T1__Full text Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology in Classroom T1 Full text
Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology
in Classroom
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
2017
Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology
in Classroom
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
2017
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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in
any course or accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any
university. To best of my knowledge and my belief, this contains no material
previously published or written by any other person except wheredue reference is
made in the text.
Copyright@ 2017. Melia Wijaya Katono and Dian Toar Y. G. Sumakul, M.A.
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means
without the permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English
Language Education Program, Faculty of Language and Arts, Satya Wacana
Christian University, Salatiga.
Melia Wijaya Katono.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
COVER PAGE ................................................................................................................................. i
INSIDE COVER PAGE .................................................................................................................. ii
APPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................................................ v
PUBLICATION DECLARATION AGREEMENT ...................................................................... vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ....................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................... viii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 1
LITERATURE REVIEW
Technology in the Classroom.............................................................................................. 3
Teachers‟ Attitude ............................................................................................................... 4
Teachers‟ Attitude of Technology Use in Classroom ......................................................... 5
THE STUDY
Context of the Study............................................................................................................ 6
Participant ........................................................................................................................... 7
Data Collection Instrument ................................................................................................. 7
Data Collection and Data Analysis ..................................................................................... 8
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .................................................................................................... 8
Technological Facilities .................................................................................................... 12
Teachers‟ Competency ...................................................................................................... 13
Students‟ Learning Improvement ...................................................................................... 14
Effectiveness of English Language Teaching ................................................................... 15
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Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 17
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 18
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 20
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 21
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................... 23
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................... 27
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Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology
in Classroom
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, with a rapid development in technology, it becomes an essential thing
in every aspect of human life. In education, technology also becomes an essential
thing in teaching and learning process. The use of technology in the classroom
may help teachers and students to create more effective teaching and learning
process. As Teo (2008) explains that nearly all of school in many developed
countries are equipped with facilities to conduct ICT mediated teaching and
learning. In order for teachers to integrate technology effectively in teaching and
learning process, teachers need to have a positive attitude toward technology.
Thus, this study aims to find out primary teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom. To find out teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology, set of questionnaire was distributed to 9 Primary English teachers. An
interview was conducted with three teachers to get deeper descriptive data. The
results show that teachers had a positive attitude toward the use of technology.
Moreover, teachers were not only had a positive attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom but also teachers are in favor in integrating
technology in the classroom to create more effective teaching and learning
process.
Keywords: teachers’ attitude, technology, EFL.
A. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays technology becomes very important in our life, especially for
young generation. As Reilly (2012) says “today‟s youth have never known life
without computers and the Internet, and therefore see information technology as
an integral part of their lives” (p. 4). Thus, teachers cannot teach students only
from their textbook anymore. Reilly (2012) also explains that teachers who are
only following the textbook will be perceived as an old fashion teachers. That is
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why teachers should be able to adapt to the situation and the needs of today‟s
learners by incorporating technology into their teaching practices. However, when
deciding to integrate technology in the classroom, teachers‟ competencies in using
technology become one of an important key to integrating technology in the
classroom.
One aspect to consider in integrating technology in the classroom is
teachers‟ attitude to the use of technology. If teachers have a positive attitude,
then it is possible for the teachers to use technology effectively. Cahayni and
Cahyono (2012) in their research found that primary EFL teachers had a positive
attitude toward the use of technology in the classroom. Moreover, the result of the
research shows that teachers not only had a positive attitude but also in favor of
using technology in the classroom.
In relation to the discussion above, during teaching practicum in a Terang
Bangsa Christian Elementary School in Semarang, the teachers and students there
have been observed to be familiar with the use of technology. Thus, this study
aimed to find teachers‟ attitude toward technology use in the classroom. The
research question to be answered in this study was: “What is English Primary
(EP) teachers of Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School‟s attitude toward the
use of technology in the classroom?” From this study, it was expected that
teachers who want to use technology in the classroom may get a reference on why
teachers choose to use or not to use technology in the classroom.
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B. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Technology in the Classroom
Regarding the use of technology in the classroom, Yelland (2005) explains
that some of educators believe that teachers should not use computers to teach
young children. This was because computers were to abstract, they would also
minimize the role of teachers, computers did not really assist children to work
collaboratively and computers were used with programs that were considered to
be inappropriate.
However, Eady and Lockyer (2013) say that “Learning with technology has
become essential in today‟s school” (p. 74). Students in this era are already
familiar with technology since they are young and they are known as generation
Z. According to Singh (2014) “…born between 1995 – 2012, this generation is
also known as „Digital Natives‟” (p. 59). Moreover, Singh (2014) adds children
from generation Z are globally connected (in the virtual world), flexible and
smarter, and tolerant of diverse culture. Thus, the use of technology in the
classroom become essential since young learners are engaged with technology
since they are young.
Moreover, Lai and Kritsonis (2006) explain that these days, technology
can provide communicative activities and games for students so it can lessen the
stress and anxiety caused by learning. Also, it can promote students‟ motivation to
learn. Especially for young learners in primary school, who are hard to focus on
the lesson, this can help them to be interested in the learning process. From what I
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experienced, when a teacher showed videos related to the lesson, the students
were more excited about following the lesson.
However, Lai and Kritsonis (2006) state that “Due to the limitations of
computer‟s artificial intelligence, computer technology is unable to deal with
learners‟ unexpected learning problems and response to learners‟ question
immediately as teachers do” (p. 4). In contrast, Ranasinghe and Leisher (2009)
believe that the use of technology in the classroom can bring positive effect for
the learning process if teachers are trained how to integrate it in the classroom.
They also add “The belief that technology will hinder students learning has been
proven wrong as long as students are taught to use it as a tool” (p. 1958). Thus,
the role of teachers in the classroom is important.
Regarding the teachers‟ role in the classroom, Grasha (1994) explains that
teacher is seen as a leader and a manager in the classroom. Technology just serves
as a tool to facilitate learning, however, teachers still need to control the learning
process. As Murphy, DePasquale and McNamara (2003) state “After all,
technology is a tool, and as such it should be selected because it is the best tool for
the job” (p. 1). The one who can select the appropriate use of technology is
teachers.
2. Teacher’s Attitude
Afshari, Abu Bakar, Su Luan, Abu Samah and Say Fooi (2009) state that
there are several factors that influence teachers‟ decision in using technology in
the classroom. One of them is teachers‟ attitude. Omolara and Adebukola (2015)
define attitude as “a mindset that affects how a person thinks and acts. Attitude
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can influence a person‟s performance positively or negatively” (p. 131).
