công nghệ thông tin như một nhân tố tạo hứng thú cho sinh viên nghiên cứu khảo sát tại trường cao đẳng cơ khí - luyện kim thái nguyên

The application of ICT Information and Communication technology in the language classroom is one of new methods in renovating methods of teaching methodology of Vietnamese Ministry of Ed

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES

TRẦN THUỲ DUNG

TECHNOLOGY AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO STUDENTS: AN

EXPLORATORY STUDY AT THAI NGUYEN COLLEGE OF MECHANICS AND

METALLURGY

Công nghệ thông tin như một nhân tố tạo hứng thú cho sinh viên: Nghiên cứu

khảo sát tại trường Cao đẳng Cơ khí - Luyện kim Thái Nguyên

M.A MINOR THESIS

FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY

CODE: 60 14 10

HA NOI - 2010

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES

TRẦN THUỲ DUNG

TECHNOLOGY AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO STUDENTS: AN

EXPLORATORY STUDY AT THAI NGUYEN COLLEGE OF MECHANICS AND

METALLURGY

Công nghệ thông tin như một nhân tố tạo hứng thú cho sinh viên: Nghiên cứu

khảo sát tại trường Cao đẳng Cơ khí - Luyện kim Thái Nguyên

M.A MINOR THESIS

FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY

CODE: 60 14 10 SUPERVISOR: PHẠM THỊ NGỌC PHƯỢNG, M.A

HA NOI - 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.1 Education technology and EFL teaching and learning 5

I.2 Computer uses for language teaching and learning 6

I.6 Effects of Technology on Motivation in EFL 13

I.7 Limitations of using computer in EFL teaching and learning 15

I.8 Considerations of computer-assisted EFL teaching and learning 16

III 2 For the teachers 35

Appendices I

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

For centuries foreign language teaching approaches, methods and techniques have been changing because of different factors Learning a foreign language is a challenging process and students always need motivation and encouragement during this period Technology might be one of the factors which affects students’ attitude positively in the teaching/ learning process Adiyaman (2002) defines one way of technological equipment such as radio, TV, cassettes, CD, DVD and two way of educational technological equipment used in EFL classrooms like e-mails, computers, interactive radio and television programs, teleconference and internet conferences

In the process of teaching and learning a foreign language, learners are always the most important factors To be successful or get failure in understanding well or owning the language bases on the thing how the learners can use or work with that process It is the very thing that foreign language learners have not acquired as they expected at the beginning of time

We are living in the era of explosion in information technology The foreign language training supported by Internet technology has appeared at the university level, secondary schools and vocational training in many countries around the world Vietnam

at the application of technology in teaching in schools is also on the momentum of development Teaching English in Vietnam, especially in Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy where students are specializing in the field of Mechanics, is considered as an interesting but challenging job Today, learning and teaching English through the computer and learning how to use computer proficient in English through the trends in the foreign language training

In the field of language education, a great deal of emphasis now focuses on using technology (IT) in ETL The application of ICT (Information and Communication technology) in the language classroom is one of new methods in renovating methods of teaching methodology of Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training

2 The aims of the study:

The study aims to reach the following targets:

- to investigate the teachers’ application of technology in order to find the advantages, disadvantages of the teachers in using technology in teaching English for freshman students of Mechanics department at (TCMM) Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy

- to investigate the role of technology on motivation in the language classrooms and

to review the students’ ideas on how to use technological equipment effectively

- to discover how IT influences the students’ learning English, their feedbacks towards the use of technology in classroom instructions

- to propose some recommendations for administrators, teachers in improving the quality of teaching and learning English at Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy

3 Scope of the study

Due to the limited time, the author only focuses on using technology in teaching English to freshmen students of Mechanics department at TCMM because most students of Mechanics department are at low level, they are uninterested in learning English; they are usually failed in the English exams It is the main reason why they do not like learning English subject The purpose of using IT in teaching English at TCMM

in order to make the lessons easier and more interesting to learn by presenting the difficult structures and terms popularly will be used in Mechanics with the assistance of Projector, searching information on the internet

This study aimed at using IT in teaching for Freshman Mechanics Majors at Thai Nguyen College of Mechanics and Metallurgy The respondents of the study will

be 100 freshmen students of the two classes (CK 47 A, B) The research will be conducted during the time of the second semester 2009-2010, from December to April in

2009 – 2010

4 Research questions

In odder to achieve the aims mentions in section 2, the present study focused on answering the research question: How does IT help to motivate students in learning English at TCMM?

