The effect of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)on United Arab Emirates English as a foreign language(EFL) school students' achievement and attitude.

This study investigated the effect of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) on elementary-prep school students' improvement in English as a foreign language (EFL EFL - Extended FortranLanguage ). Eighty-three students in Al-Tamayoz Elementary-prep School, United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates, federation of sheikhdoms (2005 est. pop. 2,563,000), c.30,000 sq mi (77,700sq km), SE Arabia, on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. , were selected and divided intoexperimental and control groups (43 and 40 participants respectively). Results of Analysis ofvariance (ANOVA anova

see analysis of variance.

ANOVAÂ Analysis of variance, see there ) showed a significant difference between CALL users andnonusers in favor of the experimental group (p < .05). In addition, a questionnaire was administeredto CALL users to investigate their attitude, perceived utility, and intention to use CALL in the future.Students in the experimental group had a positive attitude toward CALL, perceived its utility forhelping them learn EFL, and had a strong intention to use it in the future. Results of this study haveprovided evidence of the effect of CALL on learning English as a foreign language. Implications andrecommendations for future research are presented.

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Computer-Assisted Language Learning ''This article or section is being rewritten at

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is an approach to language teaching and learning inwhich computer technology is used as an aid to the presentation, reinforcement and assessment ofmaterial to be learned, usually  (CALL) is a technique for using technology in the field of languagelearning. Many studies worldwide have been conducted to investigate the effect of CALL on learninglanguages. Research results demonstrated a positive effect of CALL on students' learning andlanguage competency COMPETENCY, evidence. The legal fitness or ability of a witness to be heardon the trial of a cause. This term is also applied to written or other evidence which may be legallygiven on such trial, as, depositions, letters, account-books, and the like.

    2. .

In the context of UAE (Uninterruptible Application Error) The name given to a crash in Windows 3.0.In subsequent versions of Windows, a crash was called a "General Protection Fault," "ApplicationError" or "Illegal Operation." See crash in Windows and abend. , studies involving CALL use areminimal. Almekhlafi (2004) investigated the effect of interactive multimedia (IMM IMM

See: International Monetary Market ) CD-ROM CD-ROM:Â see compact disc.

CD-ROM

 in full compact disc read-only memory

Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser).  on the achievement ofsixth grade students in relation to their learning styles. Results showed no significant differencebetween the two groups in the overall achievement. However, results showed that field-independentlearners scored significantly higher than field-dependent (1). One of the recommendations stated inthe study was that IMM should be investigated as an individualized in·di·vid·u·al·ize Â

tr.v. in·di·vid·u·al·ized, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·ing, in·di·vid·u·al·iz·es

1. To give individuality to.

2. To consider or treat individually; particularize.

3. Â learning tool. Therefore, this study focused on independent CALL use by elementary-prep schoolstudents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It investigated the effect of CALL on students'achievement of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their attitude toward CALL use.

According to according to

prep.

1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.

 Wikipedia encyclopedia encyclopedia, compendium of knowledge, either general (attempting tocover all fields) or specialized (aiming to be comprehensive in a particular field). Encyclopedias andOther Reference Books

 (2005), CALL is defined as an approach to language teaching and learning in which computertechnology is used as an aid to the presentation, reinforcementreinforcement /re·in·force·ment/ (-in-fors´ment) in behavioral science, the presentation of astimulus following a response that increases the frequency of subsequent responses, whetherpositive to desirable events, or , and assessment of material to be learned, usually including asubstantial interactive element. In the light of this definition and for the purpose of this study, theresearcher defines CALL as the use of multimedia CD-ROM combining text, pictures, audio, andvideo files for the purpose of teaching English as a foreign language TEFL or Teaching English as aforeign language refers to teaching English to students for whom it is not their mother tongue. TEFLcan take place in English-speaking regions, for example in language schools or summer camps orbefore the start of a university degree, but .

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Research on the effect of technology in general on teaching and learning has been conducted andcontinues to be investigated. One of the most prominent fields of research has been on interactivemultimedia and its effect on leaning in different fields including language learning. Literature reviewfor the purpose of this study focuses on two domains (a) multimedia and language learning andteaching, and (b) CALL.

The Use of Multimedia in Teacher Education

Many researchers have called for and emphasized the importance of the inclusion of technology inteacher education (Volk, 2000; Gentile, Lonberger, Parana, & West, 2000; Chester, 2001;Schnackenberg, Luik, Nisan, & Servant, 2001; & Berlin & White, 2002). Educational researchinvestigating the utility of technology for learning and teaching has been continuous for severaldecades. One form of this integration is with the use of multimedia. The educational benefits ofmultimedia are well documented (Moore, 2000). Multimedia has been used with student teachers toimprove their training and hence the quality of education (Almekhlafi, 2004). However, multimediaresearch was not always consistent in its results. Some studies yielded positive effect (Soboleva &Tronenko 2002; Moreno, Mayer, Spires, & Lester, 2001; Frear & Hirschbuhl, 1999; Vignola, Kenny,Andrews, & Schilz, 1999; James, 1999; Vrtacnik et al., 2000; Buckley, 2000; Wydra, 2001; Cairncross& Mannion, 2001; Almekhlafi, 2001), while others did not (Smith & Woody Woody

Slang to describe when the market has a strong and quick upward movement.

Notes:

For example, you'll hear "the market has a woody," when the market is performing well... seriously,we don't make this stuff up. , 2000; McKethan, Everhart, & Sanders San´ders

n. 1. An old name of sandalwood, now applied only to the red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood. ,2001; Vichitvejpaisal et al., 2001; Nutta et al., 2002; & Hayes, Taub, Robinson III, & Sivo, 2003).

In the field of language learning, multimedia has been investigated by many researchers. Resultsindicated a positive effect of multimedia on learning languages (Liou, 1995; Johnston & Milne, 1995;Asay, 1995; Chun & Plass, 1996; Al-Segheer, 2001; Tsou, Wang, & Li, 2002; Noriko, 2002).

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Research

CALL research has been ongoing for decades investigating CALL use in different contexts and withdifferent languages worldwide. Its potential for learning and teaching in the field of foreignlanguages has been discussed and documented by many researchers (Crosby, 1997; Peterson, 1998;Charischak, 2000; Vrtacnik et al., 2000; Ayres, 2002; Nesselhauf & Tschichold, 2002; Egbert,Paulus, & Nakamichi, 2002; Robert, 2002; Cushion & Dominique, 2002; Schwienhorst, 2002; Jung,2002; Bayraktar, 2002; Chika-matsu, 2003; Fenfang, 2003).

