University teachers’ technology integration in teaching English as a foreign language: evidence from a case study in mainland China

Despite the increasing use of technology in education, university teachers’ perceptions and use of technology are under-explored, particularly in the context of English language classrooms in mainland China. To fill the research gap, this article reports the findings of a case study exploring university teachers’ perceptions of and practices with technology as well as the challenges of technology implementation. To provide a microscopic understanding of these issues from teachers’ perspective, an online survey was first distributed to all 60 English teachers at a focal university, with 35 valid surveys returned. Subsequently, nine survey respondents participated in in-depth follow-up interviews. The findings suggest that teachers used technology predominantly for teacher-centred purposes rather than for active student engagement although they had positive perceptions of technology integration. They also held critical viewpoints on the use of technology in English teaching. In addition, teachers perceived more external barriers to technology integration (e.g. insufficient technical and pedagogical training, “the Great Firewall”) than internal challenges (e.g. students’ lack of interest in technology). The study contributes to the understanding of university teachers’ technology uptake and carries important implications for the promotion of teaching innovation and effectiveness in higher education contexts. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-021-00223-5.