Academic digital applications supporting vocabulary instruction for university students: How do English instructors perceive their use?

Moodle integration in English vocabulary learning: university students’ perceptions

It is concluded that Moodle was perceived as a relevant environment for complementing vocabulary learning; however, its contribution depends on the pedagogical design of activities and does not, by itself, demonstrate objective improvement in lexical performance.

Visual Content Assignment and Future Teaching Skills: Pre-Service Teachers Perceptions

The integration of digital technology in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has transformed teaching practices by encouraging the use of visual and multimodal learning materials. Visual content creation assignments have been recognized as potential learning activities that enhance students’ engagement, digital competence, and understanding; however, limited studies have explored how pre-service teachers perceive these tasks as part of their professional preparation. This study aimed to investigate pre-service English teachers’ perceptions of visual content creation assignments, particularly regarding learning engagement, teaching preparation, and understanding of meaning. This research employed a descriptive quantitative approach involving 85 students from the English Language Education Program at Universitas Brawijaya. Data were collected through a 13-item Likert-scale questionnaire distributed via Google Forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean scores, frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that participants demonstrated highly positive perceptions across all measured dimensions. Visual content creation assignments increased students’ motivation and engagement in English learning, strengthened their confidence in utilizing digital media for teaching, and supported their ability to connect English learning materials with real-world contexts. The results indicated that visual content creation tasks functioned not only as learning activities but also as meaningful experiences for developing future teachers’ digital and pedagogical competencies. Therefore, integrating visual content creation assignments into EFL teacher education programs is recommended to support the development of digitally competent and innovative teachers.

A Needs Analysis of Students’ Vocabulary Learning as a Foundation for Web-Based EFL Material Design

This study aims to investigate secondary school students’ vocabulary learning needs in web-based English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts by examining their learning goals, perceived vocabulary proficiency, learning preferences, learning challenges, and the use of web-based learning platforms. This study employed a descriptive needs analysis involving 63 Grade X students at a public senior high school in Indonesia. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to support and enrich the quantitative findings. The findings indicate that most students perceive their vocabulary proficiency to be at the beginner level and demonstrate a strong need for contextualized vocabulary learning supported by multimedia features. Students also reported, difficulties related to limited vocabulary mastery, low vocabulary retention, and insufficient exposure to English outside the classroom. Furthermore, although students viewed web-based learning platform as beneficial for enhancing engagement, they emphasized the need for clear instructional guidance to maximize their learning effectiveness. Unlike previous studies that separately examined vocabulary learning or web-based technology, this study integrates students’ vocabulary needs, perceived proficiency, learning preference, learning challenges, and web-based learning expectations into a single comprehensive needs analysis. This integrated profile provides an empirical basis for designing learner-centered web-based vocabulary materials specifically for Indonesian secondary school EFL learners.

EXPLORING EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN INSTRUCTIONAL VOCABULARY COURSE

Exploring ESL pedagogical strategies across diverse learning styles: insights from English language educators

Learning styles remain an important consideration in ESL instruction, particularly in engineering education contexts where accommodating diverse learner preferences is crucial for effective technical and professional communication. Despite growing recognition of learner diversity, limited empirical research has examined how ESL teachers in engineering colleges translate this awareness into actual classroom practice. This study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, combining a VARK (Visual Auditory Read/Write and Kinesthetic) based questionnaire administered to 40 ESL instructors with semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 participants across five engineering colleges in the Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. Read/Write and Auditory modalities were the most consistently accommodated learning styles across all institutions, reflecting a shared emphasis on traditional lecture-based and text-centered instruction. Visual and Kinesthetic modalities showed considerable variation, with some institutions demonstrating significantly stronger implementation of hands-on and visual learning strategies than others. Qualitative findings revealed that resource limitations, assessment misalignment, and the absence of targeted professional development represent the primary barriers to balanced learning style accommodation. Although ESL instructors broadly recognized the importance of accommodating diverse learning styles, implementation consistency varied significantly across institutions. The findings suggest that multimodal instructional approaches, assessment reform, and institution-level professional development are essential for improving learning style accommodation in engineering ESL contexts.

Investigating Learners’ Perceptions of TikTok for Vocabulary Development: Acquisition, Motivation, and Barriers

The rapid development of digital technology has transformed language learning by providing students with more interactive and engaging learning media. Among various social media platforms, TikTok has gained increasing attention as a potential educational tool due to its short-form video content and widespread popularity among adolescents. This study aimed to examine students' perceptions of the use of TikTok in vocabulary learning. Specifically, it investigated the extent to which TikTok contributes to vocabulary acquisition and retention, influences students' learning motivation, and identifies the challenges encountered when using the platform as a learning medium. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed involving 30 eleventh-grade students at SMA Negeri 7 Purworejo, Indonesia. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire distributed through Google Forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean scores and percentages. The findings revealed that students perceived TikTok as an effective medium for vocabulary learning because it enhanced their motivation and learning engagement compared with conventional teaching methods. However, several challenges were identified, including distractions from entertainment content and difficulties in finding relevant educational materials.