Abstracts Education

A teacher development program on CALL materials evaluation: teachers' knowledge and attitudes toward technology

by Corry Caromawati

Teacher Development Programs (TDPs) in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) aim to develop teachers' knowledge as well as positive attitudes toward technology. Previous studies (Liu & Kelinsasser, 2015; Tai, 2015, 2013; Rienities, Brouwer, & Lygo-Baker, 2013; Wong & Benson, 2006; Chao, 2006; Hegelheimer, 2006; Yildirim, 2000) show that teachers develop their CALL technical pedagogical knowledge through participation in CALL TDPs. In addition to the development of their knowledge, teachers also increase their positive attitudes toward technology after CALL TDPs as revealed in previous studies such as Tai (2013); Kessler (2007); Hegelheimer (2006); Meskill, Anthony, Hilliker-VanStrander, Tseng, and You (2006), and Yildirim (2000). Regarding teachers' CALL knowledge, it is believed that teachers must have knowledge to evaluate CALL materials to prepare them to face the fast development of technology. Therefore, for the purpose of this study, an online CALL TDP focusing on CALL material evaluation-based on Chapelle's (2001) CALL evaluation framework- was designed and delivered asynchronously through a learning management system for approximately five weeks. Eight Indonesian teachers participated in the TDP. The present study investigates the change in the participating teachers' CALL materials evaluation knowledge (CMEK) and their attitudes toward technology (ATT) after participation in the online TDP. Data sources including pre- and post- program CMEK surveys, teachers' learning reflections, teachers' CMEK demonstrations, and post-program personal interviews were analyzed to examine the teachers' change in CMEK. To investigate the teachers' ATT change, data sources such as pre- and post- program ATT surveys, another learning refection, and the post-program personal interviews were also used. The findings show that six participating teachers developed their CMEK throughout the online TDP. To some extent, two teachers exhibited marginal attainment of the CMEK. These results advocate for building teachers' awareness of the demands and aims of TDPs as well as providing more technical training to teachers with a lack of CALL experience before TDPs begin. The findings also show that of the eight teachers, only two increased their positive ATT marginally after the TDP, while the other teachers' ATT remained largely unchanged. These results suggest that teachers' ATT should be investigated within different attitude classifications, and/or teachers' ATT cannot be changed in a short period of time.