Abstract
Existing researches in the field of Applied Linguistics shows a significant interest in the application of advanced practices through usage of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) while teaching English as a second language. Therefore, the subject matter of resorting to the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) has been of significant concern and has created considerable discussion on ICT skills being an increased necessity. This study attempts to investigate the effects of ICT in the non-credit English for Academic Purpose classrooms at tertiary level education in the context of Nigeria, i.e. Imo state to be more precise. This research aims to look at the positive and negative effects that ICT has in terms of attitude, motivation and learning in EAP. To be clearer, this is an academic research that will help to see how the use of technology affects English language learning outcomes in the private educational institution of the tertiary level. For this research, I have conducted interviews with students and teachers in addition to observing classes to collect the data required to answer my research questions from two private tertiary level educational institutions. By having inductive research, I was able to narrow down my research and make it as specific as possible to help me understand the research participants’ state, attitude and motivation towards learning. After completing my research, the research findings have revealed that most of the participants, which include both students and teachers, view the implementation of ICT in EAP in a positive light. Both the students and teachers who participated agreed upon ICT significantly influencing the language learning processes and strategies. Although the study concludes ICT having positive effects when it comes to English language learning, nonetheless this study is also an attempt at identifying the challenges that comes with ICT application in EAP.
Chapter One
Introduction
With the advancement of modern technology, more communication and sharing opportunities are found with better and simpler electronic tools and gadgets, opening new doors to a greater access to a world of knowledge (Fu, 2013). Existing studies on this field show that the use of Information and Communications Technology in the English language learning classes can enhance the learners learning process while simultaneously enhancing students’ motivation in a significant manner that will make them want to constantly engage in acquiring knowledge as well as inspire imagination and creativity.
Technology in language learning can boost variety and increase the diversity of learning environments and opportunities and enhance the quality of the learning experience by making class content more varied and accessible to almost each individual learner; thus, ensuring greater participation and engagement among learners (Pennington, 1996). Curricular integration of ICT offers access to a set of electronic facilities such as interactive video, the Internet, email and the World Wide Web. These ICT tools can help learners acquire linguistic skills, establish contact and interaction with other language users and broaden their minds about different cultural practices, values and contemporary lifestyles in countries where English is used as a mother tongue or as a second language. ICT-aided teaching is believed to create more liveliness and interaction in the EFL classroom. Incorporating Info-Tech in language teaching gives students a large number of benefits to broaden their opportunities in successfully learning a foreign language. These advantages range from enhancing motivation to promoting autonomous learning, fostering critical thinking skills, encouraging innovation and creativity, establishing interaction, boosting communication, promoting research and cooperative learning in the language classroom and boosting students’ performance on written class assessment.
1.1 Background
It is a usual norm of university education that first semester students[1] get placed into different levels of English courses. Students with weak English skills get slotted into the preliminary
courses of English, which has led to this study focusing only on the English teachers and learners from preliminary English courses. The research was conducted among students belonging to three categories: students having exposure, having no exposure and having minimum exposure to the use of ICT in their high school English courses.
However, it must be kept in mind that having access to the different types of technological facilities is a scenario that is still rare and very exceptional in many parts of the world, Nigeria being one. Over the last few decades, studies are being conducted to assess whether or not ICT can positively impact English teaching and learning. As Nigeria is approaching ahead to make it a digitalized country in every sense, many tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria have integrated ICT in English language teaching and learning. Under such circumstances, as teachers have been gaining wider expertise in ICT usage, they use their own technological materials that are provided at their place of work. The study thus investigated whether the teachers as well as students who have had less access to the use of technology have a harder time understanding the instructions being given with the assistance of technology when compared to those who had previous exposure to technology.
As we are all living in the 21st century, every aspect of our lives is being defined by technology, thus making technology to be a crucial factor in the development of society. Keeping this fact in mind, educational institutions all over the world have taken the advantage of using modern technology in the classrooms to enhance learning outcomes. The Government of Nigeria has been extensively working over the last 10 years regarding this ICT aspect in education—eventually making Nigeria in rank fifth in Asia to have used the internet most, with more than 80 million having internet access as of December 2017, up from 0.1 million in 2000 (Rashid, 2019)[2]. IT is in this line that The National ICT Policy of Nigeria of 2009 perceived ICT as means of holistic development of the nation
(ibid).
