Experiences and perceptions of Saudi EFL teachers on professional development in technology integration into teaching

Abstract

PurposeThe study aims to explore the experiences and perspectives of EFL teachers on professional development in integrating technology into teaching at Saudi universities from the teachers’ perspective. It also tries to provide the educational research community with an updated professional development description of the experiences and perceptions of EFL teachers regarding the professional development of technology integration into their teaching opportunities at their universities.Design/methodology/approachThe current study used survey research. The participants are EFL university teachers who completed an online questionnaire.FindingsThe survey research findings show that most EFL teachers have extensive experience and a wide range of technology skills acquired mainly through self-directed learning and interactions with colleagues. However, they face challenges accessing professional development opportunities for technology integration in EFL teaching at their universities. Most believe the current professional development programs are inadequate and not tailored to their needs. While some teachers see a positive impact on student engagement and teaching efficiency, others are uncertain about the impact of attending professional development in technology integration into teaching students’ language skills. Overall, EFL teachers express a strong need for more specific training and support in technology integration into teaching.Originality/valueSome studies focused on professional development training related to the use of technology in education in Saudi Arabia (Alsowat, 2021; Alghamdi, 2022; Aljameel, 2022; AlMutairi et al., 2022). To my knowledge, no study has aimed to examine EFL university teachers’ experiences and perceptions of professional development regarding the use of technology in their EFL teaching.