Effects of Mobile Learning on Acquisition and Retention of Vocabulary among Persian-Speaking EFL Learners

Abstract

The study was intended to examine effects of mobile learning on acquisition and retention of vocabulary among Persian-speaking EFL learners. Therefore, a group of 80 EFL learners participated in a pre-, post-, and delayed posttests after taking the placement test. Participants were divided into an experimental group who were supposed to equip their mobile phones or tablet PCs with a social networking application, i.e. Line, and form an online group to participate in virtual instructional sessions. Participants of the control group, however, underwent the traditional classroom learning during which target words were presented through routine classroom activities. Afterwards, a posttest was conducted. Results of the independent-samples t-test indicated participants of the experimental group outperformed those of the control group. Furthermore, results of the independent-samples t-test and repeated measures analysis revealed participants of the experimental group remembered the effects of the treatment and that both time and group affected their performance. It should be noted that results of the paired t-tests also revealed that participants of the control group benefitted from their own treatment, but not as significantly as those of the experimental group. Results have important implications for both pedagogy and theory, especially socio- cultural theories of second language development.