Furthermore, related to teachers‟ attitude and technology, Tsitouridou and Vryzas
(2003) explain that teachers‟ attitude is formed by several events. Teachers who
own and often use computers in their daily life are more likely have a positive
attitude toward technology. It can be concluded that teachers‟ attitude toward
technology might be influenced by how often teachers used and interacted with
technology in their daily life. Mumtaz (2000) explains when teachers‟ attitude
make them master certain types of technology, it will increasing teachers‟ selfconfidence. Thus, by having self-confidence teachers will be able to integrate
technology in the classroom more comfortable. It will result in the effectiveness
of teaching and learning process.
3. Teachers’ Attitude of Technology Use in the Classroom
Some research shows that teachers‟ attitude toward technology will
influence teachers‟ competency in implementing technology for teaching and
learning process. As Teo (2008) explains that to be able to integrated computers
effectively in the classroom, teachers need to have a positive attitude toward it.
Moreover, Albirini (2006) explains that teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom determines teachers‟ competency in using the
technology. Teo, Leo, and Chai (2008) add that the success of implementing
technology strongly depends on the attitude of the teachers involved. Because the
teachers‟ attitude whether positive or negative will affect how teachers respond to
technology. Teachers‟ attitude plays an important role in teachers‟ willingness to
use technology in the classroom. Afshari, Abu Bakar, Su Luan, Abu Samah and
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Say Fooi (2009) explain that positive attitude toward the use of technology can
encourage less technologically capable teachers to learn skills that needed to
integrate technology in the classroom.
In the research done by Cahyani and Cahyono (2012) about teachers‟
attitudes and technology use in Indonesian EFL classroom which involved 37
teachers. Those teachers are teaching English as a foreign language in junior high
school, senior high school, and university lectures. By using questionnaire, they
found that teachers had a positive attitude toward the use of technology in the
classroom. Moreover, they found out that teachers also in favor of using
technology for teaching and learning process. Even though not all of the teachers
in the research have used various types of technology in the classroom. Teachers
were willing to use technology because teachers believed that using technology
may make teaching and learning become more effective.
Cahyani and Cahyono (2012) in their research wanted to answer five research
questions. They investigated what types of technology are used by teachers in the
classroom, how teachers used those technology, why teachers used technology in
their classroom, what is teachers‟ attitude toward the use of technology in the
classroom and how do language teachers see the benefits of using technology in
the classroom. However, this research only focused on the teachers‟ attitude
toward the use of technology in the classroom.
C. THE STUDY
1. Context of the Study
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This study was conducted in Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School.
The school is located in West Semarang. In this school, they have two different
classes. First, is called national class and second is EP or English Primary class. In
this study, researcher focus on the teachers who teach English in the English
Primary program.
2. Participant
The participant of this study was English teachers in the EP classes from
grade one to six. From 12 classroom teachers in EP classes, 9 of them teach
English. Thus there were total 9 participants for this study, 8 female teachers and
1 male teacher. The participants of this study was chosen based on the
convenience sampling. Fridah (2002) explains “A convenience sample results
when the more convenient elementary units are chosen from a population for
observation” (p. 7).
3. Data Collection Instrument
The instruments used for this study were a questionnaire and a semistructured interview. The questionnaires were adopted from Cahyani and Cahyono
(2012). There were 3 sections in the questionnaire (see appendix A). The first
section was about types of technology which was familiar for the teachers. The
second section was about how teachers integrated technology into their classroom.
Last was about teachers‟ attitude toward the use of technology in their classroom.
From the section 3, researcher developed four interview questions based on the
questionnaire (see appendix B). The interview questions help to get more
description toward participants‟ answers in the questionnaire.
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In answering the questions, the participants used both English and Bahasa
Indonesia. The ones in Bahasa Indonesia were translated into English in the
manuscript.
4. Data Collection and Data Analysis
First, the researcher asked permission to the headmaster of the school to
collect the data needed from the teachers there. After the confirmation, all of the
participants of this study were gathered into one class after school. Next, the
questionnaire was distributed to the teachers who teach English in EP classes.
However, there was 1 teacher who was not able to come. Therefore that teacher
was given an online questionnaire via Google form. After got the data from the
questionnaire, researcher continued with interviewing 3 teachers to get more data.
D. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
From the questionnaire distributed to 9 primary English teachers about
teachers‟ perception toward the use of technology in the classroom. The result of
the questionnaire is shown below.
FIGURE 1
Various Types of Technology used by the Teachers
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Types of Technology Used by Teachers
FREQUECNY
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Teacher(s)
Comm
erciall
yprodu
ced
audiot
apes
Comm
erciall
yprodu
ced
videot
apes
Selfmade
audiot
apes
6
5
3
Overh LCD
Selfead (multi
Comp
Websi Webbl
made
E-mail
Others
Projec media
uter
te
og
videot
tion projec
apes
(OHP) tion)
1
3
8
7
1
7
1
2
Figure 1 is a list of technology already used by teachers to teach English in
the classroom. The data based on the questionnaire (section 1). It is shown that
teachers already used various types of technology for teaching and learning
process. There were eight teachers who used LCD (multimedia projection) to
facilitate teaching and learning process. Among the other types of technology
used by teachers, the most used technology by teachers was LCD. Moreover,
teachers were also using commercially-produced audiotapes (tape recorder, CD,
MP3), commercially-produced videotapes (VCD, DVD, VCR, CD ROM, MP4),
self-made audiotapes (tape recorder, CD, MP3), self-made videotapes (VCD,
DVD, VCR, CD ROM, MP4), Overhead projection (OHP), computers, E-mail,
website, webblog and others. It is shown that teachers already using technology in
their classroom to teach English. This proves that teachers are in favor to use it in
teaching and learning process.
Table 1
Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology in the Classroom.
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Neither
Agree
Strongly
Questions
Strongly
Agree
nor
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Disagre
e
f
f
f
f
f
4
5
-
-
-
4
5
-
-
-
4
5
-
-
-
3
6
-
-
-
a. Second language
classroom should
have various
types of
technology.
b. Language
teachers should
employ
technology in
their classroom.
c. Students will
learn better if
they use
technology in
their classroom.
d. Teaching English
Language Skills
(Listening,
Speaking,
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Reading, and
Writing) will be
effective with the
use of
technology.
e. Teaching English
Language
Components
(Grammar,
Vocabulary, and
3
6
-
-
-
Pronunciation)
will be effective
with the use of
technology.
