ELT Students’ and Instructors’ Perceptions, Practices and Needs about the Use of Technology in ELT

This study aimed to investigate into the English Language Teaching (ELT) students’ and instructors’ perceptions, practices and needs about the use of technology in ELT, at the Department of Foreign Language Education (FLE) Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU). To this aim, the ELT students’ and instructors’ perceptions, practices and needs were identified. The current study was designed as a case study which applied the qualitative and quantitative research methods (mixed methods). The participants of the research were 30 third and fourth year undergraduate students, as well as 15 M.A students, 15 Ph.D. students and 6 instructors in the Department of Foreign Language Education of Eastern Mediterranean University. The data was collected through student and instructor questionnaires together with semi-structured interviews. The results of the study showed that the ELT students’ and instructors’ perceptions, practices and needs are parallel to each other, and a variety of similarities were acknowledged from the study. According to the results of the study, the students and instructors have positive perceptions of technology use in ELT. Moreover, the students believe that technology is useful for language learning and language teaching; it improves students’ vocabulary knowledge, motivates students and extends the educational setting to outside the classroom. Likewise, the instructors also believe that technology extends the educational setting beyond the classroom; it attracts students’ attention, motivates students, and it is useful for language learning and teaching. Overall, the instructors and the students have parallel positive perceptions, practices and challenges, but various needs regarding the integration of technology in ELT. This can be associated with the fact that the participating instructors are the teachers of the participating students sharing the same experience when technology is used in the classes. Keywords: Technology in ELT, Perceptions, Practices, Needs, Pre-service English Teachers, ELT Instructors.