An Interpretive Inquiry into the Integration of the Information and Communication Technology Tools in TEFL at Egyptian Universities

Abstract

T his study sought to investigate EFL faculty members’ perceptions, competencies, current practice and preparation in integrating information and communication technology (ICT) tools in their teaching and learning activities in relation to different variables (gender, age, teaching experience, academic level differences, training); as well as barriers that prevent them from making effective use of such tools. A total of one hundred and seventy two EFL faculty members from 14 public universities in Egypt participated in this study. They completed a five-point Likert scale questionnaire that was later analyzed using quantitative methods. Subsequently, follow-up interviews were conducted with 12respondents. Overall, the results revealed that while EFL staff members had positive perceptions of the usefulness of ICT tools in language teaching and learning and they are familiar with ICT use mostly in their personal lives and, to a lesser degree, in teaching practices, they were less likely to integrate them into their language teaching. Findings suggested continuous professional training should be seen as a main solution in assisting staff members strengthens their ICT skills and encouraging them to keep up to date with recent technologies in ELT.