Students using self-directed learning platforms, such as Duolingo, cannot be adequately assessed relying solely on responses to standard learning exercises due to a lack of control over learners' choices in how to utilize the platform: for example, how learners choose to sequence their studying and how much they choose to revisit old material. To…

When used in a sensible way, Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) are supposed to motivate and engage students in learning in the classroom. Thereby, they might also stimulate students who are usually more restrained, such as more anxious students. However, the body of research on the impact of IWB lessons is rather small. The present study investigated…

The current study investigated 29 first-year Japanese university students' usage of an online vocabulary notebook that automatically searched eight different word and phrase lists to provide students with reference information about their self-selected vocabulary. Over the course of a 14-week period, participants read English books and articles…

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the university admissions and proficiency testing landscape. One change has been the meteoric rise in use of the fully automated Duolingo English Test (DET) for university entrance purposes, offering test-takers a cheaper, shorter, accessible alternative. This rapid response study is the first to investigate the…

Previous research on online features embedded in language assessments have been limited to the use of dictionary or spell/grammar check. Few have examined the role of accessibility features in the Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) English learner (EL) context in the U.S. This study examined how K-12 EL educators perceive and instruct online…

Regarding the whispered use of technology in instruction and assessment of language skills, the present study investigates the effect of e-portfolio assessment on EFL learners' speaking proficiency. To this end, 60 intermediate students were randomly selected and homogenized to participate in the study. Samples of the IELTS speaking tests were…

The use of new digital formats in language learning and testing improves both the learning and acquisition skills development process of language tests. The process of listening comprehension is considered one of the most complex in the field of Computer Aided Learning Language (CALL) because it relates to multimodal learning channels and brain…

Speaking in a foreign/second language is a challenge for many learners, even when they have linguistic knowledge. Drawing on González-Lloret and Ortega's (2014) framework for technology-mediated tasks and MacIntyre's (2007) framework for willingness to communicate in a second language, this mixed methods study investigated the impact of…

Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, this study explored the impact of electronic writing portfolio on writing performance in English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Two intact classes were first selected and randomly assigned to an electronic writing portfolio group (22 EFL students) and a conventional (i.e. paper-based)…

The purpose of this study is to analyze newspaper articles from three publications ("Chosun Ilbo," "Donga Ilbo," and "JoongAng Ilbo") regarding a newly developed high-stakes English test in South Korea, the National English Ability Test (NEAT), from the viewpoint of critical discourse analysis. All of the articles…

This paper focuses on the most significant empirical studies on the topic of challenges facing the communicative language teaching approach in Saudi Arabia. The communicative language teaching method has been used for more than two decades in Saudi Arabia and research conducted during this period offers some insight into the main challenges of the…

Many applications can be found on the Internet that are designed to help children learn English as a second language. However, it can be said that only a limited number of applications have been designed and developed by considering the important user interface design principles; these principles play an important role in mobile application design…

In open and higher education, digital technologies are increasingly used to enable flexible learning pathways and unbundle programs into separate courses. Whereas technologies have been praised for enhancing the flexibility of curricula, the implications of going digital have yet to be fully explored in curriculum studies. This article aims to…

As an alternative solution to solve different reading comprehension problems in learning English as a foreign language (EFL), it is necessary to implement a blended learning model that combines both online and face-to-face (f2f) teaching modes. This study aimed at investigating the impact of blended learning on Iranian intermediate EFL learners'…

Growing research suggests that digital flashcards may facilitate students' technical vocabulary learning efforts. The primary purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the effect of digital flashcards (DFs) and wordlists on learning technical vocabulary as well as to explore students' perceptions regarding the use of DFs. Using…