Charischak (2000) stated that for long time, basic drill and practice software programs dominatedthe market in CALL. Supporting this claim, Robert (2002) pointed out that the use of computers toassist learners in their language studies has increased phenomenally over the past decade.

Cushion and Dominique (2002) described how recent technological developments have provided thepossibility of overcoming technical problems in conjunction with the Java programming languageand the Unicode character numbering system. Schwienhorst (2002) discussed CALL and focused onthe benefits of virtual reality environments, particularly for foreign language contexts.

For many years, foreign language teachers have used the computer to provide supplementalexercises. Recently, due to technology advancement, teachers started to consider the use ofcomputers as an essential part of daily foreign language teaching and learning. Technology has thepotential to play a major role in foreign language teaching and learning. A lot of attention has beenpaid to the use of CALL in foreign languages teaching and learning.

In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke"

put differently , CALL gained considerable attention from different entities including researchersand writers. Peterson (1998) stated that CALL has developed from small beginnings into a majorelement in many university language programs in Japan. The number of individual educatorsincorporating CALL materials into their classes has increased markedly. This increase of interest inCALL, and educational technology in general, has also been manifested in the increase in thenumber of CALL facilities created within universities and schools.

Some writers devoted whole books for the discussion of CALL. For example, Kulik and Kulik (1991)stated that a meta-analysis of findings from 254 controlled evaluation studies showed that computer-based instruction (CBI CBI

abbr.

cumulative book index

CBIÂ Confederation of British Industry

CBI n abbr (= Confederation of British Industry) -> C.E.O.E. ) usually produces positive effects onstudents. The studies covered learners of all age levels from kindergartenkindergarten [Ger.,=garden of children], system of preschool education. Friedrich Froebeldesigned (1837) the kindergarten to provide an educational situation less formal than that of theelementary school but one in which children's creative play instincts would be  pupils to adultstudents.

In the year 1997, The Computer Assisted Language Learning Journal devoted a special issue, "Thevirtual learning environment," reviewed by Crosby (1997) for CALL environment and effect onlearning and teaching. Following the same path, Levy (1997) wrote Computer Assisted LanguageLearning: Context and Conceptualization con·cep·tu·al·ize Â

v. con·cep·tu·al·ized, con·cep·tu·al·iz·ing, con·cep·tu·al·iz·es

v.tr.

To form a concept or concepts of, and especially to interpret in a conceptual way: , a discussion ofCALL including a historical review of CALL projects from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Conrad (1996) noted that there had been a meager mea·ger also mea·gre Â

adj.

1. Deficient in quantity, fullness, or extent; scanty.

2. Deficient in richness, fertility, or vigor; feeble: the meager soil of an eroded plain.

3. Â output of CALL effectiveness research published by the recognized second language acquisitionjournals, and that the 19 empirical studies Empirical studies in social sciences are when theresearch ends are based on evidence and not just theory. This is done to comply with the scientificmethod that asserts the objective discovery of knowledge based on verifiable facts of evidence. Â hedid uncover represent almost as many different specific areas of CALL applications. Research

conducted in this area has documented many positive effects on students' achievement and learning.Recently, Jung (2002) presented a bibliography bibliography. The listing of books is of ancientorigin. Lists of clay tablets have been found at Nineveh and elsewhere; the library at Alexandria hadsubject lists of its books.  on CALL. Most citations were post-1997 journal articles and bookpublications.

In a similar vein, Bayraktar (2002) conducted a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of computerassisted instruction (CAI (1) (Computer-Assisted Instruction) Same as CBT.

(2) See CA.

CAI - Computer-Aided Instruction ) on student achievement in secondary and college scienceeducation compared to traditional instruction. Results showed a small positive effect for CAI usewhen used in simulation or tutorial An instructional book or program that takes the user through aprescribed sequence of steps in order to learn a product. Contrast with documentation, which,although instructional, tends to group features and functions by category. See tutorials in thispublication. Â models, with individual computer use, and when used as a supplement to traditionalinstruction.

Attitudes towards CALL and other types of technology have been investigated. In most cases,positive attitudes towards CALL were documented. For example, Escalada & Zollman (1997)demonstrated in their study, the effects on student learning and attitudes of using interactive digitalvideo in the physics classroom, showing that interactive video materials were appropriate for theactivity-based environment used in the course on concepts of physics. Klassen and Milton (1999)evaluated the effectiveness of a multimedia based English language English language, member ofthe West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (seeGermanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world, English is theofficial language of about 45 nations.  learning program at a Hong Kong Hong Kong (h?ng k?ng),Mandarin Xianggang, special administrative region of China, formerly a British crown colony (2005est. pop. 6,899,000), land area 422 sq mi (1,092 sq km), adjacent to Guangdong prov.  university.Results demonstrated positive attitudinal changes for the multimedia enhanced mode of learning.Similarly, Vrtacnik et al. (2000) stated that most of the studies reported about higher achievementsand better attitudes towards science and computers when computer-based approaches wereintroduced in the classroom.

More recently, Ayres (2002) examined students' attitudes towards the use of CALL and reported thatthe subjects' attitudes towards English Learning increased significantly. The study also revealed thatthere was a link between pupils' attitudes and their level of computer literacy Understandingcomputers and related systems. It includes a working vocabulary of computer and informationsystem components, the fundamental principles of computer processing and a perspective for hownon-technical people interact with technical people. , language level and age. Holmes (1998)surveyed 100 Japanese first year students investigated the influence of CALL in their languageclassroom and on language education in Japan in general. Similarly, Robert (2002) examinedstudents' attitudes towards the use of CALL, and their perceived view of its relevancy to their courseof study. Vrtacnik et al. (2000) examined the effects of interactive multimedia tutorial teaching uniton students' perception and understanding of chemical concepts in the Netherlands.

Following the same path, Noriko (2002) developed a language tutor Language Tutor is a rapidlanguage learning solution that helps naive users express themselves in day-to-day life. TheLanguage Tutor is being developed at Carnegie Mellon University and is a visionary project of Dr. program to develop learners' grammatical gram·mat·i·cal Â

adj.

