Microlearning via social media & digital platforms
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Abstract
This study examines the effect of microlearning delivered via private Instagram groups on the retention of B2-level grammatical structures by English as a foreign language (EFL) learners compared to standard grammar teaching classes in the classroom setting. Based on the assumptions of the Cognitive Load Theory and Nudge Theory, the teaching strategy involved microlearning video clips ranging from 30 to 60 seconds that were dedicated to addressing complex grammatical structures up to five times per week. Sixty Italian undergraduate students of EFL learning were randomly divided into two groups; the experimental group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). Both groups underwent a pre-test and post-test evaluation of the level of grammatical structures retention, measured through the Grammar Retention Test. A mixed-design ANOVA test showed a statistically significant interaction effect between time and groups, F(1, 58) = 15033.17, p < .001, partial η² = .996. Namely, the control group exhibited better results, increasing from M = 55.63 (SD = 3.69) to M = 73.90 (SD = 3.97). In contrast, the experimental group showed higher scores, moving from M = 56.63 (SD = 3.69) to M = 62.73 (SD = 3.59). To summarise, while both teaching methods resulted in the acquisition of knowledge, the results obtained under the control group conditions significantly outperformed those under the experimental group conditions. Therefore, it can be suggested that passive perception of microlearning videos lacks essential interactions, corrective feedback, and cognitive processing required for grammar learning.
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