Technical consideration A further disadvantage is related to technical problems When adequate Internet connection and infrastructure are

available it presents an opportunity for online learning. It is crucial to have good technology because any problem with it can affect online learning and present a constraint. In many of the studies about teachers‘ and students‘ perceptions of their experience with the technological learning environment, one of the primary articulated concerns was related to technical issues (Deutschmann, Panichi, et al., 2009; De Freitas and Neumann, 2009). A synthesis of the literature in this area (Singhal, 1997; Garrett, 1991; Tiene, 2000; Maguire, 2005; Rosell-Aguilar, 2006a, b) resulted in a list that included the following concerns:

 lack of connectivity/access;  setup problems;

 inadequate infrastructure, hardware, and software and technical support;

 lack of systems reliability

 faculty are concerned about developing effective technology skills and  lack of training

 concerns about security issues;

 when lines are busy due to many users, it may take time to access information or browse the Net, and

 technical glitches themselves can lead to frustration;  accuracy and reliability of information on the Web;

 students‘ ability to make use of the large database on the Web;

 access issues as any faulty technical component can cause virtual places and online medium (such as discussion forums, online courseware and online discussions) to cease to function properly. Song et al., (2004) noted that it is important to reduce technical issues to the extent possible from the start of the learning experience. There are many technical prerequisites that are essential to the success of the use of technology in education. The rapid advance of technologies raises certain considerations about the practical consequences of development such as equipping staff with the required skills to use new technologies in education (Benini and Murray, 2014). Hammond, et al, (2009:17) report the findings from a study of student teachers at a university – school initial teacher education partnership in England who were considered very good users of ICT. The authors raised the question: why do some student teachers make very good use of ICT? One of the highly influential factors that helped teachers make good use of ICT was related to "extended personal experience of using ICT. This gave student teachers the confidence to use ICT; allowed them to develop effective strategies for learning new skills; and gave them an awareness of the value of ICT based on its application in their own learning"

Previous perceptions about Internet based language teaching show that technical problems, including low sound quality, weak Internet connections, and the kind of tasks designed to be taught via the medium, seem to be part of many online courses (Rosell-Aguilar, 2006b). Yang and Chen (2007: 876) investigated students‘ attitudes and opinions about online language learning. The researchers adopted "a critical perspective as observers" to learn more about the difficulties of technology- enhanced language learning in high schools. Results indicated that the technology

was not fully exploited in Internet English learning partially due to technological malfunctions. Anecdotal evidence shows that dealing successfully with these problems does not seem to be a straightforward task for teachers.

Technical difficulties and sound quality seem to cause frustration for some teachers and students. Carr (2000) discussed the case of a teacher who found that the technical obstacles, combined with other factors such as the need for high learning motivation from students, and conflicts with the teachers‘ pedagogic approach made his online teaching a "disaster (Carr, 2000). Rosell-Aguilar (2006b: 8) reported a similar case where one of the Open University‘s experienced teachers who had completed all the required training described her tutorial of teaching in the new environment as a "disaster" due to many technical difficulties that included "loss of sound and students getting disconnected for no apparent reason. (The teacher) was disconnected a few times for a few minutes each time." The teacher expressed her feelings of being "a bit down" about this particular experience of teaching online (Rosell-Aguilar, 2006a). When such problems happen with students, this can also lead to a feeling of frustration, which Sotillo (2006) cautions, can negatively affect language learning outcomes.

In spite of the feeling of frustration that was experienced by some teachers and students due to low sound quality and other technical difficulties, many studies indicate that most teachers and students are positive about the use of technology in language learning. Rosell-Aguilar (2006a) examined the perceptions of 18 tutors who spent 1 year in teaching an online course for beginners. Although some teachers reported experiencing technical difficulties that they believed impacted the learning experience, most of these teachers found the experience of teaching online positive. Similar findings occurred in another study (Rosell-Aguilar, 2006b) that focused on the

impressions of a group of students and their experiences of learning with audio- graphic conferencing. Findings suggested that students faced some technical problems when using the synchronous communication, but generally liked learning with the audio-graphic conferencing tool that was perceived to provide "a good, convenient learning environment."

Similarly, in a study by Hampel and Hauck (2004), the authors reported the experience of 15 tutors who taught a language course online (German upper- intermediate). The study focused on the teachers‘ perceptions of teaching the online language course through audio-graphic conferencing medium (Lyceum). Data collection included the use of questionnaires which sought feedback from teachers on technical issues such as installing and using the synchronous tool and the quality of support they received from the helpdesk. The teachers‘ main concerns were related to ISPs (Internet Service Provider) and the Internet connection as well as difficulties related to sound quality. Most of the teachers reported these technical difficulties and issues impacted the online learning experience. Most teachers had a positive experience as they became more familiar with teaching online using audio-graphic conferencing and consequently became better equipped to address student needs.

In the same study, students were also asked about their perceptions and experiences of the main tasks and warm-up activities used in the course. Thirteen participants answered a questionnaire. Results were analysed using a qualitative research approach to analysis, and to a more limited extent, a quantitative approach. The researchers also used an online observer's report. Results shed light on a number of technical barriers. These included sound quality such as voice distortion or total loss of voice that caused difficulties of being heard or hearing others, disappearance of the loudspeaker sign that indicated who was speaking, and loss of Internet

connection, especially when doing certain activities such as switching chat rooms. In addition, "Some problems resulted from user centred issues, or were connected with equipment (users having a variety of PCs, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and microphones). Other problems involved the software" (Hampel and Hauck, 2004: 72).

Wang and Chen (2007) studied different types of technical problems. Participants who used dial-up connections had problems with sound quality as the sound was unstable at times and "packets of data were lost." Other problems were occasional. In one incident, the teacher could not hear the voice of the participants because the sound volume was muted by accident. On another occasion, the teacher could not log on to the virtual environment due to some problems with the teacher‘s computer settings. Although these problems were eventually solved, they led to the loss of some valuable online time. Wang and Chen stated that the enthusiasm of the participants about the use of "SLMS-based learning was evident" and that "despite these problems, all participants suggested the inclusion of this type of learning in their distance programmes in the future" (Wang and Chen (2007: 4).