1. Of or relating to grammar.

2. Conforming to the rules of grammar: a grammatical sentence. Â and sentence production skills inJapanese language Japanese language

Language spoken by about 125 million people on the islands of Japan, including the Ryukyus. Theonly other language of the Japanese archipelago is Ainu (see Ainu), now spoken by only a handful ofpeople on Hokkaido, though once much more widespread. . The study revealed that students'achievement improved tremendously. To measure their attitude towards the program, theresearcher designed a questionnaire. The results indicated an enthusiastic student response.

Likewise, Chikamatsu (2003) pointed out that CALL gains popularity and is becoming standard inforeign language classrooms. The researcher examined the effects of computers on writingefficiency and quality among intermediate learners of Japanese. One of the findings was thataccuracy rates and number of kanji (human language, character) kanji - /kahn'jee/ (From theJapanese "kan" - the Chinese Han dynasty, and "ji" - glyph or letter of the alphabet. Not capitalised.Plural "kanji") The Japanese word for a Han character used in Japanese. Â characters used weresignificantly different, indicating that learners benefited from computer writing.

From previous research, it can be concluded that the use of CALL is very beneficial for languagelearning and students' attitudes toward CALL was positive, particularly if CALL applications werewell-designed and used. For example, CALL effectiveness and students positive attitudes toward itwas documented in many research studies (Conrad, 1996; Vrtacnik et al.; 2000, Ayres, 2002;Bayraktar, 2002; Jung, 2002; Noriko, 2002; Robert, 2002).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

As the use of CALL in this study involved the use of technology and participants' attitude towardsthis use, Fishbein's (1963, 1967) Reasoned Action Theory (RAT) and constructivismconstructivism, Russian art movement founded c.1913 by Vladimir Tatlin, related to the movementknown as suprematism. After 1916 the brothers Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner gave new impetusto Tatlin's art of purely abstract (although politically intended)  were used as the theoreticalframework to illuminate il·lu·mi·nate Â

v. il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing, il·lu·mi·nates

v.tr.

1. To provide or brighten with light.

2. To decorate or hang with lights.

3. Â the results of the study. The RAT developed by Fishbein, is a cognitive theory Conitive theorymay refer to:

Theory of cognitive development, Jean Piaget's theory of development and the theories whichspawned from it.

Two factor theory of emotion, another cognitive theory.

 that is designed to predict and explain any human behavior that is under volitional vo·li·tion Â

n.

1. The act or an instance of making a conscious choice or decision.

2. A conscious choice or decision.

3. The power or faculty of choosing; the will.

 control. It deals with the relationships between beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms, intentions, andbehavior (Chitamun & Finchilescu, 2003). It is usually used to investigate attitude toward an objector some specific behavior toward that object (Almekhlafi, 2001). The theory has been tested,validated val·i·date Â

tr.v. val·i·dat·ed, val·i·dat·ing, val·i·dates

1. To declare or make legally valid.

2. To mark with an indication of official sanction.

3.

, and used by many researchers (Pryor, 1990, 1994; Trost et al., 2002; Zint, 2002; Chitamun &Finchilescu, 2003). Trost et al. used RAT to evaluate the relative utility of the theory in explainingintentions and physical activity behavior in white and African-American eighth-grade girls. Similarly,Zint used RAT to predict science teachers' intention to incorporate environmental risk education.

Constructivism refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves building uponthe foundation of their previous learning. Constructivism is being applied in different fields, one ofwhich is in technology rich classrooms. Collins (1991) pointed out that technology appeared to becoming down on the side of constructivists, who have been trying to change the prevailing societalso·ci·e·tal Â

adj.

Of or relating to the structure, organization, or functioning of society.

so·ci e·tal·ly adv.

Adj.  view of education. According to Collins, studies show that in technology rich classrooms thereare many observable ob·serv·a·ble Â

adj.

1. Possible to observe: observable phenomena; an observable change in demeanor. See Synonymsat noticeable.

2.  changes as opposed to traditional instruction, some of which are: (a) students are more activelyengaged, (b) students learn different things instead of all students learning the same thing, and (c)an integration of both visual and verbal thinking instead of the primacy pri·ma·cy Â

n. pl. pri·ma·cies

1. The state of being first or foremost.

2. Ecclesiastical The office, rank, or province of primate.  of verbal thinking. Lebow (1993)described five principles of the application of constructivism on technology, These principles are: (a)provide a context for learning that supports both autonomy and relatedness, (b) embed em·bed  also im·bed

v. em·bed·ded, em·bed·ding, em·beds

v.tr.

1. To fix firmly in a surrounding mass: embed a post in concrete; fossils embedded Acer Aspire v5-121-0818 computer in shale.  the reasons for learning into the learning activity itself, (c) supportself-regulation through the promotion of skills and attitudes, and (d) strengthen the learner'stendency to engage in intentional in·ten·tion·al Â

adj.

1. Done deliberately; intended: an intentional slight. See Synonyms at voluntary.

2. Having to do with intention.  learning processes, especially by encouraging the strategicexploration or errors. These changes and principles come side by side with constructivismprinciples. Bailey (1996) pointed out that new technology, such as the use of multimedia, can affordrich opportunities for constructivist con·struc·tiv·ism Â

n.

A movement in modern art originating in Moscow in 1920 and characterized by the use of industrialmaterials such as glass, sheet metal, and plastic to create nonrepresentational, often geometricobjects. Â approaches in the field of education. Hence, constructivism is an appropriate frameworkfor this study as it will be able to explain any results yielded as a result of independent CALL use.Similarly, RAT will interpret CALL users' attitude toward its use.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Due to the fact that the number of students studying foreign languages is increasing worldwide, theneed to improve their proficiency pro·fi·cien·cy Â

n. pl. pro·fi·cien·cies

The state or quality of being proficient; competence.

Noun 1. proficiency - the quality of having great facility and competence  in these languages iscrucial. English language is becoming an international language and is being used widely inbusinesses, universities, and other domains of life. Research efforts have been going on toinvestigate ways to improve learning languages including learning English as a foreign language.

One of the most recent efforts institutions, universities, and companies have been pursuing is toenhance the process of language learning has involved computer technology (Al-Sagheer, 2001), in

the form of CALL.

