English Language Teaching Students’ Perceptions of Computer-Assisted Language Learning

Problem Statement: The way undergraduate students studying at the English Language Teaching program perceive Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) could shed light both to the course content they are enrolled in at the fourth grade just before they step into teaching and thereby to the integration of technology into their teaching during their professional life. Purpose of the Study: The study aims to illustrate the perceptions of English Language Teaching (ELT) students related to Computer-Assisted Language Learning through analysis of the metaphors they formulated at the end of the course. Method: This qualitative study is based on metaphor analysis in line with the content analysis. Two hundred fifteen metaphors collected from 84 undergraduate students studying at the English Language Teaching program were analyzed, coded and later categorized. Findings and Results: The categories emerged about the perceptions of ELT students related to CALL are as following: Informative, Enjoyable, Accessible, Useful, Innovative, Interesting, Progressive, Negative aspects, Habitual, Interactive, Supportive, Easy to use, Necessary, Motivating and Relaxing. All in all, the categories reveal that students perceive CALL highly positive. Conclusions and Recommendations: The results of this study will contribute to perspective and practice of teachers in that they would be able to realize student perceptions about CALL and to what extend these match to their own perceptions.