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Hungarian English major teacher trainees’ attitudes towards the use of technology in the EFL classroom: Piloting a questionnaire
Abstract
In today’s globalized world, mastering both language and technology is crucial (Huang et al., 2019). Ng and Yunus (2021) emphasize the need for 21st-century teachers to integrate technology into language teaching. Teacher preparation should enhance pre-service teachers’ comfort with using technology (Koch et al., 2012). The present study reports the development and piloting process of a questionnaire that investigates Hungarian English major teacher trainees’ attitudes towards using technology in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Despite extensive research on technology integration in EFL settings, there is a scarcity of studies on the attitudes of Hungarian English major teacher trainees towards using technology in tertiary-level EFL classrooms. This study seeks to fill this gap by exploring the attitudes of Hungarian English major teacher trainees on the use of technology in the EFL classroom. Adapted from the TPACK Survey by Schmidt et al. (2009), this quantitative pilot study aims to design a questionnaire based on six constructs: general attitudes towards technology, attitudes towards using technology to learn and teach English, perceived usefulness, ability to use technological tools, and willingness to use technology. Forty-three Hungarian English major teacher trainees participated in the survey. The questionnaire’s reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Results showed that teacher trainees have positive attitudes towards using technology in general and for learning and teaching English. They find technological tools beneficial, are proficient in using them, and are willing to integrate technology into their teaching practices. There is a strong positive relationship between their attitudes towards technology and their willingness and perceived ability to use it. The findings may enhance understanding of Hungarian EFL teacher trainees’ attitudes towards technology, aiding in the development of effective training and resources to foster technology use in EFL teaching.
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