ICT platforms for Indonesian EFL students viewed from gender during the COVID-19 pandemic

Santiana Santiana,Dadan Supardan,Syafryadin Syafryadin,Paidi Gusmuliana,Safnil Arsyad,Eka Apriani

doi:10.24815/siele.v9i1.21089

Abstract

The aims of this study are to find out (1) ICT (Information and Communications Technology) platform used by male and female students from Islamic universities in Indonesia, (2) their perception of using ICT, and (3) their barriers to using ICT in English language learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was collected from an online questionnaire (Google Form) from students majoring in English from seven Islamic universities in Indonesia. There were 30 male students and 30 female students from every university who participated in this research, making a total of 210 student respondents. The data were analyzed quantitatively by using the SPSS computer program. First of all, female students used more various types of ICT platforms compared to male students. Second, the female students viewed ICT use more positively than male students in language learning. And lastly, even though the females deemed ICT more optimistically compared to male students, nevertheless the females encountered more barriers in using the ICT platforms compared to the male students in this study. Again, even though male students were more skillful in ICT literacy than female students, female students constructively regarded ICT use in language learning as more beneficial to them in terms of skill, knowledge, and motivational improvement.

Highlights

ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is an important medium for teaching and learning in today’s world
Even though the females deemed ICT more optimistically compared to male students, the females encountered more barriers in using the ICT platforms compared to the male students in this study
Even though male students were more skillful in ICT literacy than female students, female students constructively regarded ICT use in language learning as more beneficial to them in terms of skill, knowledge, and motivational improvement

Summary

Introduction

ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is an important medium for teaching and learning in today’s world. ICT relies on all facets of our lives, such as education, economics, social life, etc. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the education system has moved from the non-digitalized mode technology to the digitalized mode. ICT is predisposed for all facets of education such as the lesson plan, methods, process, media, content, and assessment (Apriani et al, 2020). ICT will inspire and involve students to strengthen their active learning (Cabrera-Solano et al, 2020). The positive impact of technology is to improve students’ achievement and to construct the personality of a successful life (Apriani, 2016)

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Conclusion