Research on the effect of CALL on learning EFL in the UAE has not yet drawn researchers' attention.Most importantly Adv. 1. most importantly - above and beyond all other consideration; "above all,you must be independent"

above all, most especially , the UAE has a unique cultural and historical origin. It is working hard tobecome a global citizen where international companies and entities can prosper in the county. Thus,the UAE is committed to developing a well-educated population with proficiency in internationallanguages, particularly English.

Due to the fact that EFL in the UAE schools is taught on average 4-6 periods weekly, and its use islimited to the classroom, students' EFL proficiency is limited and does not meet higher educationhigher education

Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not onlycolleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine,business, music, and art. Â institutions demands. There have been complaints from universities andcolleges that K-12 students' preparation in English is weak. Furthermore, students speak theirnative language outside the classroom and at home. This negatively affects EFL and results in adecrease in students proficiency.

Hopefully, CALL will constitute the solution to overcome the language competency problem ofschool students. Due to its flexibility, students can use CALL inside and outside classroom. They canuse it as drill-and-practice software. They can use it as a reinforcement or a remediation tool tostrengthen their English language competency. Consequently, students can join UAE universitiesand colleges with a strong background. It is worth mentioning that UAE main university scientificcolleges (e.g., Engineering, Information Technology, and Science) teach their curriculum in English.Recently, the college of Education at the UAE University, which is the main public college, in thecountry, started to teach many of its courses in English. Hence, building a strong English languagebackground will definitely result in better education.

In addition, this study investigated CALL effects on learning EFL as an effort to increase. There aremany possibilities in order to consider when purchasing the personal computer. Therefore, we'veprovided some excellent info to suit your needs to make the decision easier.EFL proficiency hopingto start the steering wheel for CALL research in the UAE. Taking Almekhlafi's (2004) researchrecommendation into account, this study focused on the independent use rather than classroom useof CALL by elementary-prep school students in the UAE.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study addressed the following questions:

1. Is there a significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between CALL users andnonusers due to treatment regardless of instructor?

2. Is there a significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between participants due toinstructor regardless of treatment?

3. Is there a significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between participants due to theinteraction effects on achievement?

4. Does CALL have any effect on students' achievement in EFL based on their computer competency,years of computer experience, and number of hours using the computer daily?

5. Does the use of CALL affect the students' perceived knowledge gain of EFL achievement?

6. Does the use of CALL affect students' attitude toward, perceived utility, and intention to use it inthe future?

HYPOTHESES

Ho1: There is no significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between CALL users andnonusers due to treatment regardless of instructor?

Ho2: There is no significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between participants due toinstructor regardless of treatment?

Ho3: Is there a significant difference in students' achievement in EFL between participants due tothe group-instructor interaction effects?

Ho4: There is no significant difference between achievement mean scores of CALL users based ontheir computer competency, years of computer experience, and number of hours using the computerdaily?

Ho5: There is no significant difference between perceived knowledge gain mean scores ofparticipants before and after CALL use (experimental group).

Ho6: CALL use has no effect on users' mean scores in attitude towards, perceived utility of, andintention to use CALL in the future.

METHOD

Participants

Participants in the present study were 83 elementary-prep school students with an age span of 11 to13 years old. They were studying EFL in the academic year 2003-2004. These students wererandomly chosen from Al-Tamayoz elementary-prep school, located in Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi AbuDhabi (ä`b thä`b?, zä-, dä-), Arab. Choosing a processor for your computer is a crucialprimary step. Note that a fourth Generation Intel Core i7-4760HQ Processor based on the Haswellarchitecture provides for a fast and fluid user experience.Abu Zabi, sheikhdom (1995 pop. 928,360),c.  in the UAE. Participants' English language proficiency was intermediate as determined bylanguage tests conducted by their teachers who participated in the data collection. One of thereasons could be because EFL is considered as one of seven courses in the curriculum studentsstudy every academic year. EFL in the UAE school is taught from 1st grade and aims at preparingstudents to be able to communicate in English and join university programs that provide contentinstruction in English. The overall content of EFL in the UAE takes all language skills into account.On average, EFL is taught for one hour a day of structured English Structured English describesprocedures. The procedure may be a process in a DFD. Structure English is the marriage of Englishlanguage with the syntax and structured programming. Thus structured English aims at getting thebenefits of both the programming logic and natural language.  instruction. In addition, English isnot used as a means of communication in everyday life.

The EFL syllabus A headnote; a short note preceding the text of a reported case that brieflysummarizes the rulings of the court on the points decided in the case.

The syllabus appears before the text of the opinion. Â used in the study is the syllabus mandated bythe Ministry of Education and Youth, which is a series of textbooks chosen to be used in UAEschools. The CALL material is the same materials in the textbooks as it was developed for thatpurpose.

As the study was conducted in a model school, technology infrastructure and access was granted forall students. The school had a computer lab with a multimedia capability, a videoconferencing A realtime video session between two or more users or between two or more locations. Although the firstvideoconferencing was done with traditional analog TV and satellites, inhouse room systems becamepopular in the early 1980s after Compression Labs pioneered digitized video systems  unit, atechnology coordinator, and a computer engineer.

Participants' computer literacy is good for the following reasons: First, Al-Tamyooz is one of themodels schools that pay special attention to technology integration into the curriculum. Computer istaught to all students as a subject. Students study computer applications and learn differentcomputer skills regularly. They spend at least two class periods weekly at the computer lab usingnumerous software application and productivity tools such as interactive multimedia CD-ROMs.Second, the majority of students at Al-Tamyooz, as reported by the teachers, own their computers athome. Therefore, participants experience with computers is sufficient enough to enable them to useCALL successfully.

Participants' selection was random regardless of the classes. The final number of participantsyielded 43 students in the experimental group and 40 students in the control group; a total of fourclasses. All subjects have the same learning situations such as size of classroom, same text ofEnglish, same amount of exposure, and same availability of teaching aids teaching aids npl ->materiales mpl pedagógicos

teaching aids npl -> supports mpl pédagogiques

teaching aids teach npl . Two instructors were involved in the study with similar educationalbackground holding master's degrees master's degree

n.

An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one yearof prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree.

Noun 1.  in English, and having more than five years of teaching experience. Both instructors wereEnglish teachers English Teachers (airing internationally as Taipei Diaries) is a Canadiandocumentary television series. The series, which airs on Canada's Life Network and internationally,profiles several young Canadians teaching English as a Second Language in Taipei, Taiwan. , wereproficient pro·fi·cient Â

adj.

