Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 25, No. 1, 2013

Current availability and use of ICT among Secondary EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia: Possibilities and Reality / Yousif Alshumaimeri, Riyadh Alhassan

The purpose of this study was to examine the current availability of ICT facilities to teachers of English as a second language in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was administered in order to ascertain the differences between teachers in their report of available ICT resources and their use of such resources. The results of the study indicate that although owning a PC at home was not a significant factor in teachers’ use of IT tools in school, teachers reporting usage of a home PC was a factor in their use of ICT. Study results also indicated that teachers who had a computer lab in their school used ICT significantly more than teachers who did not have access to a computer lab. Teachers additionally expressed dissatisfaction with the Educational Directorates’ provision of manuals and training opportunities. General computer training is clearly desired by the majority of the study respondents. The study recommends increasing availability of new teaching technologies, and training programs, in order to better ensure the integration of ICT resources into the lesson plans of EFL teachers. Planning at the administrative level should include a clear statement of commitment to additional labs, technology integration into existing classrooms, and training opportunities.
Keywords: Instructional environments, perceptions, teacher training, technology for language learning.