Digital Literacy With EFL Student Teachers: Exploring Indonesian Student Teachers’ Initial Perception About Integrating Digital Technologies Into a Teaching Unit

Abstract

Research found that many student teachers are active users of digital technologies yet they are reluctant to make use of digital technologies for literacy teaching purposes. Efforts to prepare student teachers for technology integration are pressingly needed. Also needed is data that informs us about student teachers’ participation (engagement) with digital technologies and how they might utilize those technologies for literacy teaching. The article reports on a classroom research project that explored Indonesian student teachers’ initial perception about the use of digital technologies for EFL teaching. For one semester, the first author taught a course to a group of student teachers at a state Islamic university in Jakarta in which they learned conceptual and practical knowledge about digital technologies in teaching and learning. The student teachers were tasked to explore digital technologies available and had to integrate those technologies into teaching units contained in a junior high English textbook. Popular digital technologies selected included Facebook, blogs, Skype, and WhatsApp. Each offers unique potential to facilitate and enhance language learning. Student reflections provided insight into their considerations for their digital technology selections.