Arab World English Journal(April 2013) Theses / Dissertation
Name of researcher: Haseeb ur Rehman Toor
Title of the thesis/dissertation: What are the attitudes and perceptions of students, teachers and management towards the use of interactive whiteboards in our EFL classrooms at English language institute, Saudi Arabia?
Subject/major: TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
University name, department name: King Abdul Aziz University, English Language Institute
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Year of award: 2013
Abstract
This study and research explored the attitudes of students, teachers and administrators towards the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in EFL classrooms and it also found valuable insights during the actual use of IWBs in teaching English as a Foreign Language. Further, this study found those factors which were affecting teachers’ and students’ positive and negative attitudes towards IWBs. Data was collected and analyzed from seventy-one students, thirty-one teachers and six administrators at English Language Institute. Two classrooms were also observed to explore their opinions towards the use of IWBs. Further, the results of questionnaires revealed that both teachers and students, and administrators have positive attitudes towards the use of this technology in language instruction and on the other hand, observations revealed that IWBs were used with their functions in those EFL classes. Furthermore, the data revealed that teachers and students revealed in their opinions in questionnaires that they appreciated this technology because the number of hours of IWB exposure increased students’ awareness and it helped to motivate administrators to purchase IWBs for every classroom in three different buildings at English language institute.
Keywords: Interactive whiteboards, EFL learners, questionnaires, positive attitudes, observations