Having or marked by an advanced degree of competence, as in an art, vocation, profession, orbranch of learning.

n.

An expert; an adept. Â in English as measured by tests and interviews conducted by the educationalzone as part of the requirements to work in a model school. Each instructor had one control groupand one experimental group.

Materials

English as a foreign language (EFL) material was the focus of this study. The syllabus covered in thestudy is the same syllabus used by UAE elementary-prep school for the EFL course. This materialwas available into two forms: (a) hard copy for the control group, and (b) CALL in the form of CD-ROM, EFL Skills Developer[TM], that included video and sound clips, pictures, and the feature ofinteractivity for the experimental group. The CALL CD was designed and developed by an EFLteacher who was heavily involved in technology integration in EFL settings and who is currentlyworking on a PhD degree, and by a computer science engineer, who had previous experience incomputer programming and networking. EFL Skills Developer[TM] was developed, tested andvalidated to insure its high quality and appropriateness for the intended audience (see Appendix forsamples of materials used in the study).

Instruments

Pretest pre·test Â

n.

1.

a. A preliminary test administered to determine a student's baseline knowledge or preparedness foran educational experience or course of study.

b. A test taken for practice.

2. . The pretest consisted of a test of English proficiency as a foreign language (EFL). It covereditems that reflect overall understanding of the language such as grammar items, comprehensioncomprehension

Act of or capacity for grasping with the intellect. The term is most often used in connection withtests of reading skills and language abilities, though other abilities (e.g., mathematical reasoning)may also be examined. Â items, and vocabulary items, which are supposed to be covered inelementary-prep school curriculum with different degrees of depth. According to the EFL curriculumtaught in UAE schools, students' proficiency in these EFL skills are supposed to increase as they goto higher grades.

The total test score was 100 points distributed among multiple choice and open-ended test items.The aim of the pretest was to measure the participants' general knowledge and competency in EFLbefore beginning the experimental treatment of using CALL. The test was created by EFL instructorsin Al-Tamayooz elementary-prep school and validated by a number of EFL instructors andsupervisors in Al-Ain school zone (district). In addition, it was validated by a number of professors ofEnglish and educational technology majors from UAE University. A pilot study was conducted in thesecond semester se·mes·ter Â

n.

One of two divisions of 15 to 18 weeks each of an academic year.

[German, from Latin (cursus) s  of the academic year 2001-2002 in the same school. The reliabilityof the test, using alpha, was .85, while it was .87 using Guttman Split-half.

Posttests. The first part of posttest post·test Â

n.

A test given after a lesson or a period of instruction to determine what the students have learned. was identical to the pretest as it had the same type of items, number, and structure. The aim ofthis part of the test was to measure the difference of participants' knowledge and competency inEFL after the study was completed.

The second part of the posttest (distributed to the experimental group) was a questionnaire using a7-point bipolar (1) See bipolar transmission.

(2) One of two major categories of transistor; the other is "field effect transistor" (FET). Although thefirst transistors and first silicon chips were bipolar, most chips today are field effect transistorswired as CMOS logic, which  probability and evaluative scales to determine CALL users' overallattitude towards CALL, (b) perceived utility of using CALL, (c) perceived knowledge gain of EFLbefore and after the use of CALL, and (d) intention to use CALL in the future. It also included twoopen-ended questions A closed-ended question is a form of question, which normally can beanswered with a simple "yes/no" dichotomous question, a specific simple piece of information, or aselection from multiple choices (multiple-choice question), if one excludes such non-answerresponses as dodging a  about the advantages and disadvantages of learning through CALL. Thisquestionnaire had previously been validated and used by other researchers including Almekhlafi(2001, 2003), and Pryor (1990, 1994). It had an alpha reliability of .80.

Procedure

First, a meeting with the instructors was held to demonstrate the EFL Skills Developer[TM] softwareand to discuss the procedures of the study. Both teachers became proficient in the use of thesoftware and knowledgeable about the relationship between the content covered by the software ascorrelated cor·re·late Â

v. cor·re·lat·ed, cor·re·lat·ing, cor·re·lates

v.tr.

1. To put or bring into causal, complementary, parallel, or reciprocal relation.

2.  with the textbook textbook Informatics A treatise on a particular subject. See Bible. curriculum.

First, a pretest was given to all students in the four groups. After the pretest, each participant in theexperimental group was given the CALL CD, EFL Skills Developer[TM], with a set of instructions onuse, roles and responsibilities, and expectations to study independently at home according to a planset by the instructor. The experimental group participants were taken to a computer lab to check

their performance and give them directions on how to best use the software. Each student in thecontrol group was given the corresponding material to study independently according to the sametimeline provided to the experimental group.

All participants in all groups were instructed to prepare for the lesson by reading it, doing certainexercises, and answering questions. CALL users were instructed to prepare for the lesson by usingEFL Skills Developer[TM] CD-ROM, while the control group prepared for the lesson using the hardcopy materials. The participants in both groups were required to spend at least one hour daily,which was the estimated time to complete the exercises needed for the next day lesson. However,CALL users might have spent more time using CALL due to its interactivity and attractiveness.

As a check technique to make sure students did their work at home, the teacher checks students'preparation the next day. In class, each instructor taught both groups using regular classroomprocedures and materials. Instruction lasted for three consecutive weeks (four sessions weekly). Twoadditional weeks were used for preparatory pre·par·a·to·ry Â

adj.

1. Serving to make ready or prepare; introductory. See Synonyms at preliminary.

2. Relating to or engaged in study or training that serves as preparation for advanced education:Â demonstrations with teachers and pre/post testing with students.

DESIGN

This study was a pretest/posttest experiment/control group design. Using SPSS A statistical packagefrom SPSS, Inc., Chicago (www.spss.com) that runs on PCs, most mainframes and minis and is usedextensively in marketing research. It provides over 50 statistical processes, including regressionanalysis, correlation and analysis of variance. Â 12.0, three main types of data analysis were used:(a) analysis of covariance Covariance

A measure of the degree to which returns on two risky assets move in tandem. A positive covariancemeans that asset returns move together. A negative covariance means returns vary inversely. (ANOVA) to control for variability in initial students' EFL level, (b) paired and independent samplet-tests, and (c) descriptive statistics descriptive statistics

see statistics. . Analysis of variance was used to test the null hypothesis null hypothesis,

n theoretical assumption that a given therapy will have results not statistically different fromanother treatment.

null hypothesis,

n  "there is no differences between groups in achievement as a result of CALL use." Pretest wasentered as a covariate while the posttest was entered as the independent variable. Paired t-testswere used to examine any differences in CALL users' perception of their knowledge gain as a resultof using CALL. Independent sample t-tests were used to test any significant differences betweenCALL users based on computer competency, years of experience, and daily hours using computer.Descriptive statistics was used for 7-point bipolar scales investigating users' attitude towards andperception of the utility of CALL. For analysis of covariance and independent sample t-tests, the .05level of statistical significance was selected.