More specifically, it aimed to address the following sub-questions:

i How is IT used in teaching and learning English at TCMM?

ii Do students get motivated by the use of the technology in learning process?

iii.Are students and teachers aware of technology application in teaching and learning English?

iv What suggestions do students and teachers have for organization and language teachers?

5 Methods of the study

The method used in this study is exploratory research design which utilizes qualitative data collection techniques with an aim to answer the research questions To conduct the study, the author will carry out two surveys on six English teachers at TCMM and 100 freshman students of Mechanics department at TCMM Questionnaires were sent to six teachers who have taught students of Mechanics department and 100 freshman students who were selected from two classes (CK47 A, B) of Mechanics department The questionnaire was designed to find out the role of technology on the motivation of EFL learners in language classes and to put forward some practical ideas

in order to make language learning more effective The aims of survey is to reveal how teachers use technology in EFL classrooms, their problems when working with computer, if there might be, and their needs for better use of computer in the classroom

6 Significance of the study

Teaching English is one of the main responsibilities and priorities of Vietnam Educational System This study implements to find the way to improve capabilities of students in learning language The big problem of the freshman students at TCMM is that most of the students are low-motivated Besides, the problem of what to teach, how

to teach and what is the teachers’ way to motivate their students There are some significances of the study:

Educational Controllers The results of this study will make this group of

people aware of the importance of using information technology to take it into the curriculum program in teaching English at TCMM

English Language Teachers The study will also make English language

teachers identify that the application IT is more effective in teaching English for freshmen students (Most freshman students are non-major English learners)

Students Especially, it will help them be interested in English and not be

afraid of learning English and they will find themselves more confident and motivate in spending time on learning English

7 Overviews of the thesis:

The study consists of the following chapters:

Part I - Introduction: introduces the rationale for the research, the aims, the

scope, and the research questions of the study, the methods, the significance and the organization of the study

Part II – Development: includes three chapters:

Chapter I- Literature review: reviews the theoretical background to Education technology

and EFL teaching and learning , the applications of technology in ELT, benefits of using technology in ELT, effects of technology on motivation in EFL, the limitations of using technology in ELT, and some considerations using technology in ELT

Chapter II – The study: discusses the detailed methodology to do the research It

comprises participants, instrumentation, and data collection Next, presents in details the data analysis, findings and implications of the study

Chapter III – Recommendations: concerns the researcher’s recommendations and

suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of using technology in ELT

Part III – Conclusion: summarizes the main ideas expressed throughout the

research, analyzes limitation of the paper and suggests further research orientations

PART II: DEVELOPMENT Chapter I – Theoretical background to the study

I 1 Education technology in EFL teaching and learning

For the past several decades, a great deal of debate has raged on about the pedagogical worth of computers in the classroom On the one hand, computer and software companies often provide mostly anecdotal evidence as to the usefulness of technology in language instruction, stating heightened student motivation and more engaging learning However, a number of researchers have suggested that while technology has grown leaps and bounds, teachers’ use of it often remains very antiquated, limited to simple writing assignments and Internet searches (Cuban, 2001; MacDonald, 2004; Oppenheimer, 1997, 2003) Technology should make language teaching more effective and efficient However, merely including technology in instruction does not guarantee results or learning outcomes (Healey 1999) Some have suggested that this has been due, in part, to educators’ limited vision of the role of technology in language instruction In fact, Garrett (1991, p 75) pointed this out when she stated that “the use of the computer does not constitute a method” and it is only a “medium in which a variety of methods, approaches, and pedagogical philosophies may be implemented.” Although this statement was made a number of years ago, its premise still applies to our learning environments today, especially in light of the fact that there is a growing disparity between technology and effective classroom implementation of it

According to Warschauer, M and Carla Meskill (2000), nearly every type of foreign language classroom teaching is supported by its own technologies The grammar-translation method has been the most popular method of teaching with chalk, blackboard, pens, paper and textbooks The blackboard can be considered a perfect tool for grammar-translation method The teacher uses the blackboard (or whiteboard) for many purposes, such as note pad, explanation aid, picture frame, public workbook, game board or notice board (Harmer, 2001)

