THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TOOLS ON EFL TERTIARY STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT FROM A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Main Article Content
Abstract
The research evaluates how digital tools influence the positive psychological state of Vietnamese students pursuing English as a foreign language at the tertiary level by examining their engagement using the PERMA framework. The qualitative method explored both the main digital tools students used and the effects these tools had on their learning engagement. Open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews conducted at a private university in Hai Phong, Vietnam, served as the data collection methods. Students actively used three distinct digital tool categories: social media networks, learning management systems, and technology-supported language learning platforms. Student engagement experienced dramatic impact through electronic tools extending across three learning domains: behavior, affect, and cognition. Digital tools enabled students to solve problems while assisting language analysis, ensuring continuous learning practices, and creating supportive learning environments. The outcomes might contribute to digital tool integration knowledge in Vietnamese EFL instruction and an understanding that longitudinal research and cultural-technical technology adoption barriers require investigation.
Keywords
Digital tools, PERMA by Selignman (2011), positive psychology, student emgagement
Article Details
References
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Lambert, C., Philp, J., & Nakamura, S. (2016). Learner-generated content and engagement in second language task performance. Language Teaching Research, 21(6), 665-680. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168816683559
Le, V. C. (2011). Form-focused instruction: A case study of Vietnamese teachers’ beliefs and practices [Doctoral dissertation, University of Waikato]. Research Commons, University of Waikato. https://hdl.handle.net/10289/5253
Le, V. C. (1999). Language and Vietnamese pedagogical contexts. In J. Shaw, D. Lubelska & M. Noullet (Eds.) Partnership and interaction. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Language and Development, (pp. 73-80). Asian Institute of Technology
Lewis, M., & McCook, F. (2002). Cultures of teaching: Voices from Vietnam. ELT Journal, 56(2), 146-153. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/56.2.146
Li, C., Jiang, G. & Dewaele, J. M. (2018). Understanding Chinese high school students' foreign language enjoyment: Validation of the Chinese version of the foreign language enjoyment scale. System, 76, 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.06.004
Lichtman, M. (2023). Qualitative research in education: A user's guide. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003281917
MacIntyre, P. D., & Mercer, S. (2014). Introducing positive psychology to SLA. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.2
Mercer, S., & Dörnyei, Z. (2020). Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024563
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Nguyen, T. N. M., Tra, V. D., & Nguyen, P. H. (2021). Difficulties and some suggested solutions in studying online of the students in Van Lang University during the Covid-19 pandemic. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(4), 9-17. https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/58
Nguyen, T. L. (2023). Promoting learner autonomy in learning English listening skills through mobile-assisted applications. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 14(2), 118-139. https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.231428
Oxford, R. L. (2016a). Powerfully positive: Searching for a model of language learner well-being. In D. Gabryś-Barker & D. Gałajda (Eds.), Positive Psychology Perspectives on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 21-37). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32954-3_2
Oxford, R. L. (2016b). Toward a psychology of well-being for language learners: The “EMPATHICS” vision. In Peter D. MacIntyre, Tammy Gregersen, & S. Mercer (Eds.), Positive Psychology in SLA (pp. 10-87). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783095360-003
Pearson, W. S. (2024). Affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement with written feedback on second language writing: A systematic methodological review. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1285954. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1285954
Philp, J., & Duchesne, S. (2016). Exploring engagement in tasks in the language classroom. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 36, 50-72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190515000094
Reinders, H., & Wattana, S. (2015). Affect and willingness to communicate in digital game-based learning. ReCALL, 27(1), 38–57. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344014000226
Pham, T. T., Nguyen, L. A. D., Dang, H. M. & Le, T. T. P. (2023). Exploring tertiary Vietnamese EFL students’ engagement in vocabulary learning through the use of an AI tool. In Proceedings of the 20th AsiaCALL International Conference Vol 4 (pp. 129–149). https://doi.org/10.54855/paic.23410
Schmidt, S. J. (2020). Teaching and reaching our students from a distance. Journal of Food Science Education, 19(4), 234-237. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4329.12210
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-25554-000
Stockwell, G., & Hubbard, P. (2013). Some emerging principles for mobile-assisted language learning. The International Research Foundation for English Language Education. https://www.tirfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TIRF_MALL_Papers_StockwellHubbard.pdf
Thompson, P. N. & Ward, J. (2022). Only a matter of time? The role of time in school on four-day school week achievement impacts. Economics of Education Review, 86, 102198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102198
Wang, H. C., & Chen, C. W. Y. (2020). Learning English from Youtubers: English l2 learners’ self-regulated language learning on Youtube. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 14, 333-346. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1607356
