The Impact of Mobile Learning Environment on EFL Students’ Learning of English Idioms through Concept Cartoons

Abstract

Today, the most important form of communication among teenagers is carried out through mobile devices. These mobile technologies enable users to “re-interpret their everyday life contexts as potential resources for learning”. Mobile technologies have also various pedagogical practices and issues, which are conceptualised as mobile learning (m-learning). Definitions of m-learning have focused on access, mobility and support for learning in multiple locations without physical network connections. Considering these features of m-learning, it was supposed that exposing students to learning materials –such as idioms in English- at regular time intervals in an m-learning environment would facilitate learning. In addition, using concept cartoons as language learning materials and delivering them via m-learning can make these materials pedagogically valuable sources. Concept cartoons are cognitive drawings that use a cartoon-style design to present conversations inside speech bubbles. Thus, this study included English idioms to be taught by using concept cartoons via mobile phone’s instant messages (IM). To this end, the following question stands out: “Are there any significant differences in students’ learning of idioms via SMS vis-à-vis the other method of delivery, posters in classes?” During the study, thirty seven 7th grade students (age 12-13) have been recruited as experimental and control groups. The first group of participants are exposed to concept cartoons via IM in m-learning environment, and the second group is exposed to same cartoons as posters in the classroom. The data has still been gathered. The full paper will contain findings, discussion, and comments depending on pre and post test results.

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Author Information
Hülya Dönmez, Zirve University, Turkey
M. Betül Yilmaz, Yildiz Technical University, Turkey
Suzan Kavanoz, Yildiz Technical University, Turkey

• Category: Integrating e-learning in Classroom based Language Teaching

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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