In global education, the traditional educational technologies are currently used by teachers or educators However, a few years lately the teachers and educators have used more modern media, such as radios, pictures, charts, cassette players, recorders, overhead projectors (OHPs), movies, televisions, etc in teaching foreign language They have changed the

traditional teaching method, and Nguyen Lan Trung (2002) said that they have changed classroom structures and have assisted learners’ acquisition of knowledge The activities in foreign language classroom have been much more attractive both teachers and learners Learners have many chances to learn foreign language by listening to CDs/ tapes, watching films/ programmes or finding information from internet

Without a doubt, technology has revolutionized society in many places around the globe, including how language instruction is taught and delivered In particular, the computer

is now quite a useful multi-purpose tool for foreign language education Information technology (IT) started the actual revolution of innovating methods in foreign language education Keeping all of this in mind, the next section of this paper will address the impact of technology on language teaching

I 2 Computer uses for language teaching and learning

With many preeminent characters, more and more computer plays an important role in language teaching and learning Computers are potential in various uses in FL classroom with the dominated technological features The current main roles for computers in language teaching and learning can be generated as follows:

Firstly, computers are used for reference tool This is one of the main uses of computer

Through CD/DVD-ROMs or Internet, teachers and students can search for all sorts of information relating to language teaching and learning and any information about the world There are now a number of popular encyclopaedias available on CD-ROM English Language Teaching ( EFT) dictionaries are now available on CD-ROM or online, offering not only definitions but also the pronunciation of the words, and practice exercises and activities as well Internet is considered to be the most convenient reference tool Accessing directories or using search engines such as Google, Yahoo, etc Can help finding out information about “any subject under the sun” (Harmer, 2001:146)

Secondly, computers are used for Teaching and Learning programs Language teaching

software are currently available on CD-ROM to meet the demand of learners at various levels and of diversified learning purposes, which eases the teaching and learning of Fl These software packages offer students chances to participate many learning activities at the same

time such as studying conversations and texts, doing grammar exercises and vocabulary ones, listening to texts and recording their own voices for comparison Harmer (2001:147) claims that it is unfair if we undervalue its uses Many CD-ROM are now accompanied with course books, providing a lot of extra input material and exercises

The current trend is that many FL learning programs are available on the Internet These are websites where students can sign up for taking completely self-study courses, accessing course information and sending work to a tutor who will monitor the progress

The third use of computer is Computer-mediated communication (CMC): This is the

process of using computer to facilitate authentic communication between two or more people Such kind of communication could be in an asynchronous form such as email, electronic bulletin boards or electronic newsgroups; or in a synchronous (immediate) form such as real time internet chat or instant massage Using CMC in EFL language teaching and learning seems the main trend in the process of applying IT in EFL education

E-mail exchanging is one of the main forms of asynchronous CMC According to Allen

(1995, p.2) “using an on-campus email system as an extension of the writing class can create interest, not only in writing, but also in communicating with other classmates.” In traditional EFL classrooms, teachers have made efforts to provide simulations, virtual situations, role-playing, skits, dramas, videos, and films, which are close to real communication but still unreal Teachers who wanted to offer some real communication into classrooms have tried dialogue journal writings between teacher and student (Matsuo, 1996 p.33) However it took more time to receive a reply than by using email Warschauer (1995 p.2) also states, “email provides students an excellent opportunity for real, natural communication Email empowers students for independent learning.” He points out two rewards of emailing; one is real communication, and the other is the empowering of autonomous learning

Instant messaging (IM) is the most popular means of talking online with such websites

as Yahoo Instant Massager, Skype, etc Chatting by this kind of internet service is becoming people’s prominent communication tool, especially among the youth Instant messaging (IM)

is a collection of technologies that create the possibility of real-time text-based communication between two or more participants over the internet or some form of internal network/intranet

It is important to understand that what separates chat and instant messaging from technologies such as e-mail is the perceived synchronicity of the communication by the user - Chat happens

in real-time Some systems allow the sending of messages to people not currently logged on (offline messages), thus removing much of the difference between Instant Messaging and e-mail IM allows effective and efficient communication, featuring immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply In certain cases Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular

Web sites: According to Harmer, J (2001: 148) almost every web site has great potential

for students of English, for FL teachers and learners have chances to get in touch with the

