EFL teacher educators were surveyed about their attitudes towards Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). While their general attitudes were positive, scores on anxiety and avoidance subscales indicated barriers exist. Barriers mentioned included lack of hardware, time, and technical support. Despite availability issues, some felt attitudes were a bigger barrier. Computers were used for presentations, exercises, and communication. No significant gender differences existed in attitudes. Older educators were slightly less enthusiastic about CALL. Eliminating barriers may not be enough, as educators need to feel competent and see technology's benefits for student learning.

1. Doç. Dr. Neşe CABAROĞLU
Öğr. Gör. Sezer Alper ZEREYALP
Doç. Dr. Oğuz M. KUTLU

2. “Our students have changed radically. Today’s
students are no longer the people our educational system
was designed to teach…”
“Our ‘Digital Immigrant’ instructors, who speak an
outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are
struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely a
new language…”
Marc Prensky, (2001).

3. Computer revolution has tremendously affected not only the way
people live but also the way people do their jobs. A few decades ago,
it was very hard to imagine that computers would be so widespread,
available and practical. There is almost no aspect of our lives where
computers are not used.
In general, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) may be
defined as the use of computers in language instruction. Schofield
(1995) defines CALL as any kind of language learning or teaching
activity done by using computers.
Literature review
1 out of 4

4.  Teachers‘ ideas, feelings and attitudes related to teaching are for
sure shaped by their educators‘ ideas, attitudes and feelings.
Ridzuan, Sam and Ahmad (2001, 1) clearly point out that
‘”teacher educators, as frontliners of the teacher preparation
process, should themselves be well versed in the fields of
integrating computers into the learning processes”.
 They claim that it is expected that teacher educators who use
computers regularly and have positive attitudes towards computers,
will - transmit some of their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to
prospective teachers who will enter the school system.
Literature review
2 out of 4

5. revealed that - EFL teachers - hindered by a lack of access to
equipment, a lack of professional support, and a lack of confidence
in their computer skills. (Lam, 2000)
It is stated that Teachers who lack confidence in their skills with
technology - less likely to use it because they think it threatens
their sense of competence in front of their students (Zammit, 1992,
Winnans and Sardo Brown,1992; George and Camarata, 1996).
Literature review
3 out of 4

6. Attitudes towards computers may be defined as - “specific feelings
that indicate whether a person likes or dislikes using computers”
(Simpson, Coballa, Oliver and Crawley, 1994).
 A general finding is that teachers adopting a more positive computer
attitude are more likely to use computers in their classes (van Braak et
al. 2004).
Other teacher characteristics that can be connected to the educational
use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are Teachers‘
educational beliefs‘ and Innovativeness
Literature review
4 out of 4

7. Statement of the Problem Why study
Teacher Attitudes on CALL?
 Lam (2000) states that there has not been much research on
technology from the point of view of teachers and that the focus has
largely been on students and how they are affected by technology.
The main question was : Why teachers should or should not use
technology rather than why they do or do not use it.
 As the act of teaching requires a two-way relationship (the learner
on one side and the teacher on the other) teachers’ attitudes
towards CALL, and teacher’s barriers to the use of CALL should also
be examined carefully.
 We should be aware of EFL teacher educators’ attitudes towards
CALL since they are the most important models for prospective
language teachers.

8. Aim of the Study
 to investigate the to identify EFL teacher educators‘ attitudes
and feelings towards Computer Assisted Language Learning. We
also aimed at finding out whether there was a difference
between female and male teacher educators‘ attitudes towards
CALL and the relationship between age and attitudes towards
CALL.
 to reveal the teacher educators‘ barriers to the use of CALL (if
any).

9. 1. What are EFL teacher educators‘ attitudes towards using CALL?
 Is there a significant difference between the attitudes of female and male
teacher educators?
 Is there a significant difference between teacher educators‘ age groups and
their attitudes towards CALL?
2. What are EFL teacher educators‘ barriers (if any) to the use of
CALL?
Research Questions

10. Methodology
 English language teacher educators teaching at state
universities in Turkey
 Data collection tools: Questionnaires and interviews.

