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After the curriculum reforms from 2021 to 2023, public universities in Thailand have been adapting to integrate ICT and digital literacy into their teaching. This research explores the changes experienced by ICT teachers when integrating digital literacy with student teachers in English teacher education programs after the pandemic. During COVID-19, online learning was mandatory, necessitating significant adjustments. This study also investigates the challenges associated with these changes. The participants were six teachers from six public universities with firsthand experience with the revised curriculum from 2021 to 2023. Semi-structured interviews were used as the research instrument. The interview data were grouped into themes according to the degree of change and challenges encountered by the teachers. The findings showed four levels of changes due to the curriculum reforms: changing course names, descriptions, topics, and assessments. Along with these changes, the teachers faced several challenges: selecting appropriate ICT resources, insufficient digital literacy knowledge, the need for pedagogical adjustments, insufficient training and support, infrastructure limitations, and time constraints. The study suggests that universities should offer ongoing professional development to help teachers keep up with the changing digital literacy landscape. Additionally, institutional infrastructure and support need improvement. Teacher education programs should incorporate comprehensive training on using ICT in teaching, emphasizing practical applications. Future research should study the effectiveness of professional development models in enhancing teachers' ICT skills and their ability to integrate technology into their teaching. It should also identify the impact of collaborative teaching approaches on ICT integration in teacher education programs.

Dictionaries and online tools are regarded as important tools for finding out the meanings of unknown words or checking the usage of interesting words. This study investigated students' use of dictionaries and online tools in a natural setting by identifying the type of words they look up in their dictionaries and the types of dictionaries they use for the look-up. Fourteen learners from a Thai public university participated as the subjects by filling in a task record form which included the names of the dictionaries they were using, look-up words, meanings selected for the words, and their parts of speech. The look-up words were analyzed to find out the frequencies of words, parts of speech, and meanings by checking with an advanced learner dictionary. The findings show that the subjects mainly selected words that were nouns, verbs, and adjectives. They tended to choose "high frequency" for the lookups. For their convenience, subjects used either an online translation tool, 'Google Translate', or bilingual dictionaries through mobile devices. The results may help us understand EFL dictionary users' behaviors in using dictionaries and provide interesting implications for language teachers.

Upon graduating, students are expected to have acquired soft skills to meet potential employers' expectations. Since employers today are competing for qualified graduates possessing relevant training and workplace competencies, ELT teachers should guide their learners towards obtaining both a comprehensive understanding of theoretical concepts and a range of interpersonal abilities. This study examined whether Thai teachers incorporate these soft skills in the classroom, which soft skill elements are prioritized and taught, and how the teachers implemented these elements in their EFL classrooms. Twenty ELT teachers from Rajamangala University of Technology in Thailand participated in an online survey and semi-structured interviews. Data was collected using a 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire, which revealed that the teachers reported that they integrated soft skills into the classroom, primarily in the domains of learning skills, literacy skills, and life skills. The three soft skills reported to be most utilized were communication skills, technology literacy, and collaboration and teamwork, which are all essential for improving English language proficiency. The findings suggest that ELT teachers identify and facilitate the acquisition of weaker supplementary skills, such as leadership, to equip students with the necessary skills to succeed.

This study investigates the reasons behind pre-service and in-service teachers' decisions to use digital literacy tools in their teaching following the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective is to understand the factors influencing their choices and to identify areas where support and training are needed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers from a university demonstration school in Thailand, evenly divided between pre-service and in-service teachers. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework guided the creation and adaptation of the interview questions. The findings indicate that pre-service teachers prefer digital tools that are easy to use, accessible, and affordable, with features such as templates, multimedia, and engaging functionalities. In contrast, in-service teachers prioritize familiar tools that save time and enhance the quality of teaching materials. Both groups value tools that facilitate collaboration and ensure privacy. The study highlights the significant generational differences in technology adoption, with younger teachers showing a greater inclination towards exploring a variety of digital tools, while more experienced teachers tending to stick with familiar technologies due to time constraints and comfort levels. These insights underscore the necessity for ongoing, tailored professional development programs that address the specific needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers. Such programs should focus on enhancing digital literacy, providing practical examples of new tools' benefits, and fostering a supportive community for technology integration. By understanding these differences, educational institutions can better support teachers in integrating digital literacy tools effectively, thereby improving teaching practices and professional development opportunities. The implications of this study suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to technology training may not be effective, and differentiated support is essential to cater to the diverse needs of educators.

Speaking English in a face-to-face classroom versus an online classroom may make EFL students feel uneasy in different ways, depending on a variety of factors. To help students reduce anxiety, teachers must understand the different levels of anxiety they experience in different situations. This study investigated the differences in English-speaking anxiety between face-to-face and an online classroom for Thai students, and used questionnaires and structured interviews to identify the factors that may contribute to the anxiety of different students. The questionnaire was completed by 26 first-year undergraduates from a Thai public university who had both face-to-face and online classroom experience in order to compare anxiety levels in the two learning environments. Seven students were then interviewed in order to determine the factors that may have contributed to these differences. The data from the questionnaire were presented as mean scores and standard deviation (SD) in order to compare the differences in students' anxiety between on-site and online classrooms, whereas the data from the interviews were used to explain the factors that could cause these differences. The results of the questionnaire revealed that, with the exception of confidence, students' speaking anxiety in face-to-face classrooms is greater in every respect than in online classrooms. In the meantime, the results of the interviews revealed that nervousness, a limited vocabulary, and an inability to remember vocabulary could be significant contributors to anxiety differences. The discussion explained how each aspect and factor makes speaking anxiety in on-site classrooms greater than in online classrooms, and suggested and encouraged teachers to reduce students' anxiety in both types of classrooms. Teachers can improve the language learning outcomes of their students by creating a less stressful environment in the English classroom and by incorporating activities that motivate or engage students to practice speaking.

