Arab World English Journal
AWEJ Volume 2, number 2, April 2011 pp.133 – 166
Evaluating the Prospects of Integrating Technology in Pre-service EFL Teacher Training
AbdulRahman Al Asmari. PhD
Dept. of Foreign Languages, Arts Faculty
Taif University, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
This evaluative study investigates the prospects of integrating technology into pre-service EFL teacher education. Findings indicate that it is a daunting task to separate the policy from practice in the process of technology integration within Saudi universities. Despite the technologyenhanced national policies in Higher Education, the evidence is mixed as to whether Universities policymaking has notably been influenced by these policies. At the practice level, pre-service EFL teachers reported average levels of technology expertise and their general use of technology outscored their use for EFL learning purposes. From another perspective, academic EFL instructors lacked sufficient technology expertise and their technology use was more idealistic than realistic. With the national support for technology use in Higher Education, Universities policymakers should attempt to bridge the technology gap existing between national policies and policies made at the University level. Also, technology project tenders should be officially Evaluating the Prospects of Integrating Technology Al Asmari addressed to top officials at Universities, an initiative that should be taken by stakeholders at colleges and departmental levels. Recommendations at the practice level stress that academic instructors and pre-service EFL teachers should receive adequate, tailored, and continuing up skill training about how to best integrate technology into the process of language learning and teaching.
Key words: EFL, Pre-service teachers, Technology, Evaluation, Integration.