The responses to the open-ended questions in the questionnaire were categorizedcat·e·go·rize Â

tr.v. cat·e·go·rized, cat·e·go·riz·ing, cat·e·go·riz·es

To put into a category or categories; classify.

cat  into topics and presented in a frequency table based on Weber's model (1990) for analogy andreporting qualitative data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

To answer question number 1, Ho1 "there is no significant difference in students' achievement inEnglish as a foreign language (EFL) between CALL users and nonusers due to treatment regardlessof instructor?" was tested. The analysis of covariance rejected the null hypothesis revealing asignificant difference between CALL users and nonusers. CALL users' achievement in EFL wassignificantly higher than nonusers (f = 94.79, p < .001). This significant difference between the twogroups favoring CALL users was an indication of the effect of CALL on improving students'knowledge and competency in EFL (Table 1).

To answer question number 2, Ho2 "there is no significant difference in students' achievement inEnglish as a foreign language (EFL) between participants due to instructor regardless oftreatment?" was tested. The analysis accepted the hypothesis, which indicated that the instructordid not affect the students' achievement. In other words, CALL users' scoring significantly higherthan nonusers indicated that the effect was due to CALL rather than other variables (see Table 1). Ascan be seen from Table 1, all users scored significantly higher than the control group regardless ofthe instructor. These results were in alignment with the principles of constructivism, which is usedas part of the theoretical framework for this study. Constructivism claimed that technology could (a)provide a context for learning that supports both autonomy and relatedness, (b) could support self-regulation through the promotion of skills and attitudes, and (c) could strengthen the learner'stendency to engage in intentional learning processes. In addition, this significant difference isconsistent with other studies that investigated the effect of CALL on learning foreign languages(Charischak, 2000; Vrtacnik et al.; 2000; Ayres, 2002; Nesselhauf & Tschichold, 2002; Egbert et al.,2002; Robert, 2002; Cushion & Dominique, 2002; Schwienhorst, 2002; Jung, 2002; Bayraktar, 2002;Chikamatsu, 2003; Fenfang, 2003).

To answer question 3 "Is there a significant difference in students' achievement in English as aforeign language (EFL) between participants due to the group-instructor interaction effects?" theresults of the analysis rejected the hypothesis indicating a significant difference between means as aresult of the group-instructor interaction. To explore the source of the interaction, Least SquareMeans were conducted. Results indicated significant interaction between all means with theexception of control-teacher A and control-teacher B (Table 2). This interaction could be all relatedto the use of CALL in the study.

To answer question 4, Ho4 was tested using independent sample t-tests. Results of the analysisrejected the hypothesis indicating that "Computer Competency," "Years of Computer Experience,"and "Daily hours using computer" make a difference in benefiting from CALL. As can be seen fromTable 3, CALL users with advanced computer competency, who had more years of computerexperience, and who spent more time using computers scored significantly higher than CALL userswho had lower computer competency, less computer experience, and spent less time usingcomputers.

The mean scores for the first group were 83.89, 84.58, and 82.89 respectively while mean scores forthe second group were 62.90, 64.24, and 62.86 (Table 3). This result suggests that to makemaximum use of CALL, users should get some training to increase their computer competency.

To answer question 5, Ho5 "there is no significant difference between perceived knowledge meanscores of participants before and after the use of CALL (experimental group)" was tested usingpaired t-test. Result of the analysis rejected the hypothesis indicating that users' perception ofknowledge gain as a result of using CALL was prevalent. There was a significant difference (p < .01)between the mean score of participants before and after use. Participants' mean score of theirperceived knowledge of EFL before CALL use was 4.2 while it was 5.8 after use on a 7-point scale.

To answer question 6, Ho6 "CALL use has no effect on users' mean scores in attitude towards,perceived utility of, and have intention to use CALL in the future" was tested. Descriptive statisticswere run and showed high mean scores on the above variables. CALL users' mean scores were 5.3,5.9, and 6.0 respectively in attitude, utility, and intention to use CALL (Table 4).

The data showed that CALL users had a positive attitude toward CALL, perceived its utility forhelping them learn EFL, and had a strong intention to use it in the future. This is also supported bytheir high scores on "Inclination inclination, in astronomy, the angle of intersection between twoplanes, one of which is an orbital plane. The inclination of the plane of the moon's orbit is 5°9' withrespect to the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun).  to use CALLbecause it increases interaction with the course content," "Satisfaction with learning experienceusing CALL," and "Liking CALL being part of learning experience." This positive attitude andsatisfaction with CALL lead to high intention to use CALL in the future because of the benefits usersperceived, as predicted by the Fishbein's Attitude Theory, which was used as part of the theoreticalframework. Results of study were in agreement with other studies pertaining per·tain Â

intr.v. per·tained, per·tain·ing, per·tains

1. To have reference; relate: evidence that pertains to the accident.

2. Â to attitude towards CALL (Escalada & Zollman, 1997; Holmes, 1998; Klassen & Milton, 1999;Robert, 2002; Vrtacnik et al., 2000; Noriko, 2002).

OPEN-ENDED RESPONSES

The questionnaire included two open-ended items; one of which asked CALL users to list theadvantages of using CALL to learn the language, while the other asked the participants to list thedisadvantages of using CALL to learn the language. Table 5 reports these advantages anddisadvantages by frequency. The categories listed were created by the researcher using Weber'smodel (1990), and based on responses from CALL users. The categories reflected essential elementsthat were grouped according to meanings and given a label.

As can be seen from Table 5, "multimedia elements such as pictures and drawings," "improvinglearning and comprehension," "helping in doing course assignments," and "teaching reading andgrammar" were the most prevalent advantages of CALL.

