Perceptions and Attitudes toward Using CALL in English Classrooms among Saudi Secondary EFL Teachers

Reporting on data collected from a survey of Secondary EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia, this study is
an analysis of the perceptions and attitudes held in regard to the use of computer assisted language
learning (CALL) in English classrooms. Background data as well as attitudes were collected from
183 male and female respondents from a pool of 250 randomly selected secondary level teachers
in Riyadh. The results, determined after descriptive as well as statistical analysis, indicated a
positive correlation between a teacher’s attendance during training, both for computer as well as
CALL, and a positive attitude toward the use of IT approaches to learning in the Saudi classroom.
Recommended actions include specialized training for EFL teachers who are required to integrate
CALL into regular classroom instruction. Training programs should additionally be cognizant of other
needs that may emerge through applied staff feedback exercises.
1. Introduction
1.1 Importance of Attitudes
The aim of the research at hand was to discover the perceptions and attitudes of secondary
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers toward the use of Computer Assisted
Language Learning (CALL) in English classrooms in Saudi Arabia. Many factors, including
student age, teacher age, and presence or absence of the teacher during training, can
contribute to or distract from the success of a newly introduced teaching method. The
successful implementation of a pedagogical tool, such as the inclusion of information
technology (IT) in the classroom, is contingent upon the methods and practices of the
educator who uses it. The attitude of the teacher towards the tool or approach affects the
way it will be used and implemented. The increasing inclusion of technologically advanced
teaching tools is requiring a shift in the epistemology of today’s teachers.
Teaching approaches like CALL can vary considerably in implementation and efficacy.
One explanation of such variation is in the resistance of educators to progressive approaches
that are imported from other academic environments (Bain & McNaught, 2006).
Approaches like CALL depend also on the level of comfort an educator feels with regard
to computers and advanced technology (Carballo-Calero, 2001). Older teachers may feel
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unprepared to use such approaches in the classroom if they are inexperienced with the technology.
Even if the will to use imported teaching tools is present, some educators are unable to
properly augment the tool to their particular classroom (Bain & McNaught, 2006). These and
other attitudes that may be expressed by the teacher will inadvertently be transmitted to the
students. Transmission of such negative attitudes can sometimes be the deciding factor in the
efficacy of a new teaching initiative.
1.2 Computer Use in Saudi Arabia
The use of IT in Saudi Arabia has broadened considerably in the last three decades. First used
by the Ministry of Education, computers served as a tool to store and process information
related to student records, teachers, and administrators. Students also used computers at this
time to prepare assignments and write reports. In time, computers were incorporated into
teaching regimes to assist in course preparation, document production, book creation, management,
and other related teaching activities. The use of computers also proliferated in the hard
sciences in support of scientific experiments. From the early 1990s, the Ministry of Education
introduced computer literacy programs as a compulsory subject in the secondary stage curriculum.
After the successful introduction of two courses, a third course was specifically introduced
for business administration students. The Ministry of Education provided all secondary schools
with a computer lab and training courses were held in the labs for select teachers (Al-Aqeely,
2001). More recently, the Ministry of Education expanded the program and began equipping
primary schools with computer labs as well. However, due to shortage of teachers and trained
maintenance staff, this initiative was discontinued.
In support of English courses, the Ministry began developing supplementary e-learning
materials for students and teachers. Some private companies developed additional software
for the secondary school English curriculum that included exercises and other supporting
tools (Bedaiwi, 2007). Today, education in Saudi Arabia is facing huge reforms as King Abdullah
pursues a new academic endeavor, “Tatweer”. This project will include the re-qualification of
teachers and educators, curriculum development, and conscientious development of the school
environment. Within this project, 400,000 male and female teachers of different subjects will
be provided IT training, laptops will be given to distinctive teachers as an incentive, schools will
be equipped with data projectors, smartboards will be provided, schools will be connected by
a communication network, and servers and databanks of e-learning courses will be constructed
(Ministry of Education, 2007).
1.3 Importance of the Study
Efficacy of a new teaching approach is irreducibly tied to the epistemological beliefs and practices
of the teacher. By encouraging teachers to reflect on their experiences and the challenges
they face, decision makers can better ensure productive use of new technological innovations in
education. The infusion of IT tools into education in general, and English classes more specifically,
is controlled by decision makers in the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia. Collection of
the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers who use such tools, followed by careful analysis,
is an important step in the assessment and modification of the teaching initiative. Careful monitoring
and evaluation of the needs and experiences of EFL teachers will assist decision makers
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as they develop methods to use IT more effectively in the education system. Such tracking will
further help in the development of future initiatives.