According to Table 1, it can be seen that the teachers had a positive
attitude toward the use of technology in the classroom to teach English. All of the
teachers were aware that by using technology in their classroom can help students
to learn better. From Table 1, it is shown that the teachers agreed with the idea
that various kinds of technology are needed in the language classroom. They also
agreed that teachers should use technology in the classroom. Moreover, teachers
agreed that by using technology their students will learn better than by using only
textbooks. They also agreed that by integrating technology into the classroom to
teach English language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
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English language components (grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation) can be
more effective for the students.
From Table 1, we can derive four themes. Those four themes are
technological facilities (point a), teachers‟ competency (point b), students‟
learning improvement (point c), and effectiveness of English language teaching
(point d and e).
1. Technological Facilities
In today‟s era, technology is seen as one of the important things in our life.
Thus integrating technology in the classroom can be a way to make teaching and
learning process more effective, especially in the context of teaching language for
young learners. The data in Table 1 shows that teachers agreed that it is important
to provide and use various types of technology in the classroom.
From the interview, Teacher 3 said that,
Krn ank2 sekarang lbh familiar dgn teknologi, mrk hafal Youtubers yg terkenal
dibandingkan dgn pahlawan Indonesia sendiri. Jd jka pembelajaran English dgn teknologi
yg bervariasi pasti mrk mjd lebih mengerti. (Excerpt 1)
(Because students are more familiar with technology. They are more familiar with famous
Youtubers rather than Indonesia‟s heroes. That is why teaching English with various
types of technology will make students understand better.)
From Teacher 3 explanation above, it can be seen that students were
attached to technology. Integrating technology in the classroom can be a strategy
for teachers to gain attention from their students. By integrating technology into
the classroom, students can be more interested in the lesson. When students
become interested, it will motivate them to learn better. Therefore it is important
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for schools and teachers to provide students with access to various types of
technology in the classroom.
Moreover, Teacher 6 explained that,
Karena mereka kan belajar bahasa asing dan teknologi sangat dibutuhkan utk mendukung
belajar mereka… Kadang anak2 masih menemukan kata2 sukar… Dgn teknologi akan
membantu mereka memecahkan kesulitan itu. (Excerpt 2)
(Because they are learning a foreign language and to support their learning process,
technology is needed… Sometimes, students are finding difficult vocabulary… With the
help of technology students will be able to overcome those difficulties.)
It shows that the teacher believed that using technology in the classroom
can help students to overcome their problems in learning English. Especially for
elementary students, learning English may be hard. Thus, teachers are required to
provide help for the students to be able to learn effectively. Using technology can
be a way to help students to learn better.
We can see that teachers were aware that technology is essential in
teaching English, especially for young learners. Because technology will attract
students‟ attention toward the lesson. It will make the students focus on the lesson
and improving their understanding of the materials delivered by teachers.
2. Teachers’ Competency
In Table 1 point b, it can be seen that teachers agreed that as language
teachers, they should integrating technology in their classroom. Teachers were
aware that by using technology in the classroom, it can help them to create a
conducive environment for students. It will also create a more fun atmosphere for
the students to learn. This will lower students‟ anxiety and help them to focus on
the lesson better. In that case, students will be able to process the materials better.
For example, in the questionnaire Teacher 1 wrote,
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Using technology make my lesson more variation. Students not bored and make students
more attention and understand. (Excerpt 3)
It shows that using technology in the classroom can create positive
learning situation for students. It will also make students more focus in the lesson.
Using technology in the classroom will also help students to understand materials
given by teacher easier. Moreover, it will make students learn in a different way
like they usually did. It will make students enjoy the lesson.
Moreover, Teacher 6 said that,
Karena tdk semua anak memiliki cara belajar yg sama. Jadi tdk semua anak bisa mengerti
ketika belajar dgn mendengar guru menerangkan.(Excerpt 4)
(Because not all of the students has same learning style. Therefore, not all of the students
can understand by just listening to teacher‟s explanation.)
It means that by using technology in the classroom, teachers can
accommodate students‟ learning styles. As we know that there are students who
are visual and auditory learners.
However, not all of the technology that available can be used in the
classroom. Teachers need to select which technology is appropriate to use in the
classroom. The appropriate technology for students depends on the classroom
situation. Each class has different situation and different students. That is why
teachers need to understand the classroom situation and their students first. Also,
teachers need to decide what aims of the lesson before selecting to use technology
in the classroom.
3. Students’ Learning Improvement
The data of the questionnaire shown in Table 1 point c, shows that
teachers agreed that by using technology in the classroom students are able to
learn better. In the questionnaire (section 2), when teachers were asked about their
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reason(s) for using technology in the classroom, some teachers answered that by
using technology in the classroom students are more interested in following the
lesson. All of the teachers also said that by using technology in the classroom, the
student can understand the materials better.
For example, Teacher 6 explained that,
Ya, misalnya pertemuan pertama saya hanya menerangkan tanpa alat bantu peraga, hanya
membawa buku… Lalu ketika saya evaluasi dgn soal2 hanya anak yg memperhatikan yg
bisa menjawab… Lalu pertemuan selanjutnya dgn alat peraga atau dgn menggunakan
LCD… Anak2 yang semula nilainya di bawah KKM akan meningkat. (Excerpt 5)
(For example, in the first meeting, I only explained with books without aids… Then,
when I evaluated them by giving them exercise only students who were listening were
able to answer… In the next meeting, using aids or LCD… Students who got score under
KKM at first, their score will improved.)
By using technology in the classroom can help students to give them a
clearer explanation. Because for students who are in elementary school, they may
have difficulties in understanding some materials especially in foreign language.
Thus, giving students explanation with the help of technology can make students
grasp the idea of the materials explained by teachers.
In addition, Teacher 8 who gave her students a video song related with the topic
of the lesson stated that,
Mereka senang dan bisa 3x di play on mereka langsung bisa hafal dan menyanyi di kelas.
(Excerpt 6)
(They were happy and (the song) can be played 3 times. They memorized it right away
and sang together in the class.)
We can see that when students were given a video of a song to learn, they
were able to memorize it faster. It shows that using technology in the classroom is
helpful for the students. Besides, it also creates a fun learning situation for the
students. They can sing together with their friends in class.
