Learner perceptions versus technology usage: A study of adolescent English learners in Hong Kong secondary schools

There is a wealth of research investigating the predictive power of learners’ attitudes towards technology, perceived usefulness of technology and efficacy. However, the associations between these learner factors and the actual application of technology for individualized and collaborative school-related learning activities in a specific domain and in the Asian context are not adequately discussed. This paper contributes to the literature by attempting to investigate such correlations, and treating individualized and collaborative applications as separate entities, with particular reference to Chinese adolescent learners of English in Hong Kong. An analysis of 193 questionnaires completed by adolescent English learners aged 13–16 in three Hong Kong secondary schools supported the differentiation of actual application for individualized and collaborative school-related English learning activities. While the adolescents’ attitudes, self-efficacy (familiarity with technology) and perceptions towards technology use were positive, attitude was related to use of technology for individualized learning purposes, and self-efficacy was related to perceived usefulness of technology for English learning. Their perceived usefulness of technology and actual application behavior for school-related learning tasks were not commensurate with each other. Older adolescent learners tended to favor more technology as a useful tool for English learning. Gender effects, however, were negligible. The study points to the significance of understanding both learner perceptions and relations with actual application of technology use for school-related English learning activities.