Increasing Students’ Motivation through the Integration of Technology in EFL classroom The case of first year students of English at Belhadj Bouchaib University Centre Ain Temouchent

Abstract

Technology has invaded and influenced our daily life in many domains. In the field of English language teaching and learning, technology offers different tools such as computers, videos, internet, language laboratories equipped with different audio visual aids. These materials support and facilitate the teaching task, serve the learners needs and motivate them acquiring the target language and improving their language capacities. Despite the importance of technology in the educational field generally and in EFL teaching particularly in providing the learners with opportunities to discover new learning environment different from the traditional learning methods, and giving teachers the opportunity to benefit from different educational materials that can facilitate the teaching tasks and offer an enjoyable atmosphere that may motivate the learners in acquiring the target language, the researchers noticed that the integration of such technological devices remain insufficient in Algerian universities in general and in EFL settings in particular. The objective of the current research study is to highlight the significant role of using technology in the language teaching and learning process by mentioning the technological tools mostly used in increasing EFL students‘ motivation. This research is a case study involving two questionnaires to both first year EFL students and EFL teachers AT the English department of the university centre of Belhadj Bouchaib of Ain Temouchent to collect the necessary data. The data were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. The results obtained showed that the use of educational technology takes place in the English language teaching and learning since it facilitate the teaching tasks and making the learning environment flexible and enjoyable, also, the learners confirmed that technology offers them with several source of learning and it improves their language skills and increases their motivation as well. This research work tries to offer an overview about the educational technology in EFL teaching and learning process and the several technological instruments mostly used by teachers and learners and the role of using these tools in increasing EFL students‘ motivation and improving their language performance. Moreover, it gives some suggestions and recommendations also providing some pedagogical implications about using technology for both EFL teachers and learners