Afrikaans language teachers still use pick and shovel to mine the Information Super Reef

Abstract

This article originated as a paper prepared for the 2002 conference of the South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT) on the theme, “The changing contexts of language teaching: renewal or resistance”. Both report on research conducted to determine the extent to which South African teachers and, in particular, Afrikaans language teachers, utilise the Internet as an information resource. Information communication technologies such as the Internet can impact positively on many sectors in society, including the educational sector. Empirical research done to establish how Afrikaans language teachers use the Internet in their professional capacity indicates that there is still resistance and a lack of awareness among many Afrikaans language teachers with regard to exploring and utilising the possibilities that the Internet provides for information delivery and teacher support. In comparing the findings of this research with practices in some developed Western countries it became evident that teachers in South Africa are lagging behind.


Keywords: Afrikaans language teachers; internet; information resource; information needs


(J Language Teaching: 2003 37(1):46-59)