ELEMENTARY EFL TEACHERS’ COMPUTER PHOBIA AND COMPUTER SELF-EFFICACY IN TAIWAN

ABSTRACT

The advent and application of computer and information technology has increased the overall success of EFL teaching; however, such success is hard to assess, and teachers prone to computer avoidance face negative consequences. Two major obstacles are high computer phobia and low computer self-efficacy. However, little research has been carried out in this area, especially from instructors’ perspectives. This study aimed to determine the levels of computer anxiety and computer self-efficacy, and their correlations to classroom teaching among 300 elementary EFL teachers in Taiwan. Data were collected through survey method. Results indicated that teachers have moderate to high computer phobia and low computer self-efficacy. It is evidenced that computer phobia is negatively associated with computer self-efficacy. Also, it was found that teachers who frequently used computers showed lower computer phobia. Male teachers perceived themselves as having higher computer self-efficacy, and younger teachers tended to have a lower level of computer phobia and higher computer self-efficacy. High accessibility of computers at school for teachers would significantly lower computer anxiety and raise computer self-efficacy. In addition to investigating these two specific factors, evidence and implications for practice and directions for further research are also discussed.