Article Critique
The integration of technology has risen for the last decade. Although many researches have been conducted to examine the factors which have an effect on the performance of students, few research projects have explored the effects of technology on teachers and students. In order to tackle this problem, Avary (2017) carried out a research on how teachers and students felt about using technology in their classrooms. While the research concluded that technology could support teachers and students in multiple ways, there are some shortcomings in regard to the sample of the research.
Avary (2017) interviewed 19 teachers, two administrators, 12 students and five parents. After analysing the data using Delphi Interviews, Ethnographic Participant Observation and Qualitative Classroom Observation, the author claimed that incorporating technology in classrooms could benefit both teachers and students.
The author provided a detailed review of literature. In fact, he listed a wide variety of research findings from other researchers in the related field. This helps readers have a general understanding about previous researches, and figure out what other researchers did not examine thoroughly. For example, he stated that adult learners had gained great advantages from CALL, but the impacts of technology on secondary students had not been widely investigated.
The research methods which the author used were useful. The Delphi Interviews helped him “develop and refine a local definition of technology-enhanced learning” (Avary, 2017), while the Ethnographic Participant Observation helped him to determine all of the factors influencing students’ attitudes towards technology in classes. Finally, the Qualitative Classroom Observation gave him a closer look at what teachers and students felt about technology.
Regarding the findings, the author clearly stated the effects of using technology in the classroom. He listed four main results with great details, such as opinions of both teachers and students. This helps readers understanding more deeply about the experiences of teachers and students with technology in the classroom.
However, there are some limitations in this research. Firstly, the research was conducted with a small sample size. In fact, the research was carried out in one school, so there is not enough data to reach the conclusion. Secondly, the author did not state the main limitations of his study. This can cause difficulty to later researchers who want to carry out researches in the same field.
In conclusion, Avary (2017) examined the effects of technology in English classes. While the author stated that technology could have both positive and negative influences, this research’s sample size was quite small. Further research with an extended sample size should be conducted to prove the effects of technology in classrooms.