Attitudes of Afghan EFL Lecturers Toward Instructional Technology

Abstract

The use of technology is an integral component in the learning and teaching of languages in the twenty-first Century. Around the globe, studies have been carried out to investigate the integration of technology in language classrooms. However, there is a lack of empirical research on this subject in Afghanistan. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore Afghan EFL lecturers’ attitudes toward instructional technology, their actual use of instructional technology, and the challenges they face in successfully using instructional technology in EFL classrooms. This study was also conducted to examine 1) the relationship between teachers’ demographic profiles and attitudes toward instructional technology; 2) the relationship between teachers’ attitudes of instructional technology and their actual use in the classroom; 3) the relationship between perceived challenges and the actual use of instructional technology in the classroom. This study uses a quantitative research method in which an online survey questionnaire was sent to fifty-three Afghan EFL lecturers teaching at the Afghan public universities. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS v23. The results of the study reveal high positive attitudes but a moderate use of instructional technology by the lecturers in their classrooms. The findings also reveal significant correlation between teachers’ attitudes and their use of instructional technology. Demographic factors of age, computer training experience, computer competency, and challenges in using technology were found significantly correlated to teachers’ attitudes toward instructional technology.