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From the explanation from the teachers, we can see that by using
technology in the classroom, it is possible for teachers to accommodate some
learning styles of students. Therefore, students who are not able to understand by
just listening to their teachers will be helped. It also means that technology makes
the teaching and learning process more effective for both teachers and students.
4. Effectiveness of English Language Teaching
From the Table 1 point d and e, we can see that teachers agreed that
teaching English language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
English language components (grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation) can be
effective with the use of technology. The three teachers that had been interviewed
gave their opinion about how can teaching English language skills and component
can be effective by the use of technology.
Teacher 3 explained:
Can strengthen their skill, for example through watching video they can learn listening,
how to say the words in correct pronunciation. (Excerpt 7)
The teacher believed that by using technology, teaching English language
skills and components can be more effective. Because through technology,
teachers can provide the students with real examples from native speakers. Since
students are learning a foreign language, exposure to native speakers‟ use of
English become important. It will help students‟ competency in using English
later.
In addition, Teacher 6 added:
Writing: dari film melalui LCD bisa membimbing mereka utk menulis kembali cerita yg
mereka lihat… Jadi semuanya dpt berjalan dengan efektif. (Excerpt 8)
(Writing: using film that shown through LCD can guide students to re-write the story…
Therefore, everything can be effective.)
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Rather than asked the students to read a story from their book, showed
them the story through video might be more effective for the students. Because
the students are still in elementary school, some students may not be interested in
reading their book. They also easily get bored when asked to read from their
books. That is why, by showing them the story will help students to pay attention
to the story and understand the story better. With better understanding, when the
teacher asked them to re-write the story they can do it better.
We can see that technology can provide students with a real example and
experience from native speakers. Moreover, exposure to the target language
directly from the native speakers will enrich students‟ experience in learning
English. It will also help students to improve their English competencies.
5. Discussion
As shown in the findings, all of the teachers agreed that technology is
needed for the students to be able to learn better. In addition, the teachers were
also aware that nowadays technology is inseparable with teaching. Harris (2000)
in Keengwe, Onchwari, and Onchwari (2009) believe that technology will be an
important tool to recreate learning in the 21st century. Moreover, Knapp and
Glenn (1996) in Keengwe, Onchwari, and Onchwari (2009) technology can be
used to help students solve the problem and help them to think independently and
collaboratively.
The findings indicate that technological facilities are one essential part of
the integration of technology in the classroom. Figure 1 showed that teachers have
used different types of technology in their classroom. This finding supports the
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teachers‟ positive attitude toward technology use. Moreover, teachers‟
competency in using technology in the classroom is also important. It will affect
the successful of the teaching and learning process. The findings show that by
integrating technology in the classroom can create a fun environment for students
to learn with less anxiety. The findings also show that using technology in the
classroom affected students‟ learning. It is supported by Teacher 6‟s explanation
in excerpt 5 where students‟ score improved after she integrated technology in the
classroom. Lastly, the findings suggest that using technology in the classroom
might make teaching and learning process more effective. By using technology to
facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom can accommodate students‟
various learning styles.
E. CONCLUSION
This study aimed to find Primary English teachers in English Program of
Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School‟s attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom. There were 9 teachers of the school who were
involved in this study. The data was collected through questionnaires and
interviews.
From the data, this study found that the teachers had a positive attitude toward
the use of technology in the classroom. In addition, teachers were also in favor in
using the technology in the classroom. It is shown in the questionnaire that all of
the teachers were already using various types to teach their students. Moreover,
there are four themes emerged from Table 1. Those are technological facilities,
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teachers‟ competency, students‟ learning improvement and effectiveness of
English language teaching.
The four themes are connected one another. Teachers‟ positive attitude are
supported with the evidence from Figure 1 that shows teachers‟ use of various
types of technology. Teachers‟ positive attitude toward the use of technology will
affect teachers‟ competency in using technology. If teachers are able to use
technology appropriately in the classroom, it will create a fun learning
environment for the students. The fun learning environment will lower students‟
anxiety in learning English. If the students are enjoying the lesson, their output
will improve. Thus, with the use of technology in the classroom, teaching and
learning process will be more effective.
Although the findings were able to answer the research question.
However, there were some limitations in this study. Firstly, this study was
conducted only in small-sized population. Thus, it cannot be generalized to a
bigger population. Secondly, because of the time limitation, the data was not deep
enough. Therefore, some aspects of this study might not have been addressed
deeply. Therefore, it is suggested that further research could look at bigger
population and deeper methodology for richer data.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to thank God Almighty for His blessings which
make me able to finish my thesis. I also would like to thank my thesis supervisor
for his guidance throughout my thesis completion, Bapak Dian Toar Y. G.
Sumakul, M.A. Deepest gratitude for my thesis examiner, Prof. Dr. Gusti Astika,
M.A. for his valuable input, time to read and examine my thesis. I would like to
thank all of staffs and teachers in SD Kristen Terang Bangsa, Semarang where I
had my teaching practicum and collected the data for this thesis. Especially for
Miss Tya who always supports me during teaching practicum and during writing
my thesis. I am really grateful for that. I thank my family (Papi, Mami, Irwan, and
Hendra) for their prayers and their support (mentally and financially). Last but not
least, I would like to express my thankfulness to all of my friends who always
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support me (Tirza, Pavita, Karisma, Kartika, Sara and Debora). I also would like
to thank everyone who has not been mentioned here who helped me during my
study in UKSW. Thank you for your support. God bless you.
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Fridah, M. (2002). Sampling in research. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from
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Grasha, A. F. (1994). A matter of style: The teacher as expert, formal authority,
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Keengwe, J., Onchwari, G., & Onchwari, J. (2009). Technology and student
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Lai, C., & Kritsonis, W. A. (2006). The advantages and disadvantages of
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Mumtaz, S. (2000). Factors affecting teachers‟ use of information and
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Murphy, K. L., DePasquale, R., & McNamara, E. (2003). Meaningful
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13(3), 201-232.
22
APPENDIX A
Questionnaire on the Use of Technology in Language Classrooms
Dear participants,
My name is Melia Wijaya Katono. I am conducting my research for my thesis
entitled “Primary Teachers‟ Perception toward the Use of Technology in
Classroom”. I would like to ask for your help to fill in this questionnaire honestly.
All your answers and information in this questionnaire will be kept confidential.
