Utilizing Information Technology to Enhance the English Language Learning among Saudi Students - Case Study Example

Research Problem and Literature Review Name Student Number Institution Course Code Instructor Date How to Effectively Utilise Information Technology to Enhance English Language Learning and Mastering of Spelling among Saudi Students Background Context of the Problem Increased utilisation of IT and smart technology in the world is amazing with great impacts and interactions coming about based on the platforms provided by the technology (Leach 2008). Various social media platforms are live for interactions with access to educational sites being possible at the click of a button using a smart phone or a tablet. The utilisation of mobile devices has increased in world over in the twenty first century. The Saudi trend indicates increased use of Smart phones in the Middle East with a 64% penetration of the technology in Saudi Arabia (Ispos 2013). Focusing on the Saudi English learning as a foreign language in this context sought to establish various causes of low proficiency in the English language among Saudi students. The impact of IT technology and increased utilisation of smart phone among the upcoming technology, and eventually providing recommendations to address the issue of low English language proficiency is paramount. From a critical perspective, the mobile phone technology is becoming a part of the daily life of the current generation, thus, its inclusion in making changes in the learning and teaching process if inevitable. The use of IT technology with a bias to mobile technology in respect to promoting English language learning is becoming effectively potential with the utilisation of smart phones and their ability to host various applications (apps) (Shohel and Shrestha 2010). The next section critically evaluates literature concerning Information technology penetration and its effectiveness in promoting English learning among Saudi learners. Research Problem and Questions The art of mastering a foreign language is not an easy task to learners, and educators go through difficult times trying to come up with effective ways to improve learning and understanding. A number of obstacles within the learning environment incorporate lack of sufficient support and materials to learn the foreign language among the learners from their early age as well as their mastery of the Arabic national language (Alharbi 2015). These challenges involve augmented utilisation of the Arabic language as the media of instruction among educators to students. Further, increased use of the Arabic language among students even in communication within school precincts consequently hampers effective mastery and utilisation of English language (Alharbi 2015). The hindrances bring about limited utilisation of English language which becomes a daunting challenge upon becoming an international student or professional. The need for proficient English language in the world is evident, and thus, increased need on coming up with effective strategies among teachers to enhance mastery of the English language are paramount. The research questions to this research study involve: 1. What are the factors impeding effective learning of English as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia? 2. How to effectively incorporate mobile technology in enhancing mastering of spelling and English language proficiency? 3. What recommendations can be put in place to enhance implementation of technology in language learning? Data Collection Data collection will consist of establishing the level of mobile phone use penetration among learners and how effective they can utilise them for learning English language. Stratified random sampling will be utilised to identify a representative sample of learners and educators utilising IT to improve learning. The methodology will first establish the level of spelling and language proficiency among learners before utilisation of mobile technology and later after inclusion of IT in their learning strategy. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be utilised to acquire detailed data to answer the research study questions The end results will be analysed to establish the outcome as far as IT use if concerned in the learning process of English language. Data Analysis To conclusively achieve the objective of the study, statistical analysis techniques will be utilised to refine and acquire data to answer the research questions. The refined data will be presented in graphical representations to portray the study findings and recommendations made based on the findings. Literature Review Learning is a complex process that incorporates strategic planning of the educators and subsequent effective implementation of the same towards imparting knowledge and skills to learners (Brown 2007). The introduction of English language learning as a compulsory subject in the last decade in Saudi Arabia has seen various challenges being faced in respect to proficiency. Nevertheless, these challenges are common with learning new foreign languages and especially in circumstances where there lacks effective and strategic structures and experiences to promote learning of the language. For example, according to Alshamari (2011), the aspect of English language as a media of instruction among Saudi teachers indicates insufficient exploitation of the language to full scale. 69% of educators in Saudi Arabia utilises Arabic language in classes with 60% indicating that use of the Arabic language is necessary to sufficiently bring down the time needed to teach students. This is a clear indication of the need to improve on the educational system and mode of instruction delivery among teachers to promote mastery of the English language. Thus, the challenges in the Saudi English language learning are a common scenario that requires critical consideration and planning among the educators to promote effective learning strategies and mastery of language (Liton 2012). The increased utilisation of mobile technology is not just within the general life context, but has also been observed in the teaching and learning processes (Shohel and Shrestha 2010). Implementation of mobile devices as teaching aids has been embraced by various institutions with teachers effectively utilising mobile devices as the media for instruction and enhancing teaching and learning with majority of learners greatly benefiting from the initiatives (Chao 2008, p. 8). The increased use of mobile devices in schools has come to be referred to as mobile learning (m-learning) and it has positively impacted not only in the teaching process, but also in respect top accessing other materials online for extensive learning. According to Chao (2011, p. 1) m-learning generally integrates e-learning knowledge through the use of mobile devices and networks which covers the largest proportion of students in the Saudi Arabia and the world at large. The aspect of m-learning has continuously appeared as a popular topic with the teaching and learning contexts (Kukulska-Hulme and Shield 2008). Various scholars have redefined the concepts of m-learning and established the various characteristics that depict it with diverse definitions being common each pertaining to the certain concerns and focus. The major concern has been the mobility of the learner with critical definition to m-learning being the ability to acquire knowledge and equally be