Language Teachers' Digital Mindsets: Links Between Everyday Use and Professional Use of Technology

Abstract

Innovations in digital technologies have the potential to alter how people think, learn, communicate, and collaborate with others. Whereas changes in technology and its aff ordances have transformed social contexts and learning environments, instructors’ beliefs about digital technologies and pedagogy can aff ect technology integration behaviours and language teaching practices. This study used a twophase approach to gain insights into teachers’ digital mindsets and their personal and professional use of technology. In total, 50 teachers were surveyed regarding their technological beliefs and practices, and, among them, three second language teachers were selected and interviewed. Results illustrate that participants recognized and embraced the aff ordances of digital technologies in their own lives, yet they failed to see their signifi cance in language teaching and learning. Their a itudes and intentions associated with technology uses were compartmentalized; while teachers’ everyday practices were more digital and socially mediated, they struggled to adopt more technology-based teaching practices. Participants identifi ed the lack of training in technology integration in language teaching hindered their use of digital resources, but fi ndings indicate that the teachers’ reluctance to explore emerging technologies and their own technological beliefs and experiences infl uenced their mindset and teaching practices. Implications and recommendations for second language instruction are discussed.