Information and Communication Technologies in A Postgraduate TESOL Program: A Human Capital Investment

Abstract

With the global advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the national and international demand for well-developed ICT skills and competencies, academic programs at higher education institutions need to make necessary adjustments to content and processes. This study reports on the current ICT integration practices in a TESOL postgraduate program at a Saudi Arabian university, addressing viewpoints at administrative, faculty, and postgraduate student levels. Three different questionnaires were used to answer the following questions: What are the TESOL postgraduate students’ practices of ICT integration, and how do they perceive their professors’ practices? What ICT integration practices do faculty members use, and how do they perceive the merit and desirability of their practices? And ‘How is ICT integration tackled at the administrative level with respect to policy and procedures, infrastructure, training, and technical support? The findings indicate that ICT integration practices in this program are lagging expectations. This is not a matter of attitude, potential, and challenges in the current situation, but is related to understanding the national ICT policy and developing sustainable strategies at an institutional level to guide and support faculty members’ practices. Since the impact of such changes will go beyond higher education to the broader national education system, much more attention needs to be dedicated to teacher education and professional development programs, including TESOL postgraduate programs.