EFL Teachers’ Cognition on ICT: Relevance for Training and Professional Development

Abstract

Teacher cognition has been known as what teachers think, know, and believe. Its origin could be traced back to the development of Psychology highlighted complex relationship between what people do, what they know, and what they believe. Educational researchers believe that in teaching, teachers’ mental lives play a role in their instructional choices. This study reports a case of EFL English teachers’ cognition towards the use of ICT to facilitate language skill practice. Attitudes on the use of ICT by thirty eight English teacher participants of a training program on the use of cloud-based apps were assessed resulting in a higher perceived level of affective factors and usefulness of technology products than the other two; their perceived control on their use and their behavioural intention to explore them. Further open-ended assessment and interview revealed familiarity with various technology products for language teaching as beginner users as the biggest percentages. Results of this assessment provided useful information for ICT training conducts suggesting effective methods and techniques of material delivery and assistance. Moreover, the findings revealed choices of approach and strategies to enhance ICT professional development covering both internal and external factors are related with their job responsibilities and nature.