Presentation Schedule
Understanding the Role and the Place of Smartphones in EFL Education (104877)
Session: On Demand
Room: Virtual Video Presentation
Presentation Type: Virtual Presentation
This study investigated the potential of smartphones to be pedagogically integrated in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes in Japan, with a focus on observable student engagement, pedagogical practices, and institutional challenges. A literature review was combined with systematic classroom observations in six non-English-major EFL classes (95 students with varying proficiency levels) conducted over eight weeks between 2023 and 2024. Smartphone use patterns for learning were analyzed during 100-minute lessons, including vocabulary study, pronunciation practice, and collaborative tasks. Classroom engagement was assessed through a structured observation checklist that recorded smartphone-related behaviors. The findings revealed that well-structured smartphone activities were associated with increased participation, attentiveness, and willingness to respond, particularly during vocabulary quizzes and collaborative tasks. Occasional disengagement was primarily linked to students’ perceptions of smartphones as entertainment devices, resulting in distraction, rather than to lack of access, as smartphone ownership among participants was nearly universal. The study highlights that the effectiveness of smartphone integration depends on clear pedagogical design, explicit task instructions, active monitoring by teachers, and institutional support in the form of reliable infrastructure and coherent usage guidelines. While the use of smartphones in EFL language learning provides opportunities, it also involves technical, institutional, and pedagogical challenges. Effective implementation requires strong infrastructure, consistent institutional policies, and sustained teacher training. Future research should focus on quantitative assessment of language proficiency outcomes, smartphone use shaping teacher–student relationships and classroom dynamics.
Authors:
Lidija Elliott, Kwansei University, Japan
About the Presenter(s)
Ms Lidija Elliott is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Kwansei University in Japan
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Virtual Presentation
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