1.2 Context
It is trite to mention that modern technology is viewed as an essential feature when it comes to language teaching practices in today’s globalized world of mass communication and transfer of information. And English is the language that is predominantly used in many sectors of development. Subsequently, the increasing demand of learning the English language for communicating across cultures and continents has created the teaching and learning of the English language so crucial in all segments of our education system. Thus, the necessity to master fluency and proficiency in English language within a short period of time is a common scenario these days—especially in the tertiary education. The option for students with weak English language proficiency to take non-credit preliminary English courses at the beginning of university education have become prevalent over the last decade in the private sector of tertiary level education in Nigeria. However, an important factor that people tend to overlook is the fact that although this is a scenario that a lot of students face at the first year, a crucial matter does not get enough light shed onto it is the psychological implications that these students go through. If we narrow it down to two basic factors that cause students to have mixed feelings while taking non-credit courses, we find: firstly, they feel demotivated and frustrated due to the fact that the preliminary courses, being non-credited, take away an entire semester worth of studying without the credits being added to their overall grades. This is due to the correlation that exists between the student’s academic performance and sense of self-worth. “In other words, significant findings revealed that students’ level of self-esteem was a significant determinant in their academic achievement. If students develop higher levels of self-esteem, they would exhibit higher academic achievements (Aryana, 2010: 2475). Secondly, they feel motivated and interested as they know that through these preliminary courses, they will be able to get accepted into regular credit courses that are aligned with their respective fields. Therefore, my research project inquired into the correlation between the students’ attitudes, motivation and learning that occur due to the presence of ICT in the classroom. As the use of technology to enhance the effectiveness of English language teaching inside the classroom can be found in university level education in Nigeria.
1.3 Purpose
The purpose of this study was to find out whether the use of ICT in English language classes at the tertiary level provides the same results when being taught to students who have and do not have a prior acquaintance with ICT. The purpose also included an investigation into finding out whether new students being enrolled into the pre-university English language learning classes who had little exposure to the use of ICT in their high school language education face challenges when experiencing ICT in their university classrooms. Another purpose of the study was to find out whether having technology in the classroom influences students’ motivation in learning the language.
1.4 Significance and Scope
The significance of this research topic is based on the fact that ICT has, in fact, become a crucial factor in the 21st century. Thus, the significance and value of ICT can be found all over the world in every sector of modern society, including the educational sector. Similarly, the educational institutions in Nigeria have also come to terms with incorporating ICT in the classroom, therefore with this study it will help to identify ways in which ICT is helping improve language teaching and learning experiences.
The scope of this research paper is immense for both teachers and learners of the preliminary courses of the tertiary level educational institutions. They would be able to understand how, and in what ways, application of ICT in the classroom can impact teachers teaching and the learners’ learning experience. The study also expects to find the correlation between ICT and the learners’ learning process in terms of motivation.
1.5 Research Questions
The research aimed at finding answers to the following general and specific questions.
General Question:
- What kinds of impacts do ICT have on undergraduate students in their English classrooms regardless of their prior ICT exposure?
Specific Questions:
- To what extent does ICT enhance students’ motivation towards English language learning?
- In what ways does ICT foster students’ English language learning?
- Can ICT promote students’ autonomy as English language learners?
1.6 Delimitation
Since the first semester students get placed into different levels of English courses based on their English proficiency where the students with weak English skills get slotted into the preliminary courses of English, this study only focused on the English teachers and learners from the preliminary courses where the students’ English skill is comparatively weak. To further make the study as specified as possible, the data for the research were collected from only two private universities located within Imo state, Nigeria.
1.7 Limitation
As the outcomes of this research are from two private tertiary level educational institutions, it must be understood that the study represents the data of a small geographic location and may not be taken as an ideal representation of the subject matter at hand. Conducting the research at other tertiary level educational institutions might have yielded different results.
1.8 Research project Outline
This research project paper is composed of the following chapters:
Chapter 1 provides the background and context of the subject that is being researched upon, the purpose for which the research is being done. The significance and scope of the research as well as the research questions that are being asked to gather data for the study. This chapter also includes the delimitation and limitation of the study.
Chapter 2 discusses the literature review on the use and influence of ICT in English language learning in the undergraduate level as well as all the relevant data that have been produced so far by numerous researchers on the topic of ICT and its impact on English language teaching and learning.
Chapter 3 talks about the methods that were used to collect the data for the research paper. The qualitative method for data collection had been applied in the form of interviews; Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and questionnaire were used to gather information for the research.
Chapter 4 incorporates the data collected through qualitative method and analyses of the outcome from the feedback received.
Chapter 5 compiles the results of the data collected and provides suggestion for future academics on ways to improve the teaching and learning of the English language with the assistance of ICT.
[1] In this dissertation, I used the term ‘first semester students’ instead of the commonly known term ‘freshmen’. The latter term has come under serious criticism for being gender-biased and hence being rejected by various globally reputed universities (e.g. https://www.dailysignal.com/2017/09/18/yale-ditches-freshman-for-genderneutral-term/)
[2] ‘The National Education Policy-2010’ has been intended to bring necessary reforms in curriculum, pedagogy and teachers’ capacity building where ICT would be an effective tool.
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