Abbas ZARE-EE

NOTE FOR EDITOR: Comparative Study Of The Use Of Ict 
In English Teaching-Learning Processes

The use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in cultural, political, social, economic, and academic activities has recently attracted the attention of many researchers and it should now be an important component of the comparative study of education. The present study was conducted to compare the amount and quality of ICT use in English teaching-learning processes among the faculty members of Medical and Non-medical Universities in Kashan, Iran and to explore the dimensions in which the two groups can benefit from one another and from ICT training in this respect. Out of a total of 255 full-time university teachers teaching at medical and no-medical universities in the region, 193 were chosen to participate in the study using a simple random sampling technique and the Morgan & Kritjki table for sample selection. A researcher-made 5-point Likert scale questionnaire containing 50 items was used to collect the necessary data on the amount of access and use ICT in the two environments. The Chronbach Alfa reliability for this instrument was shown to be 0.8. To answer the research questions, t-test and the analysis of variance were used and the differences in ICT use for learning and teaching were analyzed. The results of the analyses showed that there was a significant difference in the amount of ICT use among the faculty members of medical and non-medical universities. For reason considered in length, teachers at medical universities used ICT significantly less than the other group. Results also indicated that there was a significant difference between the two types of universities with regard to the availability of computers and the amount of ICT training and use. No significant effects on the use of ICT in education were observed for age, teaching experience, and university degree. University teachers with different fields of study showed significant differences only in non-medical universities. Based on the findings of the study suggestions are made for the improvement of teaching and learning activities through the use of ICT.