Abstract:

Either appreciated, or rejected, modern technologies do have impact on our lives. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to contribute to exploring this field and present results of research which monitored the latest use of information and communication technologies (ICT), covering both the devices and applications. The research was conducted at the Faculty of Education, University of Jan Evangelista Purkyne, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic. The research sample consisted of 65 respondents enrolled in English Language and Literature bachelor and master study programmes in 2017/18 academic year. Data were collected by the method of mindmapping: four mind maps were drawn by each respondent reflecting:
(1) the use of ICT in common life,
(2) changes in this concept when focusing on three key words: 'hardware', 'software' and the 'purpose of ICT use',
(3) the use of ICT for education and
(4) the use of ICT for learning English.

Collected data were processed by the method of frequency analysis, considered through common expectations, particularly the use of social networks and various applications (e.g. dictionaries, translators, language tests), and discussed in the context of selected studies conducted among the university students of technical study programmes. As expected, the findings discovered a rather wide use of applications which supported the process of learning English; however, in common life, the scale of ICT use was neither frequent, nor extensive.

Keywords:

ICT, English, mind maps, higher education.