How Instagram as a MALL tool impacts EAP learners’ technical vocabulary learning and perceptions in an electronic context

Abstract

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) technology and the link it creates with language education domains made researchers interested in the plausible effects of MALL tools on English for academic purposes (EAP) students’ language development. Likewise, this study investigated the effect of Instagram as a MALL tool on technical vocabulary knowledge of Iranian EAP university students (physical education major) in an electronic course conducted via Adobe Connect as well as their perceptions and attitudes toward Instagram. In a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental research design, 60 EAP university students at the intermediate level were randomly assigned to a control group and an experimental group who practiced technical vocabulary in physical education via different tasks on Instagram. Both groups participated in an online pretest and posttest of technical vocabulary, yet only the experimental group completed a questionnaire about their perceptions and attitudes toward Instagram. The repeated-measures two-way ANOVA on the test scores indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in learning technical vocabulary. Further, analysis of the responses to the questionnaire revealed positive perceptions and attitudes toward Instagram as a supplementary MALL tool for learning technical vocabulary. The findings encourage EAP instructors to use Instagram as an accessible MALL application to share their teaching materials with learners.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Interactive Technologies on Language Education

“…It serves as the basis for effective communication and is often used as a measure of learners' proficiency at different levels, including their understanding of academic terms (Ha, 2022). Instagram, for instance, has been identified as a valuable tool for enhancing technical vocabulary knowledge among EAP university students (Tavassoli & Beyranvand, 2023). Digital game-based tasks could also assist learners in acquiring more word knowledge (Rasti-Behbahani & Shahbazi, 2022).…”

“…Liang, 2021), as well as vocabulary (Rahimi et al, 2021) and grammar levels (R. Wang, 2022). Switching to another perspective, we could discover that different types of interactive technologies might exert a profound impact on language learning, such as flipped classroom models (C. Chen, 2015), games (Yan, 2019), and mobile applications (Tavassoli & Beyranvand, 2023). Though addressing positive potentials, the above studies cannot show us well-rounded results because they only focused on a specific aspect of language education or interactive technologies, thus we strongly need comprehensive meta-analysis tests to synthesize all the results.…”

“…Karimova et al (2023),Tavassoli & Beyranvand (2023),Bu (2023),Ma (2023),Zakian et al (2022),Rahimi et al (2021),Tang (2021),Cho (2021), Abudou (2014,Smith (2012),Shi (2012), Meli (2009 10 GrammarKarimova et al (2023), Lopez Vera (2022,Wang (2022), Shen (2021)Table 2. Subgroup 4 of Included Studies N Focus Study 1 Flipped classroom Sun (2022), Chen (2015), Prefume (2015) 2 Game Sarabchian (2021), Shen (2021), Yan (2019), Yükseltürk et al (2018) 3 Interactive approach Adel (2023), Jiang (2017), Idrees (2017), Cloe (2012) 4 Mobile Bu (2023), Tavassoli & Beyranvand (2023), Zakian et al (2022), Qiu (2017), Abudou (2014), Woloshen (2013) 5 Multimedia Dai et al (2023), Karimova et al (2023), Ma (2023), Liang et al (2023), Tang (2021), Min(2018),Wang (2010),Guo & Jia (2009), Meli (2009,He (2008) 6 Technology-assisted toolWei (2023), Lopez Vera (2022),Yang (2022),Cho (2021),Liang (2021),Kılıç (2020),Kocaman & İskender (2016), Glymph (2012,Sydorenko (2011), Su (2009 …”