Learning English with electronic textbooks on mobile devices: Impacts on university students’ vocabulary development

Abstract

The current study examined the use of electronic textbooks designed as mobile applications for learning vocabulary in English among Iranian university students. To this end, 95 university students in an experimental (N = 50) and a control group (N = 45) participated in the study. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed and over an academic semester, the participants used either traditional materials or mobile-based electronic textbooks for learning 600 words in English. To assess the outcomes from different learning conditions, receptive knowledge of the target vocabulary items was tested in three junctures of time (i.e. pre-, post-, and delayed post-test). Additionally, open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect qualitative data from the experimental group to further investigate their perceptions of using mobile-based electronic textbooks for vocabulary learning. The findings revealed a significant main effect for time and both groups significantly improved their vocabulary knowledge from pre-test to post-test. Moreover, a significant main effect was found for using electronic textbooks on mobile devices, and the experimental group outperformed the control group on the post- and delayed post-tests. The qualitative findings revealed three perceived benefits, namely episodic learning , easy access to materials , and enhanced enjoyment for mobile assisted vocabulary learning through electronic textbooks. The perceived challenges were related to health concerns , distractions associated with mobile environments , and external pressure resulting from excessive mobile use among the participants. In general, the findings of the study shed light on the potential offered by mobile-based textbooks for learning English vocabulary, with implications for teachers and materials developers in language teaching programs.

The effectiveness of using mobile applications for studying in non-language specialties at higher education institutions

“…The results of this study provide suggestions on how to design digital gamification for students' learning English and their corresponding learning experiences and outcomes. (Dehghanzadeh et al, 2019;Kayra, 2024;Xodabande & Hashemi, 2023). D. Assanova, A. Prlepessova (2020) examined aspects of the practical orientation of the use of educational mobile applications as an effective component of the educational process, which intensifies the systematization of the material and the process of its assimilation.…”

EFL students’ engagement in the post-pandemic teaching: Does technology matter?

“…The use of mobile technologies boosted enthusiasm for learning English and vocabulary retention (Zhai, 2021). To illustrate, the use of ereaders in mobile devices has three perceived benefits, namely episodic learning, easy access to materials, and enhanced enjoyment of mobile-assisted vocabulary learning through electronic textbooks (Xodabande & Hashemi, 2022). Thus, the gap between traditional and mobile pedagogical techniques has the potential to be bridged by the utilization of technological tools to enhance learning.…”

Reading English Texts through Telegram App: Indonesian Vocational Students’ Perceptions

“…Reading is the most crucial part of English teaching (Liu et al, 2020) that involves the interaction of readers with the text at specific times and contexts of culture, social, and physical environment to construct meanings (Çetin & Kılıçkaya, 2019). In recent years, the transformation of traditional reading material to electronic texts is gaining much attention because it promotes more complex, fluid, and multifaceted competencies that involve the integration of multimodal texts and digital screens (Xodabande & Hashemi, 2022). A number of studies in the literature exposed the different aspects of reading electronic texts on computer screens that reported conflicting results.…”

“…Due to such obstacles to text readability in online reading, current advancements and technological improvements also need reconsideration to be offered to the students during the reading process with paper or digital media. Moreover, it has been claimed that the increase in smartphones continues to raise the potential ways to read in mobile practices (Alisaari et al, 2018;Booton et al, 2021;Haoning Mah et al, 2021;Lin et al, 2020;Momani, 2020;Xodabande & Hashemi, 2022). In this regard, because mobile devices showed students a variety of affordances and potential for new forms and cultures of learning, it is vital to research these emergent learning environments to better understand the students' associated perceptions and achievements.…”