This dissertation intended to (a) elucidate, through a mixed-method research design, how the university EFL learners and teachers utilize available ICT tools/applications and (b) measure the impacts of this usage on the learners’ proficiency and academic achievements. Data were collected in three phases: surveys, tests, and observations. The sample consisted of 428 senior students, 40 EFL teachers, and 10 head teachers, recruited from five public universities in Yemen. Of this initial cohort, 131 students were singled out for performance analysis. Again, within this subsample, 20 informants were kept under observation. Two types of data (quantitative and qualitative) were collected. The quantitative data were analyzed by applying appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS. Qualitative data were analyzed subjectively, establishing patterns and categories. Results indicated that most of the ICTs were used on an ad hoc basis. While there were no statistically significant impacts of using ICT on the learners’ performance, the respondents hold the view that such appliances offer some opportunities for engagement, interactivity, and motivation to learn English formally and informally. The findings brought to the foreground some pedagogic and linguistic implications and useful points for further research.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: Introduction
1.0 Background
1.1 The Context of the Study
1.2 English Situation in Yemen
1.2.1 Formal Settings
1.2.2 Informal Settings
1.2.3 Rationale
1.3 Problem Statement
1.4 Purpose Statement
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Assumptions
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Significance of the Study
1.9 Key Terms
1.10 Organization of the Study
1.11 Summary
Chapter II: Review of the literature
2.0 Overview
2.1 The Current Situation of English
2.1.1 English Language Teaching (ELT)
2.1.2 English Language and ICT
2.2 A Sketched Picture of ICT in ELT
2.2.1 Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
2.2.2 From CALL to TELL
2.2.3 Internet-Assisted Language Learning (IALL)
2.2.4 Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL)
2.2.5 ICT-Based Language Learning
2.3 Approaches to Language Learning with ICT
2.3.1 Behaviorist CALL
2.3.2 Communicative CALL
2.3.3 Integrative CALL
2.3.4 Intelligent CALL
2.4 Major Aspects of ICT Use in Language Instruction
2.4.1 Pedagogical aspects
Electronic learning
Blended learning
Formal vs. informal learning
Incidental learning
Autonomous learning
Mobile learning
Problems with informal learning
2.4.2 Linguistic Aspects
Increasing exposure to English
Language input or language intake?
Language output and languaging
Interaction and feedback
Acculturation
English proficiency and competence
English proficiency and ICT
Previous studies in the local context
2.5 Challenges of Integrating ICT in L2 Learning
2.5.1 Pedagogical Challenges
Lack of ICT proficiency
Lack of training
Change resistance
Selection difficulties
2.5.2 Logistic limitations
Digital gap
Financial limitation
Academia-related issues
2.5.3 Linguistic Concerns
Standard vs. nonstandard English
Internetese
Undesired linguistic habits
2.6 Current Issues in CALL Research
2.7 This Study
2.8 Summary of the Chapter
Chapter III: Methodology
3.0 Preview
3.1 Research Paradigm
3.2 Design of the Study
3.3 Sampling
3.3.1 Universities
3.3.2 EFL Learners
3.3.3 Classroom Teachers (EFL Teachers)
3.3.4 Policymakers (Head Teachers)
3.4 Data Collection and Instrumentation
Phase 1: Surveys
3.4.1 ICT Checklist
3.4.2 Questionnaire
3.4.3 EFL Teachers’ Structured Interview
3.4.4 Policymakers’ Structured Interview
3.4.5 Validity, Reliability & Data Reduction
Phase 2: Evaluation Instruments
3.4.6 Proficiency Test
3.4.6.1 Test Scoring & Administration
3.4.6.2 Validity & Reliability of the Test
3.4.7 Academic Record Analysis (ARA)
Phase 3: Observational Instruments
3.4.8 Classroom Observation
3.4.9 Participant Observation
3.4.9.1 Validity & Reliability
3.4.9.2 Limitations
3.5 Ethical Issues
3.6 Data Analysis
3.6.1 Preparing Data for Analysis
3.6.2 Techniques of Data Analysis
3.7 Summary
Chapter IV: Results & Discussions
3.0 Overview
4.1 Results Display
4.2 Results of the Research Question #1
4.2.1 Frequencies of Using of Electronic Devices (Hardware)
4.2.2 ICT Tools/Applications (Software)
4.2.3 Time Spent on Using ICT
4.2.4 Purposes of ICT Utilization
4.2.5 Mediums of Operations
4.2.6 Calculating the Magnitude of Usage
4.3 Results of the Research Question #2
4.3.1 The Informants’ Perceptions
The EFL learners’ perceptions
The EFL teachers’ perceptions
The Policymakers’ perceptions
4.3.2 Statistical Significance
ICT and L2 learners’ proficiency
ICT and learners’ academic achievements
4.3.3 Observational Data
4.4 Results of the Research Question #3
4.4.1 The Formal Uses
4.4.2 The Informal Uses
Common ICT tools/Apps
ICT-based informal activities
Language skills/aspects
Paralinguistic features
The informal vs. formal uses of ICT
4.5 Results of the Research Question #4
4.5.1 The EFL Learners’ Perceptions
4.5.2 The EFL Teachers’ Perceptions
4.5.3 The Policymakers’ Perceptions
4.6 Summary of the Findings
4.7 The Research Assumptions
4.8 Chapter Summary
Chapter V: Conclusion, implications and recommendations
5.0 Overview
5.1 Outline of the Study
5.2 Concluding statement
5.3 Implications
5.3.1 Pedagogical Implications
5.3.2 Implications for teachers
5.3.3 Methodological Implications
5.3.4 Linguistic Implications
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Limitations of the Study
5.5.1 Research Ecology & Scope
5.5.2 Methodology
5.6 Suggestions for Further Research
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation employs a mixed-method research design to examine how university EFL learners and teachers in Yemen utilize ICT tools and to determine the impact of this usage on learners' English proficiency and academic performance. The study bridges the gap between formal classroom instruction and informal daily usage of digital technology, seeking to understand whether informal electronic engagement contributes to formal language learning goals in a context characterized by limited formal ICT infrastructure.
