Educational technology has been introduced in Saudi Arabia since 1980. In 2007, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia introduced the “Intel Teach for the Future program” to change the conventional educational system. Many English language teachers and English language learners are interested in using technology for language education. However, even with the introduction of the Intel program, still many teachers and students are encountering some obstacles that prevent them from integrating technology in classrooms. This presentation will explore the barriers that impede the use of technology for language learning. Various newspaper articles, government reports, refereed and non-refereed articles were studied. The findings indicate that lack of competence, lack of confidence, lack of time, lack of training for teachers and students, shortage of infrastructure and unavailability of Internet, lack of technical support and cultural beliefs block the use of technology for language learning in some rural areas. Some recommendations are made for integrating technology in language learning environments in Saudi Arabia.
This presentation is useful for researchers, K-12 educators, online distance educators, language teachers, educational technologists and especially for educators who are interested in international education or teaching in the Middle Eastern countries.
Of Interest to: Online and distance education, K-12 educators, Researchers, Educational technologists