1.4 Study Goals
As stated, the study at hand investigated Saudi secondary EFL teachers’ attitudes and perceptions
toward using computers in their English classrooms. Specific study goals included:
1. Collection of the attitudes of Saudi secondary EFL teachers.
2. Analysis of the differences in attitudes that may occur between male and female teachers.
3. Review of the effects of other factors on the attitudes of teachers.
4. Understanding the implications of the infusion of IT tools into English language classrooms in
Saudi Arabia and suggestions for improvement.
1.5 Questions
1. What are the Saudi EFL teachers’ attitudes towards using computers in their English classrooms?
• Are there any differences in teachers’ attitudes according to computer training
attendance?
• Are there any differences in teachers’ attitudes according to their use of their school’s
computer lab?
• Are there any differences in teachers’ attitudes according to attendance in CALL training
programs?
2. What are the Saudi EFL male teachers’ attitudes towards using computers in their English
classroom?
3. What are the Saudi EFL female teachers’ attitudes towards using computers in their English
classroom?
4. Are there any differences between the two genders in terms of their attitudes toward using
computers in their English classrooms?
5. Are there any differences between the two genders in terms of training, use of the school’s
lab, and CALL training?
2. Literature Review
An attitude is defined as “a relatively enduring organization of beliefs, feelings, and behavioral
tendencies towards socially significant objects, groups, events or symbols” (Hogg & Vaughan,
2005, p. 150). In the educational environment, attitudes harbored and expressed by teachers as
well as students play an important role in the achievement of educational objectives. Specifically
with regard to the use of new innovations in the classroom, traditional teaching methods are
being forced to accommodate what are sometimes incommensurate information technologies.
The opinions and attitudes of teachers play a prominent role in educational interaction as well
as instructional choices and as such are fundamental in examining the outcome of technological
integration in the classroom (Albion & Ertmer, 2002; Pajares, 1992; Becker, Ravitz, & Wong,
1999). In fact, teachers’ attitudes toward IT have been found to be among the most critical
variables in predicting the successful use of technology during educational activities (Becker et
al., 1999).
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Research to date has identified several variables that correlate to teachers’ attitudes toward
IT, including available teaching models, level of support of school authority figures in the area of
IT integration (Zapata, 2004), undergraduate teaching preparation (Becker et al., 1999), teaching
experience, financial support, and access to technology training (Saye, 1998). Several studies
have determined there is a positive relationship between technology training and teachers’ attitudes
(Becker et al., 1999). Particularly important to this study, training can significantly impact
the ways in which a teacher embraces IT tools in the classroom. In an examination of teaching
styles and IT integration in Italy, results “appeared to indicate that both personal theories of
teaching and the level of competence with ICT play a major role in how teachers implement
ICT and in their perception of their own and their pupils’ motivation” (Gobbo & Girardi, 2001,
p. 63).
In contrast, a study carried out by Veen (1993) that described the daily pedagogical practices
of four teachers in the midst of implementing information and communication technology
(ICT) in their classrooms in a Dutch secondary school, found that the most important factor effecting
teachers’ use of ICT was teachers’ beliefs regarding what should be taught and the way
it should be taught. Computer related technical skills were found to be less important than skills
related to the teachers’ competence in managing activities and communicating lessons (Veen,
1993).
It is suggested that in Education courses, student teachers must be given the opportunity to
become acquainted with newly introduced technologies. Mcalister et al. (2005), in their study of
student teachers’ use of computers to teach mathematics, found that overall attitudes towards
using computers were very positive, although many of them had limited experience with
computers. The conclusion of Mcalister et al. (2005) was that more training and support in IT
should be given to schools as well as teachers, and more value should be placed on the teacher
as a role model for students.
