Computer and Networking Technology Usage for World Language Education in Post-Secondary Education in Tennessee

Technology has been rapidly and continually introduced into the world language classroom to teach both the target language and its culture. This study investigated what kind of computer/networking technology was available and actually used by the post-secondary world language teachers in Tennessee and how often this technology was used. The specific target language skills, which teachers using technology wanted to enhance, were also explored. The survey participants consisted of 102 post-secondary teachers of world languages (excluding English) who taught at 24 universities and colleges in Tennessee during the spring semester, 2002. According to the survey, 73% of the participants reported that they had at least one computer lab dedicated solely to teach languages, and 48% of the participants reported actually using the facility to teach world languages at their institutions. The research study revealed that 77% of the participants used at least one type of technology in their teaching. In terms of teachers’ usage, word-processing was the most frequently used type of technology. Technology for on-line communication and information retrieval from the Internet was also used frequently. Almost all students could access technology for word-processing in the target language and for information retrieval from the Internet. The least available technology reported was audio-/video- conferencing, using telephone lines and other high-speed networking. According to the survey participants’ perceptions, the most highly used technology by the students was the one for word-processing and information retrieval from the Internet. The survey participants who taught French used technology the most for their teaching. Spanish teachers followed next, and other less commonly taught language teachers used technology in their classes the least. The survey participants who had the least number of years of teaching experience tended to use technology the most. The second group who frequently used technology consisted of those who taught languages more than 10 years. The survey participants who used technology for a specific purpose tended to require their students to use technology for the same purpose. Educational implications and recommendations for further research conclude the study.