Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills)

The Effect of Augmented Reality on Adult EFL Learners’ Attitudes and Motivation: A Mixed Methods Study

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch

Abstract

Language education, among most other aspects of life, has been affected by the ever-advancing technology. To be most efficient, educators need to know the affordances technology brings to the teaching and learning process. Augmented Reality is a recent technology that can be accessed through the Internet and mobile phones and brings several advantages to the language classroom. This mixed-methods study aims to examine the effect of Augmented Reality on adult language learners’ attitudes and motivation. To this end, data were obtained through a questionnaire administered to 40 adult EFL learners in Iran of different ages and educational levels who participated in a pre-test post-test design, followed by a semi-structured interview. Results confirmed that adult learners, disregarding their age and educational background, benefit from AR in the sense that it enhances their attitudes and motivation towards learning the language. The themes revealed in the interviews clarified that this enhancement is because AR is exciting to learners since it gets them engaged in the learning process and attracts them through gamification. Results of the current study have implications for language specialists and teachers to design and incorporate AR-infused materials in teaching to increase learners’ motivation, and consequently, their learning.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References
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Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills)
Volume 41, Issue 1
February 2022
Pages 103-132
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History
  • Receive Date: 14 June 2021
  • Revise Date: 06 September 2021
  • Accept Date: 11 October 2021
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