Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Innovative Research in Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Involving Rural Teachers and Parents’ in Designing a Mobile app for EFL Vocabulary Learning: Their views on EdTech before and after the Project
John Misana Biseko
ABSTRACT:
As the use of Educational Technology (EdTech) in learning and teaching becoming popular in different places, it calls for a need to support English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and parents in rural areas to understand the concept, advantage and acquire the know-how of EdTech in EFL learning. While studies that present teachers’ views on the use of different types of EdTech are plenty, research concerning the views of both teachers and parents in rural areas after being involved in designing and developing a mobile app are scarce. This paper attempts to contribute on the body of research by reporting part of the findings of a project that involved 8 rural teachers and 14 parents in designing, developing and assessing the mobile app for EFL vocabulary learning among young learners (9 years old). Through engagement theory by Kearsley and Schneiderman (1990), qualitative approach and semi-structured interview, it was found that before engagement in designing process, teachers and parents regarded learning as a process of accessing knowledge through books or face to face engagement. Thus, Learners’ use of mobile app was regarded as something impossible as learners can not learn without being guided by teachers, wastage of time, accessing useless information, appropriate for rich families in town and distraction that can interfere children’s focus on studying. However, participants views changed at the final evaluation and the use of Mobile app was regarded as something useful as it motivates learning, exposes learners to pronunciation of words, promotes learner autonomy, and promotes long-term memory as learners get chance to use the app repeatedly. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in light of how to support rural EFL teachers and parents.
keywords: Designing mobile app, educational technology, vocabulary learning, teachers and parents’ view, EFL learning