THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STUDENTS’ AND LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ USAGE OF ICT: A CASE FROM SAUDI ARABIA

Culture is widely reported as a major factor affecting teacher use information and communication technology (ICT) However, culture cannot be analysed in a single level (Leidner & Kayworth, 2006). In this presentation, I will propose the following three levels of culture; classroom level, school level, and the national level. The three levels will be used to analyse teachers’ use of ICT, specifically in order to answer my research question “What are the socio-cultural factors that influence students’ and language teachers’ usage of ICT in their schools?” and “How do students and language teachers use ICT in their schools?.”

The study is undertaken within the interpretive paradigm, and it adopts multiple theories; socio-cultural theory, ecological perspective, and metaphor from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) illustrate the theoretical framework.

A multiple case study is employed as a methodology in order to yield detailed data to assist in understanding of the use of ICT in schools.
Classroom observation, teachers’ semi-structured interviews, and focus groups have been conducted to provide rich data.

Six English teachers, Five Arabic teachers, three school leaders, three supervisors, and three students focus groups are the sample that consists of three case studies in an intermediate boys’ school in Arrass city in Saudi Arabia.

A self-concern, task concern, and impact concern are emerged from the data analysis. Teachers were divided into three groups based on their concern. Non-user who has more self-concern, a routine user who has many task concern, and the integrated user who has some concern about the collaborative in impact concern.