Level of adoption of the Internet by ESL teachers at The Ohio State University

The purpose of the study was to describe the level of adoption of the Internet by teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) using a major, public university in the U.S. Midwest as a sample. The study also investigated relationships between the level of use of the Internet and selected variables.; A descriptive-correlational research design combined with a qualitative research data collection approach (i.e., follow-up interviews) was used. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to ESL teachers at the research site (N = 42) during February and March 2000. Follow-up questions were developed and used to interview nine ESL teachers.; Quantitative findings showed that ESL teachers occasionally to frequently use the Internet. Ninety-eight percent of the ESL teachers have Internet access at work; 78.6 percent have Internet access at home. ESL teachers are a little to somewhat proficient in Internet skills. ESL teachers are most proficient at e-mail and the World Wide Web, and they have a generally positive perception of the Internet. Internet proficiency discriminated better between high and low users of the Internet for instructional purposes than did computer proficiency. Statistically significant, moderate associations existed for Internet access at home and Internet proficiency. Internet access at home was the variable explaining the greatest variance in Internet use.; Qualitative data showed that interviewees advocate the use of the Internet in ESL instruction for a variety of reasons including: the Internet is a communication tool; the Internet is a tool for gathering information; the Internet is accessible; the Internet is a learning tool; the Internet is a teaching tool; and students need to learn to use the Internet. Interviewees also revealed that factors associated with Internet access, Internet content, student-related limitations, and teacher-related limitations may affect their adoption of the Internet in ESL instruction.; The study concluded that ESL teachers have taken on the additional responsibility of being computer-technology instructors besides teaching English. Additionally, a lack of access to the Internet in the classroom, a lack of training, and a lack of time for training seem to seriously limit teachers' use and/or adoption of the Internet in ESL instruction at OSU.