A study of high school English teachers’ behavior, concerns and beliefs in integrating information technology into English instruction

Abstract

This study investigates the current trends and patterns of teachers’ concerns and teaching behavior with respect to technology integration. The following concerns of English teachers are addressed: teaching practice, perceive barriers of technology integration in the English instruction and the technology deployed in the classroom. Participants in this study were 332 junior and senior high school English teachers from Taipei and Kaohsiung Cities. The study found that despite pressure on schools to increase the application of technology, the adoption of teaching and learning practices using new technologies has been limited in terms of teachers’ SoCQ (The Stages of Concerns Questionnaire), their teaching behavior as well as their use of technology. Teachers’ concerns are generally oriented toward Personal and informational issues. English teachers’ technology-mediated English teaching behaviors are modest, and most teachers used technology to prepare their teaching activities instead of structuring higher levels of usage. As identified in the literature, higher levels of computer training, computer literacy, well-supported school environment, creative teaching practices and positive beliefs about technology integration among teachers result in higher task intensity, impact concerns and more technology-mediated teaching behaviors in the classroom. In terms of the difficulties affecting teachers’ technology integration into English instruction, this study identified significant relationships between first and second-order barriers. Implications for teachers’ technology integration are proposed.