Thank you for your help and God bless you.
Respondent Details:
Name ____________________________________________
Contact Information _________________________________
Gender ____ Male ____ Female
Year of Experience ____
in Classroom
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
2017
Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology
in Classroom
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
2017
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in
any course or accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any
university. To best of my knowledge and my belief, this contains no material
previously published or written by any other person except wheredue reference is
made in the text.
Copyright@ 2017. Melia Wijaya Katono and Dian Toar Y. G. Sumakul, M.A.
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means
without the permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English
Language Education Program, Faculty of Language and Arts, Satya Wacana
Christian University, Salatiga.
Melia Wijaya Katono.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENT
COVER PAGE ................................................................................................................................. i
INSIDE COVER PAGE .................................................................................................................. ii
APPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................................................ v
PUBLICATION DECLARATION AGREEMENT ...................................................................... vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ....................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................... viii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 1
LITERATURE REVIEW
Technology in the Classroom.............................................................................................. 3
Teachers‟ Attitude ............................................................................................................... 4
Teachers‟ Attitude of Technology Use in Classroom ......................................................... 5
THE STUDY
Context of the Study............................................................................................................ 6
Participant ........................................................................................................................... 7
Data Collection Instrument ................................................................................................. 7
Data Collection and Data Analysis ..................................................................................... 8
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .................................................................................................... 8
Technological Facilities .................................................................................................... 12
Teachers‟ Competency ...................................................................................................... 13
Students‟ Learning Improvement ...................................................................................... 14
Effectiveness of English Language Teaching ................................................................... 15
viii
Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 17
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 18
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 20
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 21
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................... 23
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................... 27
ix
Primary School Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology
in Classroom
Melia Wijaya Katono
112013016
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, with a rapid development in technology, it becomes an essential thing
in every aspect of human life. In education, technology also becomes an essential
thing in teaching and learning process. The use of technology in the classroom
may help teachers and students to create more effective teaching and learning
process. As Teo (2008) explains that nearly all of school in many developed
countries are equipped with facilities to conduct ICT mediated teaching and
learning. In order for teachers to integrate technology effectively in teaching and
learning process, teachers need to have a positive attitude toward technology.
Thus, this study aims to find out primary teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom. To find out teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology, set of questionnaire was distributed to 9 Primary English teachers. An
interview was conducted with three teachers to get deeper descriptive data. The
results show that teachers had a positive attitude toward the use of technology.
Moreover, teachers were not only had a positive attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom but also teachers are in favor in integrating
technology in the classroom to create more effective teaching and learning
process.
Keywords: teachers’ attitude, technology, EFL.
A. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays technology becomes very important in our life, especially for
young generation. As Reilly (2012) says “today‟s youth have never known life
without computers and the Internet, and therefore see information technology as
an integral part of their lives” (p. 4). Thus, teachers cannot teach students only
from their textbook anymore. Reilly (2012) also explains that teachers who are
only following the textbook will be perceived as an old fashion teachers. That is
1
why teachers should be able to adapt to the situation and the needs of today‟s
learners by incorporating technology into their teaching practices. However, when
deciding to integrate technology in the classroom, teachers‟ competencies in using
technology become one of an important key to integrating technology in the
classroom.
One aspect to consider in integrating technology in the classroom is
teachers‟ attitude to the use of technology. If teachers have a positive attitude,
then it is possible for the teachers to use technology effectively. Cahayni and
Cahyono (2012) in their research found that primary EFL teachers had a positive
attitude toward the use of technology in the classroom. Moreover, the result of the
research shows that teachers not only had a positive attitude but also in favor of
using technology in the classroom.
In relation to the discussion above, during teaching practicum in a Terang
Bangsa Christian Elementary School in Semarang, the teachers and students there
have been observed to be familiar with the use of technology. Thus, this study
aimed to find teachers‟ attitude toward technology use in the classroom. The
research question to be answered in this study was: “What is English Primary
(EP) teachers of Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School‟s attitude toward the
use of technology in the classroom?” From this study, it was expected that
teachers who want to use technology in the classroom may get a reference on why
teachers choose to use or not to use technology in the classroom.
2
B. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Technology in the Classroom
Regarding the use of technology in the classroom, Yelland (2005) explains
that some of educators believe that teachers should not use computers to teach
young children. This was because computers were to abstract, they would also
minimize the role of teachers, computers did not really assist children to work
collaboratively and computers were used with programs that were considered to
be inappropriate.
However, Eady and Lockyer (2013) say that “Learning with technology has
become essential in today‟s school” (p. 74). Students in this era are already
familiar with technology since they are young and they are known as generation
Z. According to Singh (2014) “…born between 1995 – 2012, this generation is
also known as „Digital Natives‟” (p. 59). Moreover, Singh (2014) adds children
from generation Z are globally connected (in the virtual world), flexible and
smarter, and tolerant of diverse culture. Thus, the use of technology in the
classroom become essential since young learners are engaged with technology
since they are young.
Moreover, Lai and Kritsonis (2006) explain that these days, technology
can provide communicative activities and games for students so it can lessen the
stress and anxiety caused by learning. Also, it can promote students‟ motivation to
learn. Especially for young learners in primary school, who are hard to focus on
the lesson, this can help them to be interested in the learning process. From what I
3
experienced, when a teacher showed videos related to the lesson, the students
were more excited about following the lesson.
However, Lai and Kritsonis (2006) state that “Due to the limitations of
computer‟s artificial intelligence, computer technology is unable to deal with
learners‟ unexpected learning problems and response to learners‟ question
immediately as teachers do” (p. 4). In contrast, Ranasinghe and Leisher (2009)
believe that the use of technology in the classroom can bring positive effect for
the learning process if teachers are trained how to integrate it in the classroom.
They also add “The belief that technology will hinder students learning has been
proven wrong as long as students are taught to use it as a tool” (p. 1958). Thus,
the role of teachers in the classroom is important.
Regarding the teachers‟ role in the classroom, Grasha (1994) explains that
teacher is seen as a leader and a manager in the classroom. Technology just serves
as a tool to facilitate learning, however, teachers still need to control the learning
process. As Murphy, DePasquale and McNamara (2003) state “After all,
technology is a tool, and as such it should be selected because it is the best tool for
the job” (p. 1). The one who can select the appropriate use of technology is
teachers.