Some research has found that often teachers do not have positive attitudes toward technology,
although they might view the technology as an effective instructional strategy (Clark,
2000). Employing Engeström’s theoretical approach to a study on teachers’ attitudes towards
collaborative learning environments, Kollias et al. (2005) tracked the dimensions of the learning
activity system that are most affected by changes in innovation and that relate directly to attitudinal
shifts among teachers. Findings of the team included reflections on the changing division
of labor (such as increased demands on the teacher requiring technical knowledge), increased
preparation, and articulation of long term goals (Kollias et al., 2005). Kollias and colleagues found
that encouraging positive teacher attitudes toward technological innovation was a key factor in
enhancing computer integration, and also for avoiding teacher resistance to innovation.
Teachers who reportedly value the integration of technology alter their teaching in order to
better incorporate IT approaches (Cox et al., 1999). Software availability and teacher willingness
to use the software can have positive effects on adoption of IT in the classroom (Clariana,
1992; Sepehr & Harris, 1995). Interactive venues and discussion boards can help teachers to
learn with technology instead of solely using the technology to teach (Coniam, 2002; Ducate &
Arnold, 2006). Additionally, educators who report a strong commitment to learning as well as
their own professional development have been found to integrate IT tools more readily (Hadley
& Sheingold, 1993; Becker et al., 1999).
In conducting research on teachers’ perceptions and attitudes, the teacher must be viewed
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holistically as a part of the greater education environment. In her review of Engeström’s activity
theory, Zapata (2004) suggests that researchers abandon the position of viewing teachers as
isolated practitioners and focus rather on the system in which knowledge and meaning are
constructed. By focusing on the dialectical aspects of collective learning, Engeström emphasized
that actions, thoughts, and feelings cannot be separated from the interactive human environment
in which they occur. The experience of the instructor within the networks of activity in
which they participate can influence the degree to which they are receptive to innovation. It is
thus important to note that the relationships between attitudes and practices cannot be readily
defined as beliefs are interconnected in ways that are not always easy to anticipate (Bain &
McNaught, 2006).
Teachers, as the essential fulcrum of knowledge transference, are unfortunately seldom
included in the development of new pedagogical approaches. Although the educational policies
of many countries have embraced technology as a crucial element of the modern classroom,
systematic efforts to document and to explore teacher’ attitudes towards such innovations has
not been conducted. This exclusion of teachers in instructional design is particularly noted in
the field of second language instruction (Zapata, 2004). She suggested that “even though there
has been considerable research on teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of the use of instructional
technology in elementary, middle, and high school classes in subjects other than foreign languages,
the area of CALL remains mostly unexplored” (2004, p. 340).
In summary of Delcloque’s review of research conducted to date on the CALL approach,
Stephen Bax (2003) states sources on the subject can be categorized into two types, those
properly researched accounts and interpretive accounts that are more subjective (Delcloque,
2000). Bax argues the former (Levy, 2000; Ahmad et al., 1985) are mostly a collection of facts
and as such are a surface review rather than an in-depth analysis. The second type, however,
(Warschauer, 2000) offers more substantive analysis through the description of three phases
of CALL identified as behavioristic, communicative, and integrative. Although the paradigms are
not easily identified chronologically, they do however provide a framework for differentiating
between the various perspectives educators and administrators may take when considering the
CALL approach.
In seeking to analyze CALL in the Saudi classroom, the research at hand provides an analysis
of the integrative phase of CALL as opposed to the behavioristic or communicative phases
described by Bax (2003). In seeking to understand why CALL varies significantly in implementation
and success, Zapata (2004) suggests differences are sometimes attributable to institutional
differences between educational facilities. The institutional policies that govern a given
language department dictates the ways in which approaches like CALL will be conceptualized
and integrated. The extent to which the teaching community is involved in the implementation
of CALL, training provided to teachers, and financial support for the program, are also tied to
institutional policies (Zapata, 2004). As Bax suggests, CALL is not fully normalized as of yet and
“most people in language education would recognize that CALL does have a relative advantage
(now that the communicative potential can at least be realized through web technology), but
we are still at the stage where the majority of teachers are nervous of it” (Bax, 2003, p. 25).