- The role of formal vs. informal ICT usage in English language learning at the tertiary level.
- The relationship between ICT accessibility, digital literacy, and student academic performance.
- Pedagogical and linguistic challenges of integrating modern technology into traditional, text-dominated curricula.
- The development of learner autonomy and collaborative learning through mobile and internet-based applications.
- Strategic recommendations for policymakers and educators to improve ICT integration in Yemen's higher education system.
Excerpt from the Book
1.0 Background
The information and communication technology (ICT) has become a leitmotif of the current century. There is little doubt that the force of ICTs has reshaped and streamlined many aspects of human life, and this force has gone largely unchallenged. It has engendered many ways of communication on a daily basis, creating avenues for information to go viral. Technologies such as Smartphones, laptops, emails, SMS, Web.2 applications (e.g. Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp) are the norms of communication and information sharing today (Chun, Kern & Smith, 2016). These digital ICTs, among others, have been used as platforms to convey messages, receive and retrieve information in various formats: texts, photos, and audio/video files, etc. Facilitated by such technologies, the contents can be transmitted from one device to another in seconds. It is a common practice now that ICT users depend on an array of wired and wireless devices to interface online more than face-to-face interactions. They may use Facebook- for instance- to publish their views on everyday activities, interests, and experiences: music they hear, books they read, places they visit, and so on.
This proliferation has become a fascination of today's generation – the generation that Prensky (2001) dubbed “the digital natives” or “technology savvy” who has grown up with the technologies that they perceive “radically differently from earlier student cohorts” (Kvavik & Caruso, 2005, p.9). The power of modern ICTs has penetrated into the veins of this young generation, stimulating a new mindset. Learners nowadays can lay hands on a mine of information and resources that were unattainable in their predecessors’ times. Adept using various ICTs, these technology gurus have several activities on the go. Quite apart from knowledge consumption, this technology-oriented generation has spaces to contribute to knowledge construction (Guth, 2009; Rüschoff, 2009).
Summary of Chapters
Chapter I: Introduction: This chapter establishes the study's background, detailing the English language situation in Yemen and defining the research problem, objectives, and significance regarding ICT integration.
Chapter II: Review of the literature: This section reviews existing theoretical frameworks and empirical studies on CALL, IALL, and MALL, analyzing the intersection of ICT and EFL teaching.
Chapter III: Methodology: The chapter describes the mixed-methods research design, detailing the sampling of 428 students and 50 teachers across five Yemeni universities, and the data collection tools used.
Chapter IV: Results & Discussions: This chapter presents the data gathered from surveys, proficiency tests, and observations, interpreting the findings in relation to the initial research questions and literature.
Chapter V: Conclusion, implications and recommendations: The final chapter summarizes the key findings, outlines pedagogical and methodological implications, and provides recommendations for improving technology-supported EFL instruction.
Keywords
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), ICT-integration, ICT-based learning, CALL, EFL learners, tertiary level, language proficiency, academic performance, informal learning, digital divide, digital natives, mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), Internet-assisted language learning (IALL), student autonomy, language intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research investigates the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching within the Yemeni higher education sector.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The study centers on the formal and informal use of digital tools, the impact of these tools on English language proficiency, and the pedagogical hurdles teachers face in a resource-constrained environment.
What is the main objective of the dissertation?
The primary goal is to determine if the frequent use of ICT tools by university students leads to measurable improvements in their English language performance and academic achievements.
Which research methodology was applied?
The author utilized a mixed-method approach, triangulating quantitative data from surveys and tests with qualitative data from structured interviews and participant observation.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The work provides a thorough review of literature concerning the evolution of technology in language teaching, followed by a detailed methodology and the empirical analysis of students' perceptions and actual ICT usage patterns.
What defining keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include ICT integration, CALL, EFL learners, tertiary level, academic performance, informal learning, and digital literacy.
How does this study address the "Digital Divide" in Yemen?
The study highlights how limited ICT infrastructure forces students to rely on personal, informal access to digital tools, contrasting this with the lack of formal support within university settings.
What is the author's primary recommendation regarding ICT?
The author recommends that institutions provide structured training for both teachers and learners and integrate ICT into the formal curriculum rather than leaving it to ad-hoc, informal usage.
- Quote paper
- Abdu Al-Kadi (Author), 2017, Some Aspects of ICT Uses in the Teaching of EFL at the Tertiary Level in Yemen, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/375353
