National Technology Projects for EFL Teaching in Turkey

Abstract

Technology integration into education has become a national priority for many centuries after the 1980s. However, making sound policies and creating a functional decision-making mechanism depend on various factors and differing alternative pathways. Following the developed country models during the 2000s, Turkey introduced a national ICT integrated instructional model in EFL teaching by implementing DynED (Dynamic Education), an internet-based language-learning module. Furthermore, the country has recently prioritized technology-integrated education as its foremost national policy via Fatih Project whereby the learning materials are digitalized and learners are to follow their classes on their tablet PCs throughout all levels of compulsory education. Considering the immense amount of investment in allocated resources, the project is understandably a long-term one with many stages of implementation by adopting a multi-dimensional approach. The current paper analyses the governmental policies by indicating the political attitude towards ICT integration into EFL teaching/learning at compulsory education with two main projects, namely DynED and Fatih. It achieves the aim via examining each step of policy-making via addressing mandates, actors, roles and responsibilities, and further binding decisions. Results indicate that Turkish government regardless of political ideology has always possessed positive dispositions towards technology integration into EFL teaching at public schools though the policies were introduced with urgency hesitating to fall behind the age.

Keywords: ICT and Education, EFL Teaching, Political Attitude, Turkey, Policy Analysis.