Enhancing EFL Students’ Active Learning by Using ‘Formative’ on Mobile Devices

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i13.13975

Keywords:

EFL, teachers, active learning, Formative, mobile devices

Abstract


The present study was aimed at analyzing the factors that contribute to engage students in active learning through Formative on mobile devices. It also focused on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ perceptions of using this tool for enhancing active learning. The participants were 82 adult on-site learners en-rolled in five different courses of an English program at a university level. In ad-dition, 5 English instructors were in charge of teaching the aforementioned stu-dents. An action-research design along with a mixed-method approach were used to analyze the data in this study. The information was gathered through diagnostic questionnaires, observations, and perceptions questionnaires. The results evi-denced that engagement, motivation, participation, and reduction in students’ anx-iety constitute the most relevant factors that contributed to involve students in ac-tive learning through the use of Formative on mobile devices. The tool was per-ceived as motivating and engaging because it allowed students to enhance active learning and get directly involved in the class activities to demonstrate their knowledge.

Author Biographies

Paola Cabrera-Solano, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Master in Distance Education and Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja and Nova Southeastern University of the United States. With undergraduate studies in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Business Administration. I am studying a Doctoral program in Language and Linguistics at Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina. I have experience as administrative coordinator of the Master's Degree in TEFL, former member of the Quality Team of the Department of Modern Languages ​​and Literature, and Former Head of the English language. I am working as a research professor in the Contemporary Languages ​​Section of the Department of Education and I am member of the Research Group "EFL Learning, Teaching and Technology". Aditionally, I have been co-author of various indexed articles and book chapters.

Ana Quinonez-Beltran, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Ana Quiñónez is a professor at the Education Department of Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, at the faculty of English. She has a Master degree in Educational Technology: e-Learning and knowledge Management at Universidad Rovira i Virgili, and has a Doctoral degree in Educational Research from Universidad Nacional de Loja. She has 14 years of teaching experience at the higher education level and she has been co-author of some important indexed articles.

Paul Gonzalez-Torres, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Paúl González. Ph.D. in Language Acquisition at the Basque Country University, Spain. Master of Science in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Nova Southeastern University of Florida U.S.A. Master of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at UTPL. Professor for fourteen years at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), Ecuador. Co-author of articles in indexed journals.

Cesar Ochoa-Cueva, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

César Ochoa Cueva holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at NOVA Southeastern University of Florida U.S.A. He currently works for Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) in Ecuador. He has worked as an EFL teacher for more than 17 years. He has been the TOEFL iBT Administrator at the UTPL test center. He has been the Head of the Research and Services English Center at UTPL and he has been co-author of some indexed journals.

Luz Castillo-Cuesta, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Luz Mercedes Castillo Cuesta, Master of Science in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Nova Southeastern University of Florida, U.S.A. Master of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), Ecuador. Undergraduate studies in Education: EFL teaching, Professor for thirteen years at UTPL, former coordinator of the English Major and the Academic Board of the English Major. Member of the Research Group EFL Learning, Teaching and Technology and the EFL Teachers’ Network in Ecuador. Linguistics Doctoral student at Universidad Nacional del Rosario, Argentina. Co-author of different indexed articles and four book chapters.

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Published

2020-07-10

How to Cite

Cabrera-Solano, P., Quinonez-Beltran, A., Gonzalez-Torres, P., Ochoa-Cueva, C., & Castillo-Cuesta, L. (2020). Enhancing EFL Students’ Active Learning by Using ‘Formative’ on Mobile Devices. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(13), pp. 252–263. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i13.13975

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Papers