Lecturer Perspectives on ICT Uptake in Language Teaching in Vietnam: Current Practice, Barriers and Suggestions
Dang Xuan Thua,b & Ngo Van Giangb
aLa Trobe UniversitybHanoi University
OutlineIntroductionResearch methodsFindings
◦ Current practice of ICT use
◦ Barriers to ICT integration
SuggestionsQ&A
Introduction
ICT
Computer-assisted language learning (CALL)
Internet + useful
websites
Generic software, e.g. MS Office
ICT definition
ICT in Vietnam’s education
Education = top
priority
ICT = transform education
quality
Target - by 2015, 80% of school teacher
+ 100% uni teachers will
use ICT in teaching
School year 2008-2009 = year of ICT in
education.
Hanoi University (HANU)• Founde
d in 1959
• 14 language & 3 non-language depts,
• 7 centres
Public university
• Language labs
• Computer labs
• Lecture theatres
• Library
Facilities• Compute
rs • Internet
connection
Facilities
Research questions• What is the
current use of ICT in language teaching at HANU?
ICT use
• What are major barriers to ICT use in language teaching at HANU?
ICT barrie
rs
Research methods
SURVEY (N =222 lang.
lecturers)
INTERVIEWS (N=43)
Female Male Missing info
Leadership
ICT staff
Lang. lecturer
s
176 (~80%)
43 (~20%)
318
(~41%)
2(~6%)
23(~53%)
Mixed methods approach
Theoretical framework
The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of TechnologyVenkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478
Findings – Current ICT Use
Findings – Current ICT Use
Major ICT Barriers
Institutional level
* Lack of ICT guideline* Lack of support* Technical problems
Lecturer level* Limited access* Lack of ICT training* Heavy workloads
ICT Barriers – Institutional levelLack of ICT guideline
The official ICT guideline has not been well disseminated to all staff in HANU.
HANU has no official document guiding the use of ICT in teaching and learning.
81 81.2 81.4 81.6 81.8 82 82.2 82.4 82.6
82.5
81.6
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
“Well, I have no idea whether we have that [ICT guideline] or not. I really don’t know, but I cannot confirm that there is no such a document. It is I who have never seen or read that document.” (Interviewee, ID 03)
ICT Barriers – Institutional levelLack of specific support
I do not receive strong support for ICT use from HANU leaders.
I do not receive strong support for ICT use from the leaders of my Department/Centre.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
59.2
48.2
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
“We only receive unofficial praise or our students pass on good words to others, that’s all. Perhaps we don’t receive any material incentives” (Interviewee, ID22)
ICT Barriers – Institutional levelTechnical problems
The speed of Internet connection at HANU discourages teachers from using ICT.
HANU computers often have technical problems.
Technical problems often happen and waste a lot of time in lessons.
Computer software is not updated by HANU on a regular basis.
Most of HANU computers do not have software for purposeful language teaching.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
85.1
84.3
80.6
79.3
68.3
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
“Our internet bandwidth is probably not very broad so the waiting time is long. Our regular joke is that after we command the computer to do something, it takes a long time for the computer to ‘think’, long enough for us to do many things before what we command appears on the computer screen.” (Interviewee, ID 41)
ICT Barriers – Lecturer levelLimited access to ICT facilities
Only some classrooms at HANU are equipped with computers and internet connection.
Teachers have to share HANU computers with others.
HANU computers are concentrated in computer labs and in the library.
Teachers have limited access to HANU computers.
75 80 85 90 95 100
96.6
93.8
93.8
83.4
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
ICT Barriers – Lecturer levelLack of ICT training
The frequency of ICT training courses at HANU does not meet my need.
The contents of ICT training courses at HANU do not meet my need.
ICT training is not customised according to the actual level of ICT skills of HANU teachers.
68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86
83.6
77.1
73.4
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
ICT Barriers – Lecturer levelHeavy workloads, time & money
It is very time consuming to use ICT in lesson preparation.
I believe that ICT increases workloads for teachers.
For me, it is expensive to use ICT in teaching.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
66.8
62.7
51.7
Percentage of Agree & Agree a little
“…Let’s look at their workloads; they have many hours of classroom teaching, a lot of lesson preparations, and on top of that they have to teach extra classes to supplement family’s income. All that affects their time availability to learn how to use ICT. “(Interviewee, ID 38)
Suggestions
ICT plan with clear vision & wide dissemination
Teacher-centred ICT training + online depository of training sessions
Incentives for ICT integration
Q & AYour questions & comments are appreciated
ContactDang Xuan Thu
Email: [email protected] Van Giang
Email: [email protected]
AcknowledgementsSincere thanks go to:
o Dr. Howard Nicholas & Prof. Ramon Lewis for their academic guidance, &
o HANU staff for participating in this study