11. Participants
 Teacher Educators from:
 Middle East Technical University,
 Balıkesir University,
 Kocaeli University,
 Abant İzzet Baysal University,
 Boğaziçi University,
 Marmara University,
 Anadolu University,
 Dicle University,
 Selçuk University,
 Uludağ University,
 Mustafa Kemal University,
 Çukurova University and

12. Data Collection Tools
In order to collect data about teacher educators‘ attitudes towards CALL and their
feelings about Information Technology, Faculty Attitudes Towards Information
Technology Survey (FAIT) from Texas Center for Educational Technology was used.
There are five different domains included in the FAIT designed to examine several
relevant areas of interest. The information obtained from these instruments included
items on:
 enthusiasm/enjoyment (15 items)
 anxiety (15 items)
 avoidance (12 items)
 e-mail and classroom learning (11 items)
 productivity improvement (15 items).
 A semi-structured interview was used for this study. The rationale behind
the use of a semi-structured interview for the study was to allow both the
participants and the researcher to elaborate on feelings about computers
and problems faced as to the use of computer technology in teaching.

13. Findings
 The teacher educators‘ general attitudes towards CALL were really positive
although relatively low points for Anxiety and Avoidance subscales
indicated the existence of teacher educators‘ barriers. The existence of
such barriers was justified during the interviews.
Barriers towards CALL as Mentioned by Teacher Educators
Barriers mentioned Mentioned by
Lack of hardware or laboratories P1,P2,P3,P4,P5
Lack of Time
P1,P2
Technical and administrative support and
resources
P1
People‘s (educators‘) opinions or ideas
(attitudes)
P5
1 out of 5

14.  external (first– order) barriers (e.g.“lack of hardware”, “time
constraints”, “lack of technical and administrative support and
resources”....)
 “people‘s opinions and ideas or attitudes” - as an internal (second
–order) barrier.
 Despite admitting the availability problems, P5 suggested that the
biggest problem resulted from people‘s ideas and attitudes. She
said “...But this unavailability...In fact I don‘t think that it is an
unavailability problem because there are a lot of computers in
the department which are not used and remain idle, people also
have such computers. I mean I believe the real problem is
people‘s ideas and attitudes...”

15. Computers used for Mentioned by
Power point presentations P1, P2, P4,
Listening exercises P1, P3, P5
Watching Films P1, P2
Sending-receiving E-mails/E-mail groups
(Nice Net)
P1, P3
Online dictionaries P5
Communication via Skype P5
Ways of Using Computers in Teaching as Mentioned by the Participants
Findings and Discussion 2 out of 5

16. Independent Samples t-Test results
for the Effect of Gender on Attitude Points for Avoidance Subscale
Avoidance N Mean Std. Dev. df t p
Female 48 3,37 ,29
72 -1,245 ,217
Male 26 3,58 ,30
We could not find a significant relationship between gender and attitudes
towards CALL or computer technologies although female teacher educators‘
attitude point means for Enthusiasm, Anxiety, Avoidance and Classroom
Learning Productivity subscales were slightly lower when compared to male
teacher educators‘ attitude point means.
Findings and Discussion 3 out of 5

17. Although it was not statistically significant, it was revealed in the
questionnaire that older teacher educators were slightly less enthusiastic about
using CALL in their teaching when compared to younger teacher educators.
Mean Scores and Standard Deviations for the
Relationship Between Age and Attitude (Enthusiasm Subscale)
Age group N Mean Std. Dev.
21-30 9 3,68 ,46
31-40 27 3,94 ,62
41-50 27 3,83 ,56
51 and older 4 3,43 ,78
Total 67 3,83 ,59
Findings and Discussion 4 out of 5

18.  From the findings of the interviews and questionnaires, we can
undoubtedly conclude that teacher educators have quite positive
attitudes towards CALL. P6, for example, stated that computers
were indispensable due to the pace and the ease they provided the
education with and she added it was great to be able to access
infinite amount of information in a limited time.
Findings and Discussion
5 out of 5

19. Conclusion
 Findings from the present study showed that teacher educators
seemed to have positive attitudes towards computers in general and
towards computer technology use in improving language instruction
and learning.
 However, they had the lowest attitude score means for Anxiety and
Avoidance subscales, which justifies the existence of teacher
educators‘ barriers towards the use of CALL.
1 out of 3

20.  The factors discouraging teacher educators from using CALL or
Computer technologies in their teaching:
 lack of hardware or laboratories,
 lack of time
 lack of technical and administrative support and resources,
 people’s opinions or ideas (attitudes)
Conclusion
2 out of 3

21.  We may conclude that for the effective integration of computers
into teaching, eliminating teacher educators’ extrinsic barriers such
as unavailability of up to date technology, lack of administrative
support and technical help will not be enough.
 Teacher Educators will probably be more eager to use technology or
computers in their instruction only if they believe that the use of
technology will enable them to create a better learning environment
and if they believe they are competent enough to use computers in
their teaching effectively.
Conclusion
3 out of 3

22. Thank you…