As explored above, teachers’ attitudes play a decisive role, be it positive or negative, in
the educational environment. As such, the attitudinal position of the teacher is a fundamental
aspect in an analysis of the outcome of technological integration. Pertinent to this study, access
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to and attitude toward technology training is viewed to correlate to the integrative success of
approaches such as CALL. While research has found that although some teachers do not have
positive attitudes toward technology, they may still view the technology as an effective instructional
strategy. As discussed, the experience of the instructor within the network of administrative
activity can influence the degree to which they are receptive to innovation. In regard to
Saudi English teachers, an understanding of a teacher’s experience with school resources such
as computer training, CALL training, and computer labs, will assist in determining how positive
attitudes towards CALL are fostered. Institutional policies, such as support for and extent of
training offered to secondary English teachers, is considered an important factor in the integrative
success of the CALL approach.
3. The study
3.1 Research Design
The survey undertaken was intended to provide a descriptive analysis of the attitudes of
secondary EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia. A descriptive research design such as this can provide
useful information about the distribution of a wide range of characteristics and of relationships
between such characteristics. According to Gall, Borg, and Gall (1996), “the purpose of a survey
is use questionnaires to collect data from participants in a sample about their characteristics,
experiences, and opinions in order to generalize the findings to a population that the sample is
intended to represent” (p. 289).
3.2 Participants
The participants of this study were 183 male and female EFL teachers at the Secondary stage
schools in Riyadh city. The group was composed of 105 male teachers and 78 female teachers.
The total EFL teacher population in Secondary schools in Riyadh is 436 male teachers and 430
female teachers. As there is little variability in the teacher population and less than 100% returns
were expected for the questionnaire, a total of 250 male and female teachers were originally
targeted for the study sample. Cluster sampling was utilized to identify the sample group by
dividing the Riyadh Directorate for Boys Education and the Directorate for Girls Education
into five supervision centers: North, South, East, West, and Centre. Following this division, 25
questionnaires were distributed for each supervision center, male and female. The percentage
of returned questionnaires is sufficient at 84% for male teachers and 62.4% for female teachers.
Poor response among the female teachers is acknowledged and is attributed to data collection
constraints within the Girl’s Directorates.
3.3 Research Tools
Dörnyei indicated that questionnaire data is the most common type of data collected in attitudes
studies (2001). Questionnaires are simple to administer and provide researchers with
quantitative data.
For this study, statements were composed concerning teachers’ attitudes toward using
computers to assist in teaching English language courses. The statements were either positive/
favorable or negative/unfavorable towards the objects of interest. Containing two parts, the
questionnaire elicited biographical and background data first and secondly questioned teachThe
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ers’ attitudes toward using computers to teach English. Twenty four items, some positively and
others negatively worded, were used to assess the teachers’ affective reaction to computer
use in teaching English. The questionnaire was piloted and the pilot results helped in modifying
the questionnaire. The questionnaire were evaluated by four academic professors specialized
in EFL, CALL, and IT for content and face validity. A reliability analysis was computed for the
questionnaire. The reliability results were (Cronbach’s alpha) 0.884 for all the questionnaire
items and 0.9122 for the attitudes items. It was felt that the reliability estimates were very high
and acceptable.
3.4 Data Collection and Analysis Procedures
Data collection was conducted in the school setting, employing normal procedures, and on a
regular school day during the second semester of 2006. Data analysis was conducted in accordance
with the research questions, all of which were concerned with the teachers’ attitudes
towards using computers in teaching English as a foreign language. Frequency, descriptive
analysis tests, and mean scores were used to measure the teachers’ attitudes and to provide a
picture of the population under study. T-tests for independent samples were used to test the
differences between the participants according to their attendance during computer training,
use of the school’s computer lab to teach English, and attendance during special training in
CALL. The T-tests also were used to measure the differences that occurred between male and
female teachers in their attitudes toward using computers to teach English. The study results are
reported below.
4. Study Results
As seen in Tables 1 and 2 below, biographical data collected indicated the sample population
of Secondary school English teachers who participated in the questionnaire was majority male
with a frequency of 57 percent and mostly in the age range of 26 to 35 with a frequency of
44.8 percent. Female teachers accounted for 42.6 percent of respondents. The second most
common age range was 36 to 45 years with a frequency of 37.2 percent. There were 18 participants
aged less than 26 years and two participants aged more than 55 years.
