Digital Literacies of English Language Teachers and Students and Their Perceptions of Technology-Enhanced Language Learning and Teaching in Thailand

Abstract

Today, the phenomenon of emerging digital technologies has led to digital literacies that are essential in order to survive in the digital environment (Eshet-Alkalai, 2004). The role of language teachers has shifted towards developing these literacies (Leu et al., 2004) and they are expected to understand how to leverage digital technologies to assist digital natives to use them effectively (Prensky, 2001, 2010). In response to a pressing call for teachers with advanced digital literacies and knowledge of integrating digital technologies into curricula to facilitate students’ learning and improve their digital literacies (Bawden, 2008; Chun et al., 2016; Eshet-Alkalai, 2004, Kessler, 2013; Leu et al., 2004; Passey, 2011; Prensky, 2001, 2010; Reinhardt & Thorne, 2011; Stergioulas & Drenoyianni, 2011; Thorne, 2013), this descriptive study aims to assess the digital literacies of English language in-service teachers in Thailand and explore their perceptions of technology-enhanced language teaching (TELT) in order to see whether, and the extent to which, that call has been heard. The study employed mixed research methods to discover how teachers and students use digital technologies for academic and non-academic purposes and find out their perspectives towards technology integration into curricula, including application. Additionally, the study explored teachers’ evaluation on digital web 2.0 technology-enhanced activities that were aimed to promote their digital literacy skills. For triangulation purposes, the findings were based on teacher and student surveys, classroom observations, teacher interviews, student focus groups, and artifacts. More specifically, the cases of three teachers were explored in-depth to gain insight into the general state of digital literacy skills, using TPACK-DLT frameworks to analyze their survey responses and observing their classroom practices. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework (TPACK) framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009) is accepted as a reliable guiding principle for teachers to integrate technologies into their teaching (Koehler, Shin & Mishra, 2012; Mahdum, 2015; Pamuk, 2012). Digitally Literate Teachers (DLT) framework (White, 2015) is practical and clear to evaluate the digital literacy skills of teachers. The overall results show that the concept of digital literacies was not clearly understood by the teachers. For that reason, they did not feel confident in integrating digital technologies into teaching although they believe the potentials of new technologies in motivating students in theory. Due to the lack of class preparation time, burdens of teaching loads, teachers’ limited technology skills and students’ low proficiency level, many teachers did not incorporate technology into curriculum as much as might be expected. Still, they believe it is necessary for students to have digital literacy skills. As teachers recognized their own digital competences were lower than students, they requested the university to offer technological training, faculty support, and a technology mentor. Overall, the findings may raise awareness of practitioners, researchers, and policy makers towards their responsibility to gain a deeper understanding of digital literacies and to become digitally literate professionals in order to develop students’ digital literacy skills, creativity, and critical thinking by becoming more comfortable with new learning platforms in the era of emerging digital technologies and ICTs.