2. Teacher’s Attitude
Afshari, Abu Bakar, Su Luan, Abu Samah and Say Fooi (2009) state that
there are several factors that influence teachers‟ decision in using technology in
the classroom. One of them is teachers‟ attitude. Omolara and Adebukola (2015)
define attitude as “a mindset that affects how a person thinks and acts. Attitude
4
can influence a person‟s performance positively or negatively” (p. 131).
Furthermore, related to teachers‟ attitude and technology, Tsitouridou and Vryzas
(2003) explain that teachers‟ attitude is formed by several events. Teachers who
own and often use computers in their daily life are more likely have a positive
attitude toward technology. It can be concluded that teachers‟ attitude toward
technology might be influenced by how often teachers used and interacted with
technology in their daily life. Mumtaz (2000) explains when teachers‟ attitude
make them master certain types of technology, it will increasing teachers‟ selfconfidence. Thus, by having self-confidence teachers will be able to integrate
technology in the classroom more comfortable. It will result in the effectiveness
of teaching and learning process.
3. Teachers’ Attitude of Technology Use in the Classroom
Some research shows that teachers‟ attitude toward technology will
influence teachers‟ competency in implementing technology for teaching and
learning process. As Teo (2008) explains that to be able to integrated computers
effectively in the classroom, teachers need to have a positive attitude toward it.
Moreover, Albirini (2006) explains that teachers‟ attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom determines teachers‟ competency in using the
technology. Teo, Leo, and Chai (2008) add that the success of implementing
technology strongly depends on the attitude of the teachers involved. Because the
teachers‟ attitude whether positive or negative will affect how teachers respond to
technology. Teachers‟ attitude plays an important role in teachers‟ willingness to
use technology in the classroom. Afshari, Abu Bakar, Su Luan, Abu Samah and
5
Say Fooi (2009) explain that positive attitude toward the use of technology can
encourage less technologically capable teachers to learn skills that needed to
integrate technology in the classroom.
In the research done by Cahyani and Cahyono (2012) about teachers‟
attitudes and technology use in Indonesian EFL classroom which involved 37
teachers. Those teachers are teaching English as a foreign language in junior high
school, senior high school, and university lectures. By using questionnaire, they
found that teachers had a positive attitude toward the use of technology in the
classroom. Moreover, they found out that teachers also in favor of using
technology for teaching and learning process. Even though not all of the teachers
in the research have used various types of technology in the classroom. Teachers
were willing to use technology because teachers believed that using technology
may make teaching and learning become more effective.
Cahyani and Cahyono (2012) in their research wanted to answer five research
questions. They investigated what types of technology are used by teachers in the
classroom, how teachers used those technology, why teachers used technology in
their classroom, what is teachers‟ attitude toward the use of technology in the
classroom and how do language teachers see the benefits of using technology in
the classroom. However, this research only focused on the teachers‟ attitude
toward the use of technology in the classroom.
C. THE STUDY
1. Context of the Study
6
This study was conducted in Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School.
The school is located in West Semarang. In this school, they have two different
classes. First, is called national class and second is EP or English Primary class. In
this study, researcher focus on the teachers who teach English in the English
Primary program.
2. Participant
The participant of this study was English teachers in the EP classes from
grade one to six. From 12 classroom teachers in EP classes, 9 of them teach
English. Thus there were total 9 participants for this study, 8 female teachers and
1 male teacher. The participants of this study was chosen based on the
convenience sampling. Fridah (2002) explains “A convenience sample results
when the more convenient elementary units are chosen from a population for
observation” (p. 7).
3. Data Collection Instrument
The instruments used for this study were a questionnaire and a semistructured interview. The questionnaires were adopted from Cahyani and Cahyono
(2012). There were 3 sections in the questionnaire (see appendix A). The first
section was about types of technology which was familiar for the teachers. The
second section was about how teachers integrated technology into their classroom.
Last was about teachers‟ attitude toward the use of technology in their classroom.
From the section 3, researcher developed four interview questions based on the
questionnaire (see appendix B). The interview questions help to get more
description toward participants‟ answers in the questionnaire.
7
In answering the questions, the participants used both English and Bahasa
Indonesia. The ones in Bahasa Indonesia were translated into English in the
manuscript.
4. Data Collection and Data Analysis
First, the researcher asked permission to the headmaster of the school to
collect the data needed from the teachers there. After the confirmation, all of the
participants of this study were gathered into one class after school. Next, the
questionnaire was distributed to the teachers who teach English in EP classes.
However, there was 1 teacher who was not able to come. Therefore that teacher
was given an online questionnaire via Google form. After got the data from the
questionnaire, researcher continued with interviewing 3 teachers to get more data.
D. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
From the questionnaire distributed to 9 primary English teachers about
teachers‟ perception toward the use of technology in the classroom. The result of
the questionnaire is shown below.
FIGURE 1
Various Types of Technology used by the Teachers
8
Types of Technology Used by Teachers
FREQUECNY
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Teacher(s)
Comm
erciall
yprodu
ced
audiot
apes
Comm
erciall
yprodu
ced
videot
apes
Selfmade
audiot
apes
6
5
3
Overh LCD
Selfead (multi
Comp
Websi Webbl
made
Others
Projec media
uter
te
og
videot
tion projec
apes
(OHP) tion)
1
3
8
7
1
7
1
2
Figure 1 is a list of technology already used by teachers to teach English in
the classroom. The data based on the questionnaire (section 1). It is shown that
teachers already used various types of technology for teaching and learning
process. There were eight teachers who used LCD (multimedia projection) to
facilitate teaching and learning process. Among the other types of technology
used by teachers, the most used technology by teachers was LCD. Moreover,
teachers were also using commercially-produced audiotapes (tape recorder, CD,
MP3), commercially-produced videotapes (VCD, DVD, VCR, CD ROM, MP4),
self-made audiotapes (tape recorder, CD, MP3), self-made videotapes (VCD,
DVD, VCR, CD ROM, MP4), Overhead projection (OHP), computers, E-mail,
website, webblog and others. It is shown that teachers already using technology in
their classroom to teach English. This proves that teachers are in favor to use it in
teaching and learning process.
Table 1
Teachers’ Attitude toward the Use of Technology in the Classroom.