Table 1. Distribution of the sample according to sex
Sex Frequency %
Male 105 57.4
Female 78 42.6
Total 183 100.0
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Table 2. Distribution of the sample according to age group
Age group Frequency %
less than 26 yr 18 9.8
26–35 yr 82 44.8
36–45 yr 68 37.2
46–55 yr 13 7.1
More than 55 2 1.1
Total 183 100.0
The majority, 64.1 percent, of female respondents earned a B.A. from an Art college, while only
36.2 percent of male respondents received the same degree (see Table 3). An equal portion of
male respondents received a B.A. from an Education college. As seen in Table 4, the majority
of respondents, 56.2 percent of males and 73 percent of females, had more than 10 years of
experience.
Table 3. Distribution of the sample according to qualification
Level
Male Female
Frequency % Frequency %
BA Teachers’ colleges 17 16.2 - -
BA Art college 38 36.2 50 64.1
BA Education college 38 36.2 25 32.1
Other 12 11.4 3 3.8
Total 105 100.0 78 100.0
Table 4. Distribution of the sample according to years of experience
Level
Male Female
Frequency % Frequency %
less than 6 yrs 28 26.7 13 16.7
6-10 yrs 18 17.1 8 10.3
11-15 yrs 21 20.0 31 39.7
more than 15 yrs 38 36.2 26 33.3
Total 105 100.0 78 100.0
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When questioned about training received, the majority of male respondents (54.3 percent)
indicated they had attended a computer training program, while a minority of female respondents
(47.4 percent) attended computer training (see Table 5). However, when asked specifically
about CALL training, only 15.2 percent of male respondents and 6.4 percent of female
respondents had attended CALL training (see Table 6). In relation, only 6.7 percent of male and
15.4 percent of female respondents use the computer lab for teaching English (see Table 7).
Table 5. Distribution of the sample according for the question: “Have you ever
attended a computer training program?”
Level
Male Female
Frequency % Frequency %
No 48 45.7 41 52.6
Yes 57 54.3 37 47.4
Total 105 100.0 78 100.0
Table 6. Distribution of the sample according to the question: “Have you ever
attended a CALL training?”
Level
Male Female
Frequency % Frequency %
No 89 84.8 73 93.6
Yes 16 15.2 5 6.4
Total 105 100.0 78 100.0
Table 7. Distribution of the sample according to the question: “Do you use the
school lab for teaching English?”
Level
Male Female
Frequency % Frequency %
No 98 93.3 66 84.6
Yes 7 6.7 12 15.4
Total 105 100.0 78 100.0
To answer the main research question, (What are the Saudi EFL teachers’ attitudes toward using
computers in their English classroom), table 8 shows a descriptive analysis results indicating
positive attitudes were held by the Saudi EFL teachers toward using computers with general
mean score of (3.91) and standard deviations (0.56). Table 8 also shows that both males and
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females hold positive attitudes toward using computers at their English classroom with mean
scores (3.82) and (4.04) respectively.
Table 8. General mean scores for the attitudes item
Scale Level N Mean SD
The scale
(attitudes)
All sample 183 3.91 0.56
Male 105 3.82 0.64
Female 78 4.04 0.41
In analysis of the question pertaining to computer course attendance by teachers, T-test results
for independent samples show that there are significant differences among the participants in
their attitudes towards using computers when compared to their attendance in computer training
programs. As seen below in Table 9, the t-value was (−4.26) with P level (0.000) in favor
of those who attended computer training programs. For statistical analysis of each item in the
survey please see Appendix A.
Table 9. The differences in attitudes across entire sample according to computer
course attendance
Scale Level N Mean SD t-value Sig.
The scale
(attitudes)
Not attended 89 3.7397 .61057
−4.26 0.000**
Attended 94 4.0767 .45098
** Significant level at 0.01
Furthermore, as seen in Table 10, T-test results show that there are significant differences
among the study participants in their attitudes toward the use of computers and use of school
computer labs for teaching English. The results are in favor of those who use the computer labs
to teach English with t-value (−3.122) and P level (0.002).
Table 10. T-test results of the differences across the entire sample according to
their use of computer labs to teach English
Scale Level N Mean SD t-value Sig.
The scale
(attitudes)
There is no computer lab 48 3.701 0.497
−3.122 0.002**
There is a computer lab 135 3.988 0.563
** Significant level at 0.01
However, regarding the research question as whether attitudes differ in relation to CALL
training programs, the T-test results for independent samples show that there are no significant
differences between the study participants in their attitudes toward using computers according
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to their attendance of a CALL training program (see Table 11). The t-value was (−0.258) and
the P level was (0.97) which is bigger than 0.05.
