Using Technology in the Classroom: A Study with Turkish Pre-Service EFL Teachers

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the student teachers’ use of technology in their classrooms during practice teaching experience. To this end, a questionnaire was given to 86 student teachers completing their teaching practicum at Anadolu University English Language Teaching Program. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 12 of the participants for data triangulation. The analyses of the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the practicum schools were not very rich in terms of the technological devices available to the student teachers for their EFL classes. It was also discovered that student teachers were not benefiting from technology available to them in their teaching practice at a satisfying level. Insufficient training, lack of basic facilities in the practicum schools, and student teachers’ own choices were found the main reasons for student teachers to utilize technology in the teaching practice process. The findings of the study revealed a mismatch between teacher training programs and real-world classrooms in terms of technology integration in EFL instruction. Pedagogical implications of the study consist of the need for better integration of technology in EFL teacher training and a stronger link between the placement schools and the university.