the importance of providing opportunities to acquire digital competence and encourage teachers to adapt personally to new digital technologies within specific disciplinary contexts. Our findings have both theoretical and practical implications for pre- and in-service teacher training.

Dataset Information

University teachers’ technology integration in teaching English as a foreign language: evidence from a case study in mainland China

Supplementary Information

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