Table 11. T-test results of the differences across the entire sample according to
their attendance of CALL programs
Scale Level N Mean SD t-value Sig.
The scale
(attitudes)
Did not attend a CALL
training program 162 3.909 0.560
−0.258 0.97
Did attend a CALL training
program 21 3.942 0.564
As the research questions of this study are additionally concerned with male teachers’ attitudes
towards using computers in their English classroom versus female attitudes, the gender of
respondents is indicated in Tables 12 and 13. As seen in Table 12, T-test results for independent
samples show that there are significant differences between male and female teachers of
English who participated in this study in their attitudes toward using computers to teach English.
The female participants show more positive attitudes than male participants with t-value of
(−2.793) and P level of (0.006).
Table 12. T-test results of the difference between male and female participants in
their attitudes towards using computers in teaching English
Scale Level N Mean SD t-value Sig.
The scale
(attitudes)
Male 105 3.82 0.63
−2.793 0.006**
Female 78 4.04 0.41
** Significant level at 0.01
However, T-test results show that there are no significant differences between male and female
teachers in regard to attendance to computer training, use of computer labs at the school, and
attendance to CALL training (see Table 13 below).
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Table 13. The T-test results of the differences between male and females in
attendance to computer training, using computer labs, and attendance to CALL
training
Level N Mean SD t-value Sig.
Have you ever attended a
computer training program?
Male 105 1.54 0.50
0.914 0.36
Female 78 1.47 0.50
Do you use the school lab for
teaching English?
Male 105 1.13 0.50
−1.921 0.056
Female 78 1.31 0.73
Have you ever attended a
CALL training program?
Male 105 1.30 0.72
1.860 0.064
Female 78 1.13 0.49
5. Discussion
Returning to the main research questions which intend to develop an understanding of the
relationship between attitudes and computer training, CALL training, and use of computer labs,
the study results indicate that those participants who attended computer training programs
reported more positive attitudes towards technology in the classroom. Training programs are
naturally designed to raise skill levels among teachers and foster positive attitudes towards
computers and as such are an invaluable piece of the overall integration of technological tools in
the classroom. Similar to the work of Galanouli, Murphy, and Gardner (2004) in their consideration
of teachers’ perceptions of computers during the New Opportunities Fund (NOF)
training offered to UK teachers, the research at hand mostly found positive attitudes towards IT
tools in the classroom reported among participants. The NOF study, with a larger participant
pool of 900 teachers yielded over 450 responses, found that NOF training had some success
in increasing teachers’ confidence in using computers in class and in turn an overall positive
attitude was fostered (Galanouli, Murphy, & Gardner, 2004). Such a study can be extrapolated
to other teaching contexts in which IT approaches such as CALL have been implemented. The
results of the NOF study taken in relation to the correlations drawn between training and positive
attitudes in this study indicate that positive attitudes regarding technology are correlated to
confidence in using computers.
As the schools of Saudi Arabia have expanded to include numerous new computers and
related equipment, there is a need to ensure that more than just the appearance of the educational
landscape is evolving. The adoption of the new complementary teaching approaches such
as CALL must grow in tandem with technological advances as these advances are not likely to
recede anytime soon. Although CALL training in particular was not found to correlate to a positive
attitude, it is worthwhile to note that similar percentages of teachers who attended CALL
training use school computer labs. Such findings indicate that teachers with greater exposure
to training programs are more likely to incorporate computers into their pedagogical routines.
Similarly, Willis and McNaught (1996) found that although teachers who participated in their
study held positive attitudes towards the use of technology in education, they were nonetheless
not confident in their ability to use IT tools and did not think that the training programs they
participated in prepared them to use technology in truly effective ways. As found in this study,
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general computer training was not enough to adequately ensure the likelihood that teachers
would use school computer labs for language instruction. It is likely that through more training,
the participants of this study would develop more confidence regarding the use of computers
in the classroom, and in turn be more likely to report the need for an approach like CALL.