9
Neither
Agree
Strongly
Questions
Strongly
Agree
nor
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Disagre
e
f
f
f
f
f
4
5
-
-
-
4
5
-
-
-
4
5
-
-
-
3
6
-
-
-
a. Second language
classroom should
have various
types of
technology.
b. Language
teachers should
employ
technology in
their classroom.
c. Students will
learn better if
they use
technology in
their classroom.
d. Teaching English
Language Skills
(Listening,
Speaking,
10
Reading, and
Writing) will be
effective with the
use of
technology.
e. Teaching English
Language
Components
(Grammar,
Vocabulary, and
3
6
-
-
-
Pronunciation)
will be effective
with the use of
technology.
According to Table 1, it can be seen that the teachers had a positive
attitude toward the use of technology in the classroom to teach English. All of the
teachers were aware that by using technology in their classroom can help students
to learn better. From Table 1, it is shown that the teachers agreed with the idea
that various kinds of technology are needed in the language classroom. They also
agreed that teachers should use technology in the classroom. Moreover, teachers
agreed that by using technology their students will learn better than by using only
textbooks. They also agreed that by integrating technology into the classroom to
teach English language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
11
English language components (grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation) can be
more effective for the students.
From Table 1, we can derive four themes. Those four themes are
technological facilities (point a), teachers‟ competency (point b), students‟
learning improvement (point c), and effectiveness of English language teaching
(point d and e).
1. Technological Facilities
In today‟s era, technology is seen as one of the important things in our life.
Thus integrating technology in the classroom can be a way to make teaching and
learning process more effective, especially in the context of teaching language for
young learners. The data in Table 1 shows that teachers agreed that it is important
to provide and use various types of technology in the classroom.
From the interview, Teacher 3 said that,
Krn ank2 sekarang lbh familiar dgn teknologi, mrk hafal Youtubers yg terkenal
dibandingkan dgn pahlawan Indonesia sendiri. Jd jka pembelajaran English dgn teknologi
yg bervariasi pasti mrk mjd lebih mengerti. (Excerpt 1)
(Because students are more familiar with technology. They are more familiar with famous
Youtubers rather than Indonesia‟s heroes. That is why teaching English with various
types of technology will make students understand better.)
From Teacher 3 explanation above, it can be seen that students were
attached to technology. Integrating technology in the classroom can be a strategy
for teachers to gain attention from their students. By integrating technology into
the classroom, students can be more interested in the lesson. When students
become interested, it will motivate them to learn better. Therefore it is important
12
for schools and teachers to provide students with access to various types of
technology in the classroom.
Moreover, Teacher 6 explained that,
Karena mereka kan belajar bahasa asing dan teknologi sangat dibutuhkan utk mendukung
belajar mereka… Kadang anak2 masih menemukan kata2 sukar… Dgn teknologi akan
membantu mereka memecahkan kesulitan itu. (Excerpt 2)
(Because they are learning a foreign language and to support their learning process,
technology is needed… Sometimes, students are finding difficult vocabulary… With the
help of technology students will be able to overcome those difficulties.)
It shows that the teacher believed that using technology in the classroom
can help students to overcome their problems in learning English. Especially for
elementary students, learning English may be hard. Thus, teachers are required to
provide help for the students to be able to learn effectively. Using technology can
be a way to help students to learn better.
We can see that teachers were aware that technology is essential in
teaching English, especially for young learners. Because technology will attract
students‟ attention toward the lesson. It will make the students focus on the lesson
and improving their understanding of the materials delivered by teachers.
2. Teachers’ Competency
In Table 1 point b, it can be seen that teachers agreed that as language
teachers, they should integrating technology in their classroom. Teachers were
aware that by using technology in the classroom, it can help them to create a
conducive environment for students. It will also create a more fun atmosphere for
the students to learn. This will lower students‟ anxiety and help them to focus on
the lesson better. In that case, students will be able to process the materials better.
For example, in the questionnaire Teacher 1 wrote,
13
Using technology make my lesson more variation. Students not bored and make students
more attention and understand. (Excerpt 3)
It shows that using technology in the classroom can create positive
learning situation for students. It will also make students more focus in the lesson.
Using technology in the classroom will also help students to understand materials
given by teacher easier. Moreover, it will make students learn in a different way
like they usually did. It will make students enjoy the lesson.
Moreover, Teacher 6 said that,
Karena tdk semua anak memiliki cara belajar yg sama. Jadi tdk semua anak bisa mengerti
ketika belajar dgn mendengar guru menerangkan.(Excerpt 4)
(Because not all of the students has same learning style. Therefore, not all of the students
can understand by just listening to teacher‟s explanation.)
It means that by using technology in the classroom, teachers can
accommodate students‟ learning styles. As we know that there are students who
are visual and auditory learners.
However, not all of the technology that available can be used in the
classroom. Teachers need to select which technology is appropriate to use in the
classroom. The appropriate technology for students depends on the classroom
situation. Each class has different situation and different students. That is why
teachers need to understand the classroom situation and their students first. Also,
teachers need to decide what aims of the lesson before selecting to use technology
in the classroom.
3. Students’ Learning Improvement
The data of the questionnaire shown in Table 1 point c, shows that
teachers agreed that by using technology in the classroom students are able to
learn better. In the questionnaire (section 2), when teachers were asked about their
14
reason(s) for using technology in the classroom, some teachers answered that by
using technology in the classroom students are more interested in following the
lesson. All of the teachers also said that by using technology in the classroom, the
student can understand the materials better.
For example, Teacher 6 explained that,
Ya, misalnya pertemuan pertama saya hanya menerangkan tanpa alat bantu peraga, hanya
membawa buku… Lalu ketika saya evaluasi dgn soal2 hanya anak yg memperhatikan yg
bisa menjawab… Lalu pertemuan selanjutnya dgn alat peraga atau dgn menggunakan
LCD… Anak2 yang semula nilainya di bawah KKM akan meningkat. (Excerpt 5)
(For example, in the first meeting, I only explained with books without aids… Then,
when I evaluated them by giving them exercise only students who were listening were
able to answer… In the next meeting, using aids or LCD… Students who got score under
KKM at first, their score will improved.)
By using technology in the classroom can help students to give them a
clearer explanation. Because for students who are in elementary school, they may
have difficulties in understanding some materials especially in foreign language.
Thus, giving students explanation with the help of technology can make students
grasp the idea of the materials explained by teachers.
In addition, Teacher 8 who gave her students a video song related with the topic
of the lesson stated that,
Mereka senang dan bisa 3x di play on mereka langsung bisa hafal dan menyanyi di kelas.