“authentic” language They can search for all type of information in various forms such as texts, audio and video There are also a number of websites specially designed for FL students where they can exchange e-mails, do exercises, searching information, playing games, etc Articles on ELT teaching and learning and information are various on the Web page and Websites, so the problem here is how to select suitable information to search If we can do that, websites are useful for us to learn and teach FL

Word-processor: The word processor is a computer program used for editing texts, and

checking and correcting writing errors It is the most useful type of all computer programs Brierley and Kemble [3, p 17] described it as the most enabling and beneficial of all the computer software The effectiveness of using the word processor with EFL learners through using different types of computer-based activities Alison Piper (1987, cited in Harmer,J 2000:

150) said that “the most successful educational use of computer at that time was a

word-processor” Word-processor is a successful tool for teachers and learner in teaching and

learning writing skill

I 3 Applications of technology (IT) in EFL

In recent years with the development of media and computer technology, educators have begun to make use of multi-media and technology to improve their teaching including language learning Language teaching can be enhanced by effective of uses of education technology Applications of technology (IT) in teaching English are more and more widely in teachers’ teaching Available technologies include computers – word processing, the internet,

the World Wide Web, e-mail, audio CDs, VCDs, DVDs, projectors, radio, and television A lot of teaching and learning activities can be carried out with the support of these tools

Regarding the applications of technology in teaching and learning, Lundin and Sandery (1993) cited in the Australian Language and Literacy Council report (1996, p 31) propose two broad categories of technology according to its intended application The first category is Distributive; its use is associated with a transmission learning model in which the material is prepared in a predetermined manner and sequence with the aim to retain the attention of the user and provide motivation for learning; but there is not enough interaction between teachers and learners Distributive technologies include: conventional print publishing; electronic publishing; broadcast television and radio; and audio and video services The second category

is Interactive; Ludin and Sanderly (1993) define it as synchronous, asynchronous or standalone Technology provides a means of bridging space and time such as video conferencing; interactive television, and Internet chat, computer mediated communication (email, bulletin boards, discussion lists); text based computer conferencing; interactive multimedia and other computer based teaching courseware

Brown (2003) gives a different categorization about the use of new technology in language learning classrooms It specifically concerns with the application of computer-based technology represented by computer-assisted language learning programs ( CALL); computer programs that are not specifically designed for language learning (non- CALL) but which are used to this purpose, for instance word processing, database, games, and encyclopaedia packages, and the internet and its applications

Without considering any specific category in the application of technology, it is important to highlight that there are always pedagogical implications Brown (2003) shows for example, that the use of computer-based technology in ESL classrooms, offers the benefit to provide learners with specific feedback, gives them the opportunity to develop familiarity with the basic computing skills that they may use inside and outside the classroom, also, it allows teachers to create their own materials; apart from the benefits, its use demands new textual practices and processes and new texts

Applications of technology (IT) in teaching English are numerous and varied Available technologies include computers- word processors, the Internet, audio CDs, VCDs, DVDs, etc As word-processing software has developed, new tools have become available that make it possible for students to type their assignments and submit them to their teacher electronically - via the Web, email or over a local network The teacher can now use tools in modern word-processing packages to mark the work electronically - and there is no need to print the students' texts

Besides the internet also has many services which are useful for learning and teaching The Internet has been available to most people, only recently have educators been realizing the potential the Internet can have in second and foreign language classrooms Graham Davies describes the Internet as follows: The Internet is a computer network connecting millions of computers all over the world It provides communications to governments, businesses, universities, schools and homes Any modern computer can be connected to the Internet using existing communications systems Schools and universities normally access the Internet via their own educational networks, but private individuals usually have to take out a subscription with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) The students can connect their computer to the Internet via a modem and their local telephone system

Davies (1999) described the World Wide Web as follows: This is the most powerful and fastest growing Internet service, now known simply as the Web The Web is accessed by means of a computer program known as a browser Two popular browsers are Internet Explorer and Netscape, both of which work more or less the same way Using a browser you can access websites all over the world and download pages of information Most Web pages include pictures, and many include audio, animated graphics, video and links - known as hyperlinks - to other websites Therefore teachers can assign many assignments and projects, tasks exploiting these services to help students develop their language skills

Another application of technology (IT) in ELT is PowerPoint PowerPoint has been in existence for many years, it has just begun to spread to schools and ESL classrooms The reason for this delay is that technology requires hardware, which is relatively expensive However, more and more classrooms and teachers have computers and the equipment to use