This study investigated how Thai EFL pre-service teachers (PSTs) use technology in their classrooms and the level of substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (SAMR) they implement. Seven English education majors enrolled in the course "teaching internship 2" in their fourth year at a Thai university participated in the study. Due to COVID-19, the participants were trained to teach online, but during their teaching practicum, they were required to teach in a traditional on-site setting. Because of this novel arrangement, it was essential to investigate how these PSTs incorporate technology into the classroom. For the purpose of analyzing the process of educational technology integration, this study employed SAMR model. Observations and semi-structured interviews were used as data collection methods. Throughout the semester, observations were conducted twice. SAMR observation form was used to investigate how PSTs used technology in their teaching. Participants were asked to participate in an interview after each observation. The interviews included open-ended questions based on the conceptual framework of SAMR. Observation results show that technological tools were used to engage students, check comprehension, create teaching content, and evaluate students' understanding. For the study, the participants were divided into three groups based on the extent of technological tools used. One participant was deemed to be in the substitution stage, five participants in the augmentation stage, and only one participant in the modification stage. The results of the interviews indicated that teacher motivation and the availability of ICT equipment, as well as familiarity with technological tools, played a significant role in PSTs' integration of technology into the classroom. The study's conclusions are helpful in developing PSTs' technology integration in EFL classrooms. SAMR model should be introduced to PSTs to let them critically reflect on and develop their own technology integration.

This article reports on the utilisation of pocket electronic dictionaries (PEDs) for writing by learners of English at a Thai university. It aims to enrich the study of dictionary use behaviour by investigating, through the use of combined research methods, exactly what happens when students use PEDs for production. The participants in this study included 13 students who were chosen from a group of 1211 students enrolled in a foundation English course at a university in Thailand. Data were collected using a think-aloud protocol, observation, and retrospective interviews as data collection methods. The first eight participants were asked to read a passage in Thai. Using dictionaries in their PEDs, they were asked to write a summary in English (the Water I experiment). The remaining five participants followed the same procedure, but after the summary task was completed, they were asked to review their summaries using the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, and the English–English dictionary in their PEDs (the Water II experiment). The experimental study revealed how the participants tackled the reading passage and wrote summaries, the problems they encountered, and the strategies they used to solve these problems. A graphic representation of the PED consultation process was also proposed. The use of the English–English dictionary in their PEDs helped some participants review their English summaries. It was found that some participants failed to display (extended) knowledge of the PEDs they were using. The investigations revealed several factors that may have hampered dictionary lookup success as well as factors that may have promoted dictionary lookup success.

ABSTRACT: This article reports on a small-scale study of Thai-speaking learners using pocket electronic dictionaries (PEDs) to read an English news article. It investigates how the subjects use their PEDs for reading comprehension. Thirty-nine undergraduate students completed a questionnaire survey. Of these, four were chosen to participate in the experiment. Observations and interviews were utilized to ascertain how the subjects used their PEDs. The findings showed superficial and partial reading of the dictionary entries. It also revealed several factors that may hinder dictionary look-up success. On the basis of this research, guidelines for buying PEDs and for teaching PED skills are proposed.OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van sak- elektroniese woordeboeke deur Thaise universiteitstudente. Hierdie artikel doen verslag van 'n kleinskaalse studie van Thaisprekende aanleerders wat sak- elektroniese woordeboeke (SEW's) gebruik om 'n Engelse nuusartikel te lees. Dit ondersoek hoe die proefpersone hul SAW's gebruik vir leesbegrip. Nege-en-dertig voorgraadse studente het 'n vraelysopname voltooi. Uit hulle is vier gekies om aan die eksperiment deel te neem. Waarnemings en onderhoude is aangewend om te bepaal hoe die proefpersone hul SEW's gebruik het. Die bevindings het oppervlakkige en gedeeltelike lees van die woordeboekinskrywings getoon. Dit het ook verskeie faktore uitgewys wat woordeboekopsoeksukses mag belemmer. Op grond van hierdie navorsing word riglyne vir die koop van SEW's en vir die onderrig van SEWvaardighede voorgestel.Sleutelwoorde: WOORDEBOEKGEBRUIK, SAK- ELEKTRONIESE WOORDEBOEK, WOORDEBOEKRAADPLEGING, EENTALIGE WOORDEBOEK, TWEETALIGE WOORDEBOEK

The objectives of this study were, firstly, to implement and determine the effectiveness of an online training program designed to enhance the online communication and intercultural communication skills of undergraduate students and, secondly, to investigate the level of satisfaction of undergraduate students towards the program. The participants were 50 international students at a Thai university who were enrolled in the first semester of the 2023 academic year in a course called "Learning and Problem Solving Skills" (Gen 121). The instruments used in the study consisted of a pre-test/post-test of online communication and intercultural communication skills and a satisfaction online questionnaire to determine the level of student satisfaction with the program. Quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. The results were twofold. Firstly, during the implementation of the online training program, the findings showed that the online was effective in enhancing the undergraduate students' online communication and intercultural communication skills, as shown in the pre-test (... = 9.5 ) and post-test score (... = 14.3). Secondly, the overall level of the students' satisfaction toward the program was high. Despite the students' increased awareness of online and intercultural communication skills, the results showed that this awareness was insufficient to change their study habits, particularly when it came to turning on cameras. Thus, teachers ought to provide students with explicit instructions encouraging them to turn on their cameras so that they can study online more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]