Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions of Mobile Technology Adoption in English as a Foreign Language Learning: Trends and Practices

Abstract

A review of literature on mobile technology in EFL learning environment has indicated the growth, trends and practices of smartphones and mobile apps adoption both in classroom and outside classroom settings. However, little has been known on how EFL teachers perceived such trends and current practices and how they plan for future teaching. This study attempted to explore teachers’ responses to trends and practices of mobile technology adoption and their future teaching plan. To this end, a qualitative design was adopted with two consecutive research procedures: a systematic review on the selected trends and practices analysis studies on mobile technology for language learning practices and a survey through a semi-structured interview. Five EFL teachers (three females and two males) from secondary school level were interviewed using six open-ended questions. Findings of the study revealed that teachers perceived positively towards the trends and practices of mobile technology in and outside language learning classroom. Teachers perceived motivation as a main driver to incorporate mobile technology. Some of motivations frequently cited in the interviews with the sampled teachers revealed the current trends and practices of blended learning practices among Indonesian teachers, including the perceived benefits of mobile technology adoptions and the effect of mobile technology on teaching and learning practices and students’ characteristics. Three challenges were identified when technology was incorporated for learning namely infrastructure related issues, teacher technological knowledge and education policy.