PowerPoint PowerPoint is a useful tool that is now being used in many classrooms PowerPoint is a popular presentation software application and is widely used by language teachers In the modern languages classroom, PowerPoint can be used effectively to present a variety of aspects of a new language, e.g dialogues, grammar, vocabulary, and as a stimulus for group exercises and activities, with enhancements such as animated text on screen, pictures and audio and video clips

In conclusion, teachers can use many different softwares to support teaching and learning activities such as the PowerPoint presentation, word processing, etc The teacher can design many interesting exercises by using these softwares to make the lesson more attractive

To use technology (IT) in ELT is not easy for all the teachers Because of the ways they are integrating technology into instructional activities

I 4 Benefits of using technology in ELT

Computer technology has been used in language teaching since the 1980’s Using technology

in English language teaching has many benefits It provides many useful programmes that apply in teaching One of the most important benefits of using technology in ELT is that it increases student motivation Galavis (1998) claimed that: “The uses of computers motivate students to learn” “Videos, pictures, and sound presented by computers stimulate sight and hearing simultaneously in a way traditional resources do not” “If students become involved in

a language program which incorporates computer technology use, students are believed to become further motivated” (Schoepp & Erogul, 2001) According to Schoepp and Erogul (2001, quoted in Lin, 2003) the use of computer technology helps develop learner autonomy and independence as well as the growth of self-access language learning

I can mention Singhal (2006) who emphasizes that one of the most essential pedagogical principles of language teaching is one that underscores the study of language in a cultural context The Internet, for this purpose, is a valuable resource As Singhal states further, students may, for example, access current information from different countries, they may search for historical, geographical, social / cultural, economic and political information from the countries where the English language is spoken, they may read web versions of newspapers or magazines and so on Then, “such experience can allow learners to participate

in the culture of the target language, which in turn can enable them to further learn how cultural background influences one’s view of the world” (Singhal, 2006) According to the author, the students may also use the Internet to publish their works (poems, stories, essays, literary analysis etc.) In this perspective, as Singhal (2006) points out, the students not only have access to other people’s work, but they may also generate their own work to be published Another positive aspect highlighted by Singhal (2006) is that the students may use the Internet to search for additional language activities These activities consist of reading tests and comprehension questions, grammar, vocabulary exercises, and so forth Some other authors also point out the benefits of using the Internet in the English classroom Lee (2006),

in turn, says that it may increase student’s motivation According to this author, students feel more motivated when the range of online activities offered makes them feel more independent

I 5 Motivation in learning English

Motivation is very hard to define As Gardner (2006, p.242) states “motivation is a very complex phenomenon with many facets…Thus, it is not possible to give a simple definition” This is because the term motivation has been viewed differently by different schools of thought From the behaviouristic perspective, motivation is "quite simply the anticipation of reward" (Brown, 2000, p 160) However, the cognitive view the term motivation as being more related to the learner's decisions as Keller (1983, p.389), quoted by Brown (ibid, p.160), stated, "the choices people make as to what experiences or goals they will approach or avoid, and the degree of effort they exert in that respect" However, in the constructivists' definition

of motivation, they place "further emphasis on social contexts as well as the individual's decisions" (ibid) Despite the differences, in all the definitions of motivation given by the three schools of thought the concept of "needs" is emphasized, that is, "the fulfilment of needs is rewarding, requires choices, and in many cases must be interpreted in a social context" (ibid, p.161)

The importance of motivation in enhancing second/foreign language learning is undeniable Lifrieri (2005, p 4) points out that “when asked about the factors which influence individual levels of success in any activity – such as language learning –, most people would certainly mention motivation among them” Brown (2000, p.160) states that "it is easy in

second language learning to claim that a learner will be successful with the proper motivation" With similar views, Gardner (2006, p 241) posits that “students with higher levels of motivation will do better than students with lower levels” He further adds that “if one is motivated, he/she has reasons (motives) for engaging in the relevant activities, expends effort, persists in the activities, attends to the tasks, shows desire to achieve the goal, enjoys the activities, etc” (Gardner, 2006, p 243)

