Blended learning: an examination of EFL teachers and students’ use, continuance intention to use, and attitudes towards information and communication technologies

Abstract

The present study examines from a constructivist perspective the extent to which factors considered as key predictors of acceptance and use of technology contribute to EFL teachers and students’ attitudes towards the use of ICTs in the teaching and learning of EFL. Moreover, it explores their actual use and continuance intention to use ICTs to develop the four language skills and their sub-skills within the blended learning modality in a tertiary context. The study adopts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT model) as a theoretical framework. However, it uses a version of the model adapted to the context of the investigation that included constructs such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, ICT self-efficacy, and facilitating conditions as the independent variables, and attitudes, actual use, and continuance intention to use as the dependent variables. Research participants were 70 EFL teachers and 468 EFL students from the University of Pitic (pseudonym) located in northern Mexico. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach and a concurrent triangulation strategy. The methods for data collection were surveys, focus group interviews, and classroom observations.
Multiple regression analysis revealed that all the predicting variables examined contribute positively to attitudes. However, performance expectancy followed by effort expectancy was the strongest in contributing to their attitudes towards the use and continuance intention to use ICTs. Besides, results showed that attitudes, actual use, and continuance intention to use are highly correlated. Although these results do not indicate causality, they suggest that teachers and students’ attitudes may influence their actual usage and continuance intention to use ICTs.
Moreover, qualitative results helped better understand and extend the information obtained through quantitative methods.
In addition, the study found that most teachers and students show positive attitudes towards the use of ICTs, and they are willing to continue to use them in the teaching and learning of EFL. The way they use ICTs gave evidence that they are aware of their affordances and limitations, and capable enough to use them. They have developed learning autonomy, making their own decisions about which technologies to use and how to use them, and they look for support when using new or more complex ICTs. The study also discovered that the patterns of use, electronic devices, and online resources change in the face-to-face and online modes depending on the learning objectives and the type of activity. However, there is a need for implementing ongoing training programs that help teachers teach in an integrated way since technology is mainly used to teach grammar and vocabulary, either in in-class activities as in out-of-class activities. Also, this study suggests eliminating the barriers identified that hinder teachers and students’ use of ICTs, as well as removing those that specifically affect the area of language learning with technology.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Ying Zheng: orcid.org/0000-0003-2574-0358

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