Integrating ICT in teaching a foreign language

Abstract

The research consists on the analysis of the integration of information and communication technologies in language teaching in a teacher formation program in a private university in Cali. It aims to identify the attitudes, uses and perspectives of teachers and students regarding the integration of technology in the teaching of a foreign language, in the Integrated Skills course in English VII of the program of Foreign Languages at Santiago de Cali University. In addition, our theoretical perspective focuses on the active use of technology in education and language teaching. This is a qualitative case study where interviews, surveys, and observations were used for the data collection. The collected information was analyzed by frequency analysis and discourse analysis. The results show that some of the professors of the program of foreign language at Santiago de Cali University use technology for the development of their classes. However, the use of technologies in classes focuses on a passive notion of the apprentice where technology is used mainly to perform limited activities. In addition, the findings suggest that there must be a teacher training in order to use technology in education to develop different activities in order to motivate students during their learning process. Consequently, it is suggested that future studies focus on the students' conception of technology and the impact of particular language skills and their conception of language teaching and learning. Moreover, this research is useful for future researchers in order to analyze the importance of the integration of information and communication technologies in the classroom. Finally, this study opens the door to future research for a greater understanding of the processes of integration of technology in the training of foreign language teachers.