Journal Article

Modeling dichotomous technology use among university EFL teachers in China: The roles of TPACK, affective and evaluative attitudes towards technology

Zhang, Meng, Chen, Sitong

2022

Overview

Despite a consensus that technologies facilitate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching, Chinese EFL teachers are not using technologies at the optimal level of expectation. To address the problem of ineffective technology use, this study purports to delineate the interactions among three teacher internal variables (i.e., Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), affective and evaluative attitudes towards technology) and two technology usage variables (i.e., technology use for face-to-face and online instruction). Data were collected from 261 EFL teachers at 17 universities in China via a self-reported questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that teachers' TPACK, which related to their evaluative attitudes, positively influenced their actual technology use for both face-to-face and entire online instruction. Their evaluative attitudes also positively affected technology use for face-to-face instruction. In contrast, affective attitudes influenced neither type of technology use. The main theoretical values of this study were conceptualizing technology usage as a dichotomous variable to better fit the blended learning context and introducing a new dyadic perspective on attitudes towards technology. It also provided practical implications for computer-assist language learning policymakers and EFL faculty professional development in China.

• Publisher: Cogent,Taylor & Francis Ltd,Taylor & Francis Group
• Subject: Attitudes / attitudes towards technology / Blended learning / Chinese languages / College faculty / Computer assisted language learning / Educational research / Educational technology / English (Second Language) / English as a foreign language / English as a second language / English as a second language instruction / English language / English teachers / Faculty Development / Foreign language instruction / Foreign languages / Language acquisition / Language attitudes / Language Teachers / Learning / Learning environment / Online instruction / Pedagogical Content Knowledge / Policy making / Professional development / Professional training / Second language teachers / Structural equation modeling / Structural Equation Models / Teacher attitudes / teacher professional development / Teachers / Teaching / Technological pedagogical content knowledge / Technology / Technology attitudes / technology integration / Variables