Teachers’ enactment of ICT affordances in rural ELT classrooms: A Q methodological study from Nepal

Tirthraj Dhungana

doi:10.29329/pedper.2026.175

Teachers’ enactment of ICT affordances in rural ELT classrooms: A Q methodological study from Nepal

Tirthraj Dhungana Department of Language Education, Kathmandu University School of Education, Lalitpur, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6019-6509

DOI

https://doi.org/10.29329/pedper.2026.175

Abstract

ICT affordances offer various pedagogical possibilities for English language teaching (ELT) across diverse classroom contexts globally. This Q methodology study aims to explore divergent viewpoints of English teachers regarding their enactment of ICT affordances in secondary classrooms of rural Nepal. Q-sorting was administered to 30 secondary-level English teachers teaching at Grades 9 to 12 from three rural districts of eastern Nepal. The teachers sorted 45 statements, each reflecting the potential of using ICT tools and resources in rural ELT classrooms, onto a forced-distribution grid. All Q sorts were analysed using Brown centroid factor analysis with varimax rotation, followed by post-sort interviews with each participant. The findings reveal three divergent viewpoints of teachers on ICT affordances’ enactment in the rural ELT context: (1) practical and accessible ICT, (2) collaborative and interactive ICT, and (3) adaptive and content-driven ICT. The viewpoints also highlight barriers related to ICT access and usage that continue to hinder the actualisation of the affordances identified in the study. The findings are discussed in alignment with the usage of ICT affordances in the ELT domain literature. The findings imply that offline multimodal mobile tools, collaborative ICT platforms, and authentic learning resources can scaffold listening, pronunciation, and listening skills among other language skills in rural ELT settings. In this study, both online and offline mobile-based, multimodal, and collaborative affordances of ICT tools and resources enable English teachers in rural contexts to ensure authentic and meaningful language learning experiences. Stakeholders should consider the potential barriers in their infrastructural, technological, and pedagogical contexts before deciding to utilise ICT affordances for effective ICT-based English language instruction.

Keywords

ICT affordances, Secondary ELT, Q methodology, affordances theory, rural Nepali classrooms

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How to Cite

Dhungana, T. (2026). Teachers’ enactment of ICT affordances in rural ELT classrooms: A Q methodological study from Nepal. Pedagogical Perspective, 5(2), 382-405. https://doi.org/10.29329/pedper.2026.175