involved in the learning activities without the limitations of being in a classroom (Alharbi, 2015). The current global perspectives have indicated increased computer-mediated communications and the impact that the tools have on effective learning of language learning especially with respect to the acquisition of writing skills. The use of technology to acquire language and writing skills through technology has been indicated to have great positive impact on the learning and writing second languages (Leach 2008). Nevertheless, there have been concerns pertaining to its effeteness towards learning process and thus, the need to explore the best and most efficient tools of technology to enhance learning. Increased emphasis has been placed on the need to understand the need for effective tragedies towards improving learning and teaching skills for English learning. Lacina (2008) identifies the effectiveness of children using Ipods in learning with effective from their teachers. Thus, educators of English language in the Saudi context have a greater role to contribute in the realisation of success in the improvement of English proficiency among learners. Learning is a process that utilises teaching aids and materials available to learners which can bring about great impact in their learning processes (Brown 2007). The use of mobile technology among Saudi learners appears as a great approach towards effective realisation of language and skill mastery, with various applications providing effective interactions for knowledge acquisition and interaction. Continuous use of the mobile technology and effective applications of English language as the media of exchange in the search engines and subsequent interactions in the social media will greatly promote the aspect of communication and interaction (Shohel and Shrestha 2010). The overall result will bring about effective mastery of English language skills and enhance the strategic search of effective apps that promote English language learning. Further, increased use of smart phones and tablets among learners will greatly promote the sharing of learning strategies among themselves and also interact with their educators (Chao 2011). This presents the opportunity of not only getting new language skills, but also improving on the already acquired skills, making clarifications and subsequently getting competence through rectification and seeking clarifications within the social circles. Evaluation This study utilises a descriptive analytical approach to evaluate the impact of information technology and especially mobile technology to learn the foreign language, English among Saudi Arabian learners. The increased globalisation of the language prompts effective evaluation and measures to ensure that critical considerations are made on the effectiveness of learning process as well as strategies that can be utilised to effectively enhance acquisition of skills towards effective communication and writing in English language (Liton 2012). With increased percentage of learners and young people embracing web technology, the prospect of its utilisation in learning is high. Nevertheless, the challenge is how to effective put it to task and ensure effective achievement of better results. Although there have been great promises with respect to technology promoting literacy, educators have been showing mixed reactions with respect to embracing it in teaching practices (Alharbi 2015). The mixed reactions thus, call for effective evaluation of the advantages of incorporating technology in promoting language proficiency especially in the Saudi context. Inclusion of web technologies in the learning process are effective pedagogical perspective within learning processes (Leach 2008). Thus, critical analysis will involve establishing effective ways to come up with workable applications with specific for learning and how to establish the best applications to utilise in the teacher-learner interaction. The introduction of new technologies consistently has been seen as a form of impact towards changing the world’s perspectives. The concerns with respect to inclusion of technology in learning involve establishing effective aspects of technology for use, as well as positive apps within the mobile technology that can increasingly improve on language learning (Alharbi 2015). With increased influence of the web technology, it is the prerogative of the learners to ensure effective utilisation of the mobile technology for educational purposes in their course social interactions. The benefits of learning entrenched in various blogs, websites and other educational sites bring about the greater need for consideration in respect to the positive aspect of self-expression, sharing of ideas, effective communication and reflection among learners (Shohel and Shrestha 2010). These reasons are very critical but at the same time valid for incorporation in the learning process to impact on positive change within the learning processes. The acquired data will be evaluated and refined for purposes of acquiring credible data to support the objectives and come up with recommendations for enhancing teaching of the English as a second language to students. The challenge of students to equally utilise available apps for educative purpose requires stringent guidance and findings toward the effectiveness of technology and how to effectively utilise it for educative purposes. The study findings will qualitatively establish effective and strategic measures to enhance learning of English with effective utilisation of mobile learning through the use of mobile technology. With increased embracing of web technology Saudi and growing population of the young people with access to smart phones, the teaching of English technology via mobile web technology is inevitable. Reference List Alharbi, H.A., 2015, ‘Improving Students’ English speaking proficiency in Saudi public schools,’ International Journal of Instruction, Vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 105-116. Alshammari, M., 2011, ‘The use of the mother tongue in Saudi EFL classrooms’, Journal of International Educational Research, Vol. 7, pp. 95-102. Brown, H., 2007, Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, Pearson Education, Inc., New York. Chao, L., 2011, ‘Introduction’, In L. Chao (ed.) Open Source Mobile Learning: Mobile Linux Applications, Hershey, PA, pp. 1-17. Ipsos, 2013, IpsosArabNet Presentation, Beirut 2013. Accessed online May 23, 2015 from . Kukulska-Hulme, A. & Shield, L., 2008, ‘An overview of mobile assisted language learning: from content delivery to supported collaboration and interaction’, ReCALL, Vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 271-289. Lacina, J., 2008, ‘Learning English with Ipods’, Childhood Education, Vol. 84, no. 4, pp. 247. Leach, J., 2008, ‘Do New Information and Communication Technologies have a Role to Play in the Achievement of education for all?’ British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 34, no. 6, pp 783-805. Liton, H., 2012, ‘Developing EFL teaching and learning practices in Saudi colleges: A review’, International Journal of Instruction, Vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 129-152. Shohel, M.M. and Shrestha, P., 2010, ‘Mobile technology in communicative language teaching (CTL) practice in Bangladesh: Experience from the UCEP schools’ In XIV Congress on Comparative Education Societies. June 14-18, Istanbul, Turkey. Read More