(Excerpt 6)
(They were happy and (the song) can be played 3 times. They memorized it right away
and sang together in the class.)
We can see that when students were given a video of a song to learn, they
were able to memorize it faster. It shows that using technology in the classroom is
helpful for the students. Besides, it also creates a fun learning situation for the
students. They can sing together with their friends in class.
15
From the explanation from the teachers, we can see that by using
technology in the classroom, it is possible for teachers to accommodate some
learning styles of students. Therefore, students who are not able to understand by
just listening to their teachers will be helped. It also means that technology makes
the teaching and learning process more effective for both teachers and students.
4. Effectiveness of English Language Teaching
From the Table 1 point d and e, we can see that teachers agreed that
teaching English language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
English language components (grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation) can be
effective with the use of technology. The three teachers that had been interviewed
gave their opinion about how can teaching English language skills and component
can be effective by the use of technology.
Teacher 3 explained:
Can strengthen their skill, for example through watching video they can learn listening,
how to say the words in correct pronunciation. (Excerpt 7)
The teacher believed that by using technology, teaching English language
skills and components can be more effective. Because through technology,
teachers can provide the students with real examples from native speakers. Since
students are learning a foreign language, exposure to native speakers‟ use of
English become important. It will help students‟ competency in using English
later.
In addition, Teacher 6 added:
Writing: dari film melalui LCD bisa membimbing mereka utk menulis kembali cerita yg
mereka lihat… Jadi semuanya dpt berjalan dengan efektif. (Excerpt 8)
(Writing: using film that shown through LCD can guide students to re-write the story…
Therefore, everything can be effective.)
16
Rather than asked the students to read a story from their book, showed
them the story through video might be more effective for the students. Because
the students are still in elementary school, some students may not be interested in
reading their book. They also easily get bored when asked to read from their
books. That is why, by showing them the story will help students to pay attention
to the story and understand the story better. With better understanding, when the
teacher asked them to re-write the story they can do it better.
We can see that technology can provide students with a real example and
experience from native speakers. Moreover, exposure to the target language
directly from the native speakers will enrich students‟ experience in learning
English. It will also help students to improve their English competencies.
5. Discussion
As shown in the findings, all of the teachers agreed that technology is
needed for the students to be able to learn better. In addition, the teachers were
also aware that nowadays technology is inseparable with teaching. Harris (2000)
in Keengwe, Onchwari, and Onchwari (2009) believe that technology will be an
important tool to recreate learning in the 21st century. Moreover, Knapp and
Glenn (1996) in Keengwe, Onchwari, and Onchwari (2009) technology can be
used to help students solve the problem and help them to think independently and
collaboratively.
The findings indicate that technological facilities are one essential part of
the integration of technology in the classroom. Figure 1 showed that teachers have
used different types of technology in their classroom. This finding supports the
17
teachers‟ positive attitude toward technology use. Moreover, teachers‟
competency in using technology in the classroom is also important. It will affect
the successful of the teaching and learning process. The findings show that by
integrating technology in the classroom can create a fun environment for students
to learn with less anxiety. The findings also show that using technology in the
classroom affected students‟ learning. It is supported by Teacher 6‟s explanation
in excerpt 5 where students‟ score improved after she integrated technology in the
classroom. Lastly, the findings suggest that using technology in the classroom
might make teaching and learning process more effective. By using technology to
facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom can accommodate students‟
various learning styles.
E. CONCLUSION
This study aimed to find Primary English teachers in English Program of
Terang Bangsa Christian Elementary School‟s attitude toward the use of
technology in the classroom. There were 9 teachers of the school who were
involved in this study. The data was collected through questionnaires and
interviews.
From the data, this study found that the teachers had a positive attitude toward
the use of technology in the classroom. In addition, teachers were also in favor in
using the technology in the classroom. It is shown in the questionnaire that all of
the teachers were already using various types to teach their students. Moreover,
there are four themes emerged from Table 1. Those are technological facilities,
18
teachers‟ competency, students‟ learning improvement and effectiveness of
English language teaching.
The four themes are connected one another. Teachers‟ positive attitude are
supported with the evidence from Figure 1 that shows teachers‟ use of various
types of technology. Teachers‟ positive attitude toward the use of technology will
affect teachers‟ competency in using technology. If teachers are able to use
technology appropriately in the classroom, it will create a fun learning
environment for the students. The fun learning environment will lower students‟
anxiety in learning English. If the students are enjoying the lesson, their output
will improve. Thus, with the use of technology in the classroom, teaching and
learning process will be more effective.
Although the findings were able to answer the research question.
However, there were some limitations in this study. Firstly, this study was
conducted only in small-sized population. Thus, it cannot be generalized to a
bigger population. Secondly, because of the time limitation, the data was not deep
enough. Therefore, some aspects of this study might not have been addressed
deeply. Therefore, it is suggested that further research could look at bigger
population and deeper methodology for richer data.
19
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to thank God Almighty for His blessings which
make me able to finish my thesis. I also would like to thank my thesis supervisor
for his guidance throughout my thesis completion, Bapak Dian Toar Y. G.
Sumakul, M.A. Deepest gratitude for my thesis examiner, Prof. Dr. Gusti Astika,
M.A. for his valuable input, time to read and examine my thesis. I would like to
thank all of staffs and teachers in SD Kristen Terang Bangsa, Semarang where I
had my teaching practicum and collected the data for this thesis. Especially for
Miss Tya who always supports me during teaching practicum and during writing
my thesis. I am really grateful for that. I thank my family (Papi, Mami, Irwan, and
Hendra) for their prayers and their support (mentally and financially). Last but not
least, I would like to express my thankfulness to all of my friends who always
20
support me (Tirza, Pavita, Karisma, Kartika, Sara and Debora). I also would like
to thank everyone who has not been mentioned here who helped me during my
study in UKSW. Thank you for your support. God bless you.
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APPENDIX A
Questionnaire on the Use of Technology in Language Classrooms
Dear participants,
My name is Melia Wijaya Katono. I am conducting my research for my thesis
entitled “Primary Teachers‟ Perception toward the Use of Technology in
Classroom”. I would like to ask for your help to fill in this questionnaire honestly.
All your answers and information in this questionnaire will be kept confidential.
Thank you for your help and God bless you.
Respondent Details:
Name ____________________________________________
Contact Information _________________________________
Gender ____ Male ____ Female
Year of Experience ____