Study Limitations

1. Study sample was taken from Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi. Therefore, results might be generalizablegen·er·al·ize Â

v. gen·er·al·ized, gen·er·al·iz·ing, gen·er·al·iz·es

v.tr.

1.

a. To reduce to a general form, class, or law.

b. To render indefinite or unspecific.

2. Â only to Abu Dhabi, UAE.

2. The study was conducted in an elementary-prep school. Thus, results can not be generalizedgen·er·al·ized

adj.

1. Involving an entire organ, as when an epileptic seizure involves all parts of the brain.

2. Not specifically adapted to a particular environment or function; not specialized.

3. Â to all K-12 schools or higher education institutions.

3. The study was conducted with EFL students whose mother tongue mother tongue

n.

1. One's native language.

2. A parent language.

mother tongue

Noun

the language first learned by a child

Noun 1. Â is Arabic. Results might not be generalized to non-Arabic speakers.

4. The study focused on male students. Results might not be generalized to both male and femalestudents.

IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of CALL on learning EFL byelementary-prep school students in the UAE. Results showed that there was a significant differencein achievement between CALL users and nonusers in learning EFL. Study's results were inalignment with the results of Smith and Woody (2000); Triantafillou, Pomportsis, and Demetriadis(2003); Charischak (2000); Vrtacnik et al. (2000); Ayres (2002); Nesselhauf and Tschichold (2002);

Egbert et al. (2002); Robert (2002); Cushion and Dominique (2002); Schwienhorst (2002); Jung(2002); Bayraktar (2002); Chikamatsu (2003); and Fenfang, 2003.

In addition, study results showed that the higher the computer skills, and the more computerexperience, and the more time using computers, the more benefit language learners get from CALL.Thus, to maximize students' benefit from CALL, students should be trained on how to use CALL andshould be encouraged to increase their competency of using computers. Furthermore, CALL usershad a positive attitude toward using CALL and had a high intention and satisfaction to use it in thefuture due to their perception of its utility and educational benefits. Results also showed a high self-perception of knowledge gain as a result of using CALL.

Implications

Based on the results outlined, many implications can be concluded:

1. CALL could be a very useful tool for teaching EFL. It could be used as a classroom instructionaltool, the effect of which was documented in research (e.g., Almekhlafi, 2004) or as an independenttool, the effect of which is documented in this study.

2. EFL teachers should be encouraged and given incentives to integrate CALL in their teaching, andhence improve their students language proficiency Language proficiency or linguistic proficiency isthe ability of an individual to speak or perform in an acquired language. As theories vary amongpedagogues as to what constitutes proficiency[1], there is little consistency as to how differentorganisations .

3. As the UAE is becoming an international market, where thousands of companies are pouring intothe country, the integration of CALL in K-12 schools becomes important. Using CALL effectively willresult in improving students' preparedness pre·par·ed·ness Â

n.

The state of being prepared, especially military readiness for combat.

Noun 1. preparedness - the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action(especially military action); "putting them  to deal with the new demands that require fluencyflu·ent Â

adj.

1.

a. Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly: a fluent speaker; fluent in three languages.

b. Â in international languages.

4. Using CALL in and outside the classroom will help teachers meet individual differences inlearning styles as technology can satisfy visual learners, auditory auditory /au·di·to·ry/ (aw´di-tor?e)

1. aural or otic; pertaining to the ear.

2. pertaining to hearing.

au·di·to·ry

adj. Â learners, and audio-visual learners.

5. CALL can give the language teachersome change in her/his role as certainactivities can be given to students to workon at home using CALL.

Recommendations

However, to generalizegeneralize /gen·er·al·ize/ (-iz)

1. to spread throughout the body, as whenlocal disease becomes systemic.

2. to form a general principle; to reason inductively. Â the effects of CALL on learning, the followingrecommendations for future research should be taken into consideration:

1. Research should be conducted to investigate the effect of CALL on learning English in K-12schools, both public and private, and higher education institutions such as colleges and universities.Conducting such research might give better ideas on the effect of CALL on learning EFL, henceresults will be more generalizable.

2. Further research is needed to study the use of CALL comparing classroom use versus individualuse. Conducting a research where the whole class is using CALL as part of their daily lessons versusan independent use of CALL might give a better understanding of the best strategies to apply CALLin teaching and learning.

3. Further research is needed to study CALL taking gender into account. Comparing male versusfemale CALL use might shed some light on whether CALL effect on learning is affected by gender.

4. As this study was conducted with Arabic-speaking students. Further research is needed toinvestigate the effect on CALL on non-Arabic speaking students.

5. Qualitative research Qualitative research

Traditional analysis of firm-specific prospects for future earnings. It may be based on data collectedby the analysts, there is no formal quantitative framework used to generate projections. Â such asobserving students using CALL is needed. This kind of research might shed light on the besttechniques and strategies to use CALL. Due to the fact that this study depended on quantitative datacollection, conducting focus group interviews or students observations while using CALL willincrease our understanding of CALL utility for learning EFL and the strategies users follow tomaximize their benefit. (2)

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Notes

(1) Field independent refers to learners who are generally analytical in their approach of theenvironment. They tend to be intrinsically motivated mo·ti·vate Â

tr.v. mo·ti·vat·ed, mo·ti·vat·ing, mo·ti·vates

To provide with an incentive; move to action; impel.

mo  and enjoy individualized learning. On the other hand, field dependent refers to learners whoare more global in their perceptions and have difficulty separating the part from the complexorganization of the whole (Witkin, Moore, Goodenough, & Cox, 1977).

(2) The researcher is grateful to Professor AbdulMoneim Hassan, Professor Yousef El-Emam ofUnited Arab Emirates University United Arab Emirates University (in Arabic:????? ???????? ??????????????) was established in 1976, and is the oldest , and to Professor Peggy Kelly of California StateUniversity Enrollment

,San Marcus for their valuable ideas to improve the manuscript.

APPENDIX

Samples of Materials Used in the Study

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Read the following passage, then answer the questions.

Today, mankind MANKIND. Persons of the male sex; but in a more general sense, it includes personsof both sexes; for example, the statute of 25 Hen. VIII., c. 6, makes it felony to commit, sodomy withmankind or beast. Females as well as males axe included under the term mankind. Fortesc. 91; Bac.Ab. Â is living in danger. It appears that we have come to the end of our journey. The earth, the onlyhome we have, has become a dangerous place. It may explode (1) To break down an assembly intoits component pieces. Contrast with implode.

