A study on in-service English teachers’ perceptions towards the use of augmented reality (AR) in ESL classroom: implications for TESL programme in higher education institutions / Mohd Sufi Amin Salmee and Faizah Abd Majid

In meeting the needs of the new generation of learners, the idea of implementing the use of new technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms can be a step toward in refining the teaching and learning atmosphere. Nevertheless, the use of this technology relies heavily on the teacher’s level of acceptance and skills for it to be successful in classrooms. TESL Programme is one of the popular programmes in higher education institutions. In line with the advancement of technology in education and current transformation happening at schools, it is essential for the TESL curriculum at higher education institutions be revised according to the current training needs of the in-service teachers. Thus, this study intended to determine the English language teachers’ perceptions towards the use of AR by applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the base of the research model. A survey was conducted on 180 English teachers from 20 schools in the district of Petaling Perdana. The items in the questionnaire elicited information on the levels of AR acceptance of the respondents based on the four variables of TAM, that are perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEoU), attitude towards use (ATT) and behavioural intention (BI) to use AR in ESL classroom. Findings indicate that the levels of AR acceptance of the English teachers are relatively high, as the respondents recorded a high level of PU, ATT and BI towards the use of AR while PEoU was at moderate level. The results from multiple regression analysis indicate that PU and ATT of the English teachers directly influence their BI to use AR in ESL classroom. The findings suggest that English teachers are acceptive and ready for the implementation of AR technology. These finding provide the much needed information for the TESL curriculum review in ensuring the higher education institutions provide programmes fulfil the demand of the technology transformation taking place at schools. Several implications derived from the salient findings were presented for curriculum developers and TESL instructors to consider in revising the curriculum and programme delivery strategies.