EFL Learners' Use of ICT for Self-Regulated Learning

Abstract

Problem Statement: The notions of autonomy and independence possess an increasingly important role in language pedagogy by raising issues such as learners’ responsibility for their own learning, and their right to determine the direction of their own learning, the skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning and capacity for independent learning and the extents to which this can be suppressed by institutional education. Purpose of Study: This study attempted to enrich our understanding of language learners’ self-initiated use of information and communication technologies (ICT) from the language learning perspective. Methods: The participants were 399 language learners who were attending the intensive English language preparatory program at the Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus. The study was based on a survey which consisted of demographic and language learning backgrounds of the participants, and likert-scale questions on participants’ self-initiated use of ICT for language learning. The data collected were validated through factor analyses. Beside descriptive analyses, chi-square and t-test were also used to reveal the associations between demographic variables and different dimensions of ICT use in selfregulated language learning. Findings and Results: An obvious finding to emerge from this study is that there are no statistically significant differences regarding the male and female participants’ use of ICT for self-regulated learning, and between language levels of the learners. Considering the responses, the learners mostly use ICT to practice listening, vocabulary and writing skills. Conclusions and Recommendations: The overall outcome of the study points to the need for learner training, teacher support and guidance for an effective use of ICT for self regulation of language learning.