Improving the written products of students with the help of computer technology

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies have a substantial role in English Language Teaching. This work explores the potential of computer technology for helping EFL students overcome some difficulties in writing compared to conventional composing. In particular, it examines the usefulness of ‘Oxford iWriter’ - an interactive tool integrated with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary CD-ROM of 2010 - that was designed to help learners write more effectively in English. We hypothesize that if students use the software efficiently, they would be able to improve some aspects of their written products. We conducted an experiment with 108 third-year EFL students from two groups at the UNIVERSITY OF CONSTANTINE. The subjects from the treatment group practised writing with the help of Oxford iWriter in an equipped language laboratory, then their written products were assessed and compared to those of their peers in the control group. A questionnaire was administered to the subjects as well as to 42 university teachers to assess their motivation and attitudes towards using technology in EFL classrooms. The results show some improvements in the written products of many students and also students’ eagerness and readiness to learn with the help of technology. As for teachers, some of them are not necessarily technophiles. Curricula are to be reviewed and teachers are to receive adequate training in order to achieve more success in implementing educational technology in Algeria in the twenty-first century.