Brown (2000) asserts that studies of motivation of second/foreign language learners often refer to a distinction between two types of motivation namely, instrumental versus integrative motivation Gardner (1983, p 203) defines instrumental motivation as "learning a language because of someone or less clearly perceived utility it might have for the learner" More specifically, the learners are instrumentally motivated when they want to learn a language to pass an examination, to use it in one's job, to use it in holiday in the country, as a change from watching television, and because the educational system requires it On the other hand, integrative motivation was defined as "learning a language because the learner wishes to identify himself with or become integrated into the society” of the target language (Gardner,

1983, p.203)

Besides Gardner’s integrative and instrumental constructs, Cooper and Fishman (1977) mentioned a third type of motivation which they termed "developmental" Developmental or personal motivation, according to them, refers to motivation relating to “personal development

or personal satisfaction” (Cooper & Fishman, 1977, p 243) This includes such activities as watching movies and reading books in English (ibid)

The researchers concur with Spolsky (1989, p 160) in that “a language may be learned for any one or any collection of practical reasons” As such, identifying the petroleum engineering students’ motivation will be related to the reasons for which they learn the English language

In other words, instrumental, integrative and personal reasons will be considered as far as the students’ motivation is concerned This view is also supported by Crookes and Schmidt (1991) who consider motivation in learning a second/foreign language as “the learner’s orientation with regard to the goal of learning a second language” (p 10)

I 6 Effects of Technology on Motivation in EFL

For centuries foreign language teaching approaches, methods and techniques have been changing because of different factors Learning a foreign language is a challenging process and students always need motivation and encouragement during this period Technology might

be one of the factors which affects students’ attitude positively in the teaching/ learning process Adıyaman (2002) defines one way of technological equipment such as radio, TV, cassettes, CD, DVD and two way of educational technological equipment used in EFL classrooms like e-mails, computers, interactive radio and television programs, teleconference and internet conferences

The use of technology brings lot of advantages into the classroom Students may have a chance to see the real world in the classrooms and they can be motivated easily Ellis (1994) points out that creating challenging tasks and activities motivate the language learners Effective language teachers should be enthusiastic and creative because language learners can lose their motivation and desire easily Movies, music and different materials can help students’ psychological and social improvement Therefore use of technology, online / distance education may provide a good opportunity to develop and create different, enjoyable tasks in EFL classrooms

When language learners have desirable and real communication factors, they can develop their language skills in the classroom Using computers and every kinds of technological equipment gives students the sense of freedom and encouragement With the help of technology students can be active, motivated and involved in language learning process High quality of authentic materials and low price can be other advantages of technology and increase the popularity of distance education Crystal (1997) assumes that educational technology takes a great role in EFL classrooms because of the current position of English as a global language Jonassen (2000) discusses that technology in EFL classroom encourages not only the students but the teacher in a positive way Brown (2003) explains that internet and distance education increase the quality of language learning and provide available education Web-learning offers well-selected activities and interactive learning

Technologically equipped classrooms increase student‘s motivation because of the interactive nature of the activities Students always have positive and optimistic ideas for using

computer in the classrooms and it gives opportunity students to create new ideas and develops their problem solving skills while providing self-responsibility thus students feel comfortable Kang (1999) explains the positive effects of computer and technology in EFL classrooms by allowing the students to observe the real life situation and meaningful communication Zengin (2007) explains the importance of technological classrooms because students are more motivated and interested in multi-media and technological lessons The advantages of multimedia technology in EFL programs and adds that using multimedia increases students’ interest in the classroom Teachers can use online magazines, newspapers as authentic materials

Harmer (2007) points out that student can become active and dynamic learners by means of online education and also mentions the importance of computer-based technological classrooms because they provide learners with unreachable and fascinating activities which attract and motivate them Ellinger et all (2001) conducted a study on the use of internet in language classes They believe that internet, as an important tool, encourage students, increases autonomous learning potential and bring enthusiasm into the classroom Using authentic video in EFL classrooms can be interesting and attractive for communicative dialogues Besides, using authentic films in the classrooms motivate the learners because many contextual clues of films’ and they make learners use both of their hemispheres which are very important for language learning Using technology in EFL classrooms improve students’ four skills Kung (2003) explains his research results about web and language learning According to his research web using enriches and supports good motivation in the development of speaking skill Case and Truscott (1999) tell that computers and internet are good sources in developing reading skills Computer-based reading texts are authentic, more effective and motivating for every kind of language learners Using technology in the classroom not only motivates the learners but engages them in speaking, reading, listening and writing easier