(2) To decompress data back to its original form. Â into pieces at any moment.

Man has been living on this earth for thousands of years. It has given him everything he needed.Now, it has become dangerous because of many harmful inventions.

Unfortunately, science which provided many solutions to human problems has brought more fearand danger than hope and comfort. At first, it appeared to be the greatest friend and helper of man.It helped in curing many diseases and it promised to end hunger and poverty and change this earthto paradise.

But what has it actually accomplished? It has not eliminated the difficulties of life. Man still suffersin some parts of the world from poverty, famine famine

Extreme and protracted shortage of food, resulting in widespread hunger and a substantial increasein the death rate. General famines affect all classes or groups in the region of food shortage; classfamines affect some classes or groups much more severely than , death and destruction

It's true that science has brought many comforts to man and has made his life easier. But this giftwas poisoned by evil and greedy greed·y Â

adj. greed·i·er, greed·i·est

1. Excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing, especially wishing to possess more than what oneneeds or deserves.

2.  spirits of those selfish self·ish Â

adj.

1. Concerned chiefly or only with oneself: "Selfish men were . . . trying to make capital forthemselves out of the sacred cause of human rights" Maria Weston Chapman.  men of mankind.The advanced, powerful nations exploit and oppress op·press Â

tr.v. op·pressed, op·press·ing, op·press·es

1. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority: a people who were oppressed bytyranny.

2. Â the weaker and smaller countries. Also, science has broken up established institutions.Therefore, it has not produced a better and happier world for everybody.

One has to admit that science is a double-edged weapon. If it is directed to the welfare of life it willbe blessing, otherwise it will be a curse Curse

Ancient Mariner

cursed by the crew because his slaying of the albatross is causing their deaths. [Br. Poetry:Coleridge The Rime of the Ancient Mariner]

Andvari

king of the dwarfs; his malediction spurs many events in the .

Answer the questions below and then click "submit" to send your answers.

A. Mark the following sentences True or False by clicking in the radio button:

1. Man nowadays lives in peace and welfare.

True

False

2. Science failed to eliminate the difficulties of life.

True

False

3. Science and technology have evil deeds deed Â

n.

1. Something that is carried out; an act or action.

2. A usually praiseworthy act; a feat or exploit.

3. Action or performance in general: Deeds, not words, matter most. Â and good deeds.

True

False

4. Curing diseases are one of the merits of science.

True

False

5. Science has brought more hope than fear.

True

False

B. Fill in the missing information in the following sentences:

The earth has become a dangerous place because of many ____________________

6. Man still suffer in some parts of the world from ______________________, death and destruction

The advanced powerful nations exploit and the weaker and smaller countries.

C. Answer the following questions:

7. What did scientific inventions promise to be in the beginning?

8. When can science be blessing?

End of Part One

Letter Writing

1. Write a letter to your friend, Rashid, in Qatar telling him about the importance of the Internet.

Your name is Ahmed and your address is P.O. Box 896 Al- Ain.

Write in the window below, don't forget to use the proper layout.

ABDURRAHMAN GHALEB ALMEKHLAFI

United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates

almekhlafi@uaeu.ac.ae

Table 1 Difference Between CALL Users and Nonusers in EFL Achievement

Source SS DF MS F p

Between groups 4585.82 1 4585.82 94.79 .00**

Between instructors 80.700 1 80.70 .67 .20

Group-instructor interaction 312.477 1 312.48 6.46 .01*

Error 3773.74 78 48.38

Total 391922.22 83

**p<.01 *p<.05

Table 2 Resource of Interaction between Group (Experimental vs.

Control) and Teacher (Teacher A vs. Teacher B)

Interaction

Group LS Mean E-A E-B C-A C-B

Experimental-teacher A (E-A) 70.7 -- 0.008** 0.00** 0.00**

Experimental-teacher B (E-B) 76.7 -- -- 0.00** 0.00**

Control-teacher A (C-A) 59.5 -- -- -- 0.38

Control-teacher B (C-B) 57.6 -- -- -- --

**p<.01

Table 3 Differences in Mean Scores of Posttest of CALL Users Based

on Time, Computer Competency, Years of Experience, and Daily Time

Using Computers

Variable Group1 Group2 t

Computer Competency (1) 62.90 83.89 -5.2**

Years of Experience (2) 64.24 84.58 -4.9**

Daily hours using computer (3) 62.86 82.89 -4.7**

**p < .01

(1) Users were categorized into two groups based on their computer

competency. The first group included the participants who reported below

average (on a 5-point scale extending from Advanced to Beginner)

computer competency (n=23) and the other group included participants who

reported average or higher computer competency (n=18).

(2) Users were categorized into two groups based on the number of years

of computer experience: The first group included the participants who

reported 3 years or less of computer experience (n=24) and the other

group included participants who reported more than 3 years of computer

experience (n=16).

(3) Users were categorized into two groups based on the daily number of

hours they reported using computers: The first group included the

participants who reported less than 3 hours daily using the computer

(n=21) and the other group included participants who reported 3 or more

hours using computers (n=19).

Table 4 CALL Users' Mean Scores on Attitude, Utility, and Intention to

Use It in the Future and Other Related Variables

Variable Mean SD

Overall attitude toward CALL 5.3 1.8

Utility of CALL for understanding course content 5.9 1.4

Intent to use CALL in the future to learn about course 6.0 1.4

content

Ease of use of CALL 5.9 2.0

Experience using computer-based CDs 6.1 1.7

Comfort using CALL to learn course content 6.2 1.1

Inclination to use CALL because of its educational benefits 6.0 1.3

Inclination to use CALL because of interaction increase 6.3 1.3

Satisfaction with learning experience using CALL 6.2 1.6

I like CALL being part of my learning experience 5.8 1.8

Note. The items were based on a 7-point bipolar probability and

evaluative scales extending from extremely high or positive (7) to

extremely low or negative (1).

Table 5 Frequency of the Advantages and Disadvantages of CALL as

Reported by Users

Advantages

Multimedia Elements (e.g., pictures, sound, drawings, colors) 18

Improving learning and comprehension 16

Helping in doing course assignments 12

Teaching reading and grammar 11

Helping in doing well in exams 9

Entertaining 5

Disadvantages

Computer problems 3

Difficult to use 3

Note. Themes were created by researcher based on participants' responses

to the open-ended items.

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