The impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on English Language Learning at the University of Buea

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter sets out to explain the background of the study, statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, statement of hypotheses, scope of the study, the significance of the study, and definition of terms.

Background of the Study

Information and communication technology has been used almost in all fields of life, including education. In education, computer technology has been so important that the government has put ICT as one of the tools of education. The utilization of computers in education has recently started to appeal to potential and significant language learning. ICT has become a major issue in language learning in the university that could facilitate students and teachers in teaching and English language learning.

It is important to research the impact of ICT on the English language because English itself is the language of science and technology from which ICTs are developed. Cameroon society particularly the University of Buea, which is a higher learning institution that trains ICT experts like the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) uses computer programs, web surfing, online music and videos.

The government has not considered the ICT tool that will be used in learning the English language at the University of Buea so as to enhance learning performance in the language and if not been able to recognize their ICT tool in learning will lead to poor performance in the English language.

Statement of The Problem

There are many inadequacies as far as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is concerned. Emerging technologies can be exploited to a greater extent in English language learning. Users of information and communication technology may enjoy relatively the uses of these services but in return, it will lead to poor performance in the English language in terms of speech, articulation and writing.

Inappropriate use of information and communication technology may be a result of the way in which the learners use ICT. In spelling, most of these ICT tools like smartphones, computer programs, help students to be lazy as far as spelling and abbreviation of words are concerned.

Because a student might want to spell a word giving a task of spelling, once the student types the first two letters of the word, the full word will just appear on the smartphone or computer without them looking carefully at the correct spelling of the word, and if they were to use the traditional way of writing, they might spell the word wrongly, thereby leading to poor performance in speech and writing.

Thus, this study is guided by this statement of the problem. “Inappropriate use of information and communication technology will have an effect on English learners”.

Purpose of the Study

The impact of information and communication technology on English language learning.

• Objectives of the Study
• To see how the students of the University of Buea use Information and Communication Technology in English language learning.
• To see if the students from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology with the use of ICT are better in the English language than the other students from the other faculties who are not taught ICT as a course.
• To find out if the use of Information and Communication Technology has an impact on the performance of English language learners in the University of Buea.