As educational facilities in Saudi Arabia are gender segregated, results of study were held
separate according to male and female respondents in order to determine if there were notable
differences regarding computer use and training attendance in the classroom. In answer to
the research questions regarding gender, results of the study indicated that a greater percentage
of female than male teachers held more positive overall attitudes towards technology in
the classroom. However, significant differences between male and female teachers in regard to
attendance to computer training, use of computer labs at the school, and attendance to CALL
training were not found. Existing literature on gender differences in relation to the use of IT in
the classroom indicates that females place greater emphasis on the communication aspects of
ICT and on the interaction it encourages (Volman & van Eck, 2001), which could explain the
more greatly reported positive attitude among females in this study. The differences identified
in this study are also likely attributable to factors outside the scope of this project and warrant
follow-up at a future date.
Positive attitudes toward CALL are an important finding as it indicates that with additional
training, teachers may begin to feel more confident that the computers are an asset. A study
that focused on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching
of numeracy and literacy in primary schools found that teachers who successfully made use
of ICT also had positive attitudes towards it (Moseley and Higgins, 1999). Teachers who have
positive attitudes towards ICT itself will be positively disposed towards using it in the classroom.
It is expected the same would be found in Secondary level English language classrooms in Saudi
Arabia.
More thorough exploration of the human aspects of technological advancement in the classroom
was beyond the scope of this study which is primarily concerned with teacher training.
Additional studies could be carried out in follow up to this study to further explore the ways
in which the confidence and training exposure of the participants changes over time. A study
carried out by Cox et al. (1999) examining factors related to the uptake of ICT in teaching,
showed that teachers who were already regular users of ICT have more confidence in using
ICT, perceive it to be useful for their personal work and for their teaching, and plan to extend
use in the future. Although Cox’s study was limited with a sample of only 44 male and 28
female computer-using teachers, the results are nonetheless interesting to consider in light of
the findings of this study. The relative newness of computer integration in the English classroom
in Saudi Arabia may contribute to the slightly more negative attitudes on the usefulness of the
technology.
Recognition by educational boards of the power and influence of teacher’s beliefs can assist
policy makers in understanding how to approach the process of modernizing the classroom
(Albion & Ertmer 2002). As seen in Syria, a country also investing in new technology initiatives
in education, attitudes of high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) toward ICT are overall
positive (Albirini, 2006). As indicated by Albirini, optimism toward the use of technology in
the Syrian classroom is not solely the result of the novelty of such advancements. It seems the
participants of Albirini’s study truly accepted the underlying rational for the introduction of ICT
42 — The JALT CALL Journal 2008 [Vol. 4.2]
Alshumaimeri: Saudi Teachers’ Perceptions toward CALL in English Classrooms
and in turn considered computers valuable in bringing about improvements in the classroom
and school at large (Albirini, 2006, p. 384). While the novelty of computers in the English classroom
in Saudi Arabia is likely to bring out mixed opinions on the use of IT tools, 56.8 percent
of respondents strongly agreed that the CALL approach more readily drew the attention of the
students. Greater student interest will likely encourage the teachers to continue embracing IT in
the classroom in order to optimally facilitate learning.
6. Conclusion and Recommendations
Positive attitudes toward the use of computers in the English language classroom reported by
Saudi secondary teachers were found to correlate to computer training and use of computer
labs. Although females held more positive attitudes overall, other differences regarding attendance
during training and use of computer labs were not noted between genders. As found
in similar studies, in-service and pre-service training can help to achieve positive attitudes and
successful implementation of technology driven initiatives such as CALL.
In order to more coherently engage the attitudes of EFL teachers towards the use of CALL
in the classroom, it is recommended that training be developed that is based upon teachers’
unique learning needs, specific content areas, and individual characteristics of the students who
are the ultimate beneficiaries of new innovation. In the absence of such considerations, CALL
training for EFL teachers is merely a secondary activity that has little relevance to the intellectual
or emotional needs of the teachers and students. As noted previously, further research is
warranted regarding the ways in which the confidence and training exposure of the participants
changes over time.
Teachers should also be afforded the opportunity to discuss their opinions as they develop
their own approaches toward the integration of technology into the curriculum. Staff development
programs in support of teachers in the process of orienting to technological advances in
EFL classes also must be considered if learning is to be meaningful and effective. Particularly, if
budgetary adjustments are to be made in order to support a greater implementation of the
CALL approach in the Saudi secondary classroom, teachers will be a tremendous asset in ensuring
lasting changes in attitudes toward technology use. The fostering of such attitudes must be
attained in parallel to ongoing professional development agendas.
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