In my master's thesis we researched the relationships between students’ achievements in English as a foreign language (EFL) and the use of ICT in teaching EFL. In addition, we compared the proficiency results between Slovenia and the Netherlands. In the theoretical part, information-communication technology (ICT) is discussed and we primarily focus on its position in education, especially considering teachers, students and equipment. Special emphasis is placed on online safety. In the literature review, we discuss a number of studies how ICT has been implemented in schools, and how and to what extent ICT has been applied in schools in Slovenia and the Netherlands. Finally, the position of ICT in teaching and learning foreign languages is explored. In the empirical part, the results of the research study are examined and evaluated. The two research questions investigated the relationships between the use of ICT and the achievements on the proficiency test in EFL in Slovenia and the Netherlands, and the relationships between the personal characteristics of teachers and the frequency of using ICT are analyzed. The sample comprised 9 primary schools, 5 in Slovenia and 4 in the Netherlands. In this sample, there were 235 Slovenian 6 graders and 163 Grade 7 or 8 Dutch pupils. The study also included 25 Slovenian teachers and 21 Dutch teachers. The data was acquired by applying two different research methods. First, an interview was used to collect student data regarding their preferences about ICT in English lessons, secondly, a test of English proficiency examined the students’ English knowledge and language skills and a teacher survey focused on teachers’ personal data and their attitudes and experience with ICT. The results showed that in the Netherlands more ICT is used in education than in Slovenia. In Slovenia, the use of ICT equipment itself affects the English proficiency test results. It was found that ICT motivates students to learn English and that they prefer lessons with an interactive whiteboard and a computer. The results showed that all Dutch schools were equipped with an interactive whiteboard, while only 2 schools had similar equipment in Slovenia, one Slovene school had a classroom equipped with a projector and a computer, and two schools were without any ICT equipment. We learned in the research, that work experience (years of teaching) does not affect the frequency of using ICT equipment at school. We figured out that older Dutch teachers have a more positive attitude to the use of ICT in education than their younger counterparts; in Slovenia the situation is reversed. Slovenian teachers feel more competent in the use of ICT equipment compared to the Dutch, and are also more likely to participate in additional education in relation to ICT. The teachers of both countries have daily access to the computer at work and at home.
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