Abstract

With the rapid development of computer technology, videoconferencing has been widely applied for social and educational purposes. Issues relevant to the use of videoconferencing in second-language instruction, such as the development of intercultural awareness, the promotion of collaborative learning and L2 oral communication skills, and the enhancement of learning motivation and speaking confidence, have been researched. Few studies, however, focus on teacher perspectives. To fill the gap, this study explores how 40 native English-speaking teachers perceived videoconferencing in learning English by elementary school students in Taiwan. Data consisted of teacher responses to a post-video conference survey with open-ended questions. Through qualitative, inductive, and interpretive analysis of the data, the study identified three emerging themes: uneven student performance, technical issues, and suggestions for the videoconferencing activity. The study contributes to our understanding of the videoconferencing experience of language teachers and broadens our understanding of implementing videoconference activities. Further research could explore teacher metacompetence (Guichon, 2009) by analyzing videotaped video conferencing sessions.

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