I 7 Limitations of using computer in EFL teaching and learning

Up to this point, I have discussed some of the benefits of the new technologies in the language classroom In this section, however, some of the disadvantages or obstacles related to their use in class will be addressed According to Singhal (2006), sometimes the nature of the

Internet itself may be a disadvantage When lines are busy due to excessive number of users, it may take time to access information Another problem mentioned by this author can be the lack of training on the part of the teachers to implement the Internet in the language classroom Besides, the author advises that teachers need to worry with censorship The internet offers access to all types of issues and topics, some of which are unsuitable for children, and this lack of limits in itself may result in various problems

According to Tognato (2001), when teachers use technology in their classes, they have to

be attentive to certain aspects, such as the availability of resources, appropriate time for students and teachers to use the technology and, some kind of help from another person prepared for that end Corrêa (2001) also highlights other factors that teachers must be aware

of when planning, for instance, a lesson that will require the use of a computer This author states that frequently in class there will not be enough computers for all the students Therefore, the teacher will have to make arrangements to fulfil students’ curiosity and willingness to use the computer The same author also points out that surfing the net can be fun and / or time consuming Thus, before going to the computer lab, teachers should think about the time they will spend on a particular activity and its relevance for the learning process Despite the limitations and obstacles, it is clear that the internet’s educational potential is immense According to Singhal (2006), although electronic, the Internet is an entity related to literacy – people still interact with it entirely through reading and writing For this reason alone, Singhal highlights that the Internet is a technology that will, without any doubt, have significant implications for both teaching and learning languages Lee (2006)’s words corroborate Singhal’s in the quotation below which shows both the limitations and potentialities of the use of technology in language learning and teaching and the very results of such use in the future:

Engaging in computer-assisted language learning is a continuing challenge that requires time and commitment Computer can / will never substitute teachers but they offer new opportunities for better language practice They may actually make the process of language learning significantly richer and play a key role in the reform of a country’s educational system The next generation of students will feel a lot more confident with information technology than we do As a result, they will also be able to use the Internet to communicate

more effectively, practice language skills more thoroughly and solve language learning problems more easily

I 8 Considerations of computer-assisted EFL teaching and learning

Without a doubt, technology has revolutionized society in many places around the globe, including how language instruction is taught and delivered

Galavis (1998) claimed that teacher needs to take into consideration variety of factors like levels and types (young learners, adult learners) when deciding to use a method for his class

He also reminded that computers and other equipment are just tools helping in teaching process, and that teachers have to know the way to exploit them effectively

Sharing the same opinion, Egbert (2004) emphasized that teachers should determine what they and their students needs when deciding to use technology in the classroom It is better to start from the point that “ Here is a pedagogical problem; how can we solve it using technology?” Rather than “here is a wonderful new piece of technology, let’s see what we might use it for.” Above all, teachers need to consider both gains and looses from the opportunities they present

to the learners with and through technology

Chapter II: The study

II.1 The setting of the study

The first - year students come from different cities and provinces of Vietnam with different levels influenced by their English experiences, most of them have learned English from 3 to 7 years, small number have learned French, however teaching English for freshman students is difficult and challenging, especially to make students motivate is one

of the most important goal of all teachers at TCMM The difference between my college and others is my college trains the worker of mechanics and most of them are male students (90%) This is typical feature of the worker-training-college The average is 19 Each class consists of about 70 students even more English is a non-major subject that they have to learn at the course

A program of English consists of two stages has been implemented at the college The first one, which lasts for 2 or 3 semesters, is focused on teaching and learning general English Students are taught general English in semester one to semester three The main material utilized in this stage is the New Headway Elementary The aim of this stage is to provide students with the range of English and vocabulary as well as to develop the language skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading necessary for daily communication and the understanding of English On the other hand, this stage prepares the students for the learning of English for Mechanics in the second stage The second stage is aimed at building on students’ ESP vocabulary and grammar, and language skills necessary for understanding the technical terms of Mechanics, for communicating in a professional environment, for taking about issues in mechanical engineering

same age, and the average age of the students is 19 They had from three to seven years experience in ESL learning

- The number of English teaching staff at TCMM is 6; all of them are female and have at least 6 years of experience in teaching English They have more or less utilized IT in their teaching English for Mechanics students

II.2.1.2 Instrumentation:

The researcher has collected data by two main instruments:

 Students’ survey questionnaire

 Teachers’ survey questionnaire

The survey designed for students consists of 10 multiple choice questions and was written in Vietnamese These multiple choice questions were designed to facilitate later data analysis The students’ questionnaire is the more important because it is the main way to investigate students’ opinions and the efficiency of teaching English with IT, and discover the role of technology on motivation in teaching and learning FL at TCMM The teachers’ survey questionnaire has got 10 multiple choice questions The main purpose of the teachers’ questionnaire is to find understanding of teachers to using technology in EFL, their opinions of the advantages and disadvantages of technology application Another purposes are to discover how often teaches use technology, what difficulties they encounter, their ideas about the necessity of using technology on motivation in language classrooms, and their suggestions for the organization

II.2.2 Data analysis

II.2.2.1 Data analysis of the Students’ survey questionnaire

The students’ questionnaire was for collecting students’ opinion of teaching and learning English with IT

1 How often do your teachers use technology in teaching process?

f Other (please specify)

7%

24%

56%

Usually Often Sometimes Rarely Never Other

Chart 1: Frequency of Using Technology

As can be seen from the chart 1, when dealing with frequency of using technology in teaching, 31% of the students said that their teachers usually and often use technology in the class, 56% of the students said that computer sometimes use in teaching English, and only 13% rarely use technology In short, almost teachers at TCMM apply technology to teach English for their students

2 In which language skills is IT used to teach students?

(More than 1 answer can be circled)

Table 1: The language skills are taught with IT

In question 2, 45 students (45%) chose ab as the answer They believed that IT is used

to teach speaking and reading skill, 35% believed that speaking, reading and listening skills are taught with IT (13%) thought that their teachers use IT to teach reading and listening

skill and a smallest number (2%) said language skills which is IT used to teach students are

reading and listening skills The others (5 students) chose ad as their answer

3 What technology supported activities have been employed by your teacher?

students

Percentage

a Using material taken from the Internet in the lesson 47 47%

b Using PowerPoint Presentation to support the

lesson

c Using CDs, VCDs, DVDs, CD ROMs, software 17 17%

d Using other commercial software like MS Word,

MS Excel, etc to support teaching and learning

activities

e Using e-mail, messengers, forums to communicate

between teachers and students

Table 2 – Activities Employed by teachers

In order to know activities employed by teachers, question 3 was given Table 2 has shown; 47% of students reflect their teachers often use material taken from the Internet to support the lesson 31% tell that their teachers use PowerPoint Presentation in teaching and learning English 17% of the students claim their teachers use multimedia to assist their teaching and learning process A small number of students (9%) think that other commercial software like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel also is employed to teach English And 10% inform that e-mail, messengers, and forum are used Among these students, 7 assert that teachers use computer to design game or presentations

4 Do you find your English study improved when lessons are taught in class using computer?

a Yes b No

Chart 2: The improvement of English study

24%

76%

yes no

Chart 2 shows that 76% of the students find their English study is improved when they are learnt with IT The others (24%) do not think so Perhaps they think that their improvements do not depend on the application of technology in teaching and learning However we can be happy that the application of IT in teaching and learning English is very judicious when we want to motivate students in learning process

5 Do you like learning English with technology or without it?

Chart 3: Students' opinion about learning English with IT

Chart 3 shows that 81% of the students want to learn English with IT; whereas small number (19%) said they do not like The good news is that almost all the students are interested in learning English when their teachers assist technology in teaching

6 Which language skills do you find improved? (More than 1 answer can be circled)

a Speaking

b Reading

c Listening

d Writing

Table 3: The improvement of language skills

is improved, a smaller number (4%) chosen three skills are improved: speaking, reading and listening skill Another (10%) thought that they feel learn speaking, reading and writing skills better

7 Do you think that teachers should use IT in teaching English?

a Yes b No c Others

Table 4: Teacher should use IT in teaching English

Table 4 shows that 63% of the students want to have lesson with technology on the other hand 27% of the students think that their teachers shouldn’t use technology to support the lesson Only 10 students have other ideas, they said that their teachers should decide when

to use IT in teaching English, and they need teachers’ help in their computer abilities because they know little about technology As it is seen here most of the students like learning English with IT and want to be learned with technology

8 In your opinion, how effective the lecture will be when IT is used?