The use of instructional technology in EFL : attitudes of Jordanian teachers of English in Irbid

Abstract EN

This study examined the English language teachers' attitudes towards using instructional technology.

It investigated the effect of gender, teaching experience, and qualification on English language teachers' attitudes towards using instructional technology.

It also tried to determine whether or not English language teachers use instructional technology in their teaching or preparation to teach.

This will help in supplying the decision makers as well as curricula designers with objective information about the use of instructional technology in teaching the English language.

A questionnaire that consisted of 26 lickert type items and 11 yes / no items was used to collect the needed data.

The population of the study consisted approximately of 700 English language teachers in the two directorates of education in Irbid.

The sample of the study consisted of 253 English language male and female teachers who were teaching in Irbid the First and Second directorates of education during the first semester of the academic year 2003 / 2004.

They were randomly chosen.

The results of the study revealed positive attitudes among the English language teachers towards the use of the instructional technology in their classrooms regardless of their gender, years of experience, and qualification.

The results did not indicate any significant interaction between the English language teachers' gender and experience, between experience and qualification, nor between gender and qualification.

The results revealed a limited use of instructional technology in the classroom which requires an investigation of the obstacles of using instructional technology in EFL classes.