Wellington, J. (2015). Educational research: Contemporary issues and practical approaches. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Zimmerman, I., Tal, T., & Baram-Tsabari, A. (2024). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement with science news predicted by the use of accessibility strategies in science-minded and general audiences. Public Understanding of Science, 34(1), 92-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625241252561
Boo, Z., Dörnyei, Z., & Ryan, S. (2015). L2 motivation research 2005-2014: Understanding a publication surge and a changing landscape. System, 55, 145-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2015.10.006
Brown, A. D. (2019). Institutional Factors or Characteristics Leading to Successful Implementation of Analytic Technology within Higher Education. [Doctoral dissertation, Indiana State University]. Indiana State University. https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1653
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Toward a Psychology of Optimal Experience. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_14
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Toward a psychology of optimal experience. In M. Csikszentmihalyi (Ed.), Flow and the foundations of positive psychology (pp. 209 – 226). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_14
Dewaele, J., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2014). The two faces of Janus? Anxiety and enjoyment in the foreign language classroom. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4, 237-274. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.5
Dornyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2011). Teaching and Researching Motivation (2nd edition). Pearson, Harlow. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833750
Dörnyei, Z. (2009). The L2 motivational self system. In Dörnyei, Z. & Ushioda, E. (Eds.), Motivation, language identity and the L2 self (pp. 9–42). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691293-003
Ellis, N. C. (2019). Essentials of a theory of language cognition. The Modern Language Journal, 103, 39-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12532
Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). Positive Emotions Broaden and Build. In P. Devine, & A. Plant (Eds.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol. 47 (pp. 1-53). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407236-7.00001-2
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Han, J., & Hiver, P. (2018). Genre-based L2 writing instruction and writing-specific psychological factors: The dynamics of change. Journal of Second Language Writing, 40, 44-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2018.03.001
Hiratsuka, T. (2014). A study into how high school students learn using narrative frames. ELT Journal, 68(2), 169-178. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/cct096
Hoang, L., Tran, L. T., & Pham, H.-H. (2018). Vietnamese government policies and practices in internationalisation of higher education. In L. T. Tran & S. Marginson (Eds.), Internationalisation in Vietnamese Higher Education (pp. 19-42). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78492-2
Hoang, V. V. (2010). The current situation and issues of the teaching of English in Vietnam. Ritumeikan Studies in Language and Culture, 22(1), 7-18.
Jang, H., Kim, E. J., & Reeve, J. (2012). Longitudinal test of self-determination theory's motivation mediation model in a naturally occurring classroom context. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), 1175-1188. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0028089
Jiang, Y. & Peng, J-E. (2023). Exploring the relationships between learners’ engagement, autonomy, and academic performance in an English language MOOC. Computer-assisted Language Learning, 38(1-2), 71-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2022.2164777
Kim, J., Jr., K. M., Xu, K. & Kelly, S. (2022). Perceived credibility of an AI instructor in online education: The role of social presence and voice features. Computers in Human Behavior, 136, 107383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107383
Lambert, C., Philp, J., & Nakamura, S. (2016). Learner-generated content and engagement in second language task performance. Language Teaching Research, 21(6), 665-680. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168816683559
Le, V. C. (2011). Form-focused instruction: A case study of Vietnamese teachers’ beliefs and practices [Doctoral dissertation, University of Waikato]. Research Commons, University of Waikato. https://hdl.handle.net/10289/5253
Le, V. C. (1999). Language and Vietnamese pedagogical contexts. In J. Shaw, D. Lubelska & M. Noullet (Eds.) Partnership and interaction. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Language and Development, (pp. 73-80). Asian Institute of Technology
Lewis, M., & McCook, F. (2002). Cultures of teaching: Voices from Vietnam. ELT Journal, 56(2), 146-153. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/56.2.146
Li, C., Jiang, G. & Dewaele, J. M. (2018). Understanding Chinese high school students' foreign language enjoyment: Validation of the Chinese version of the foreign language enjoyment scale. System, 76, 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.06.004
Lichtman, M. (2023). Qualitative research in education: A user's guide. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003281917
MacIntyre, P. D., & Mercer, S. (2014). Introducing positive psychology to SLA. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.2
Mercer, S., & Dörnyei, Z. (2020). Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024563
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Nguyen, T. N. M., Tra, V. D., & Nguyen, P. H. (2021). Difficulties and some suggested solutions in studying online of the students in Van Lang University during the Covid-19 pandemic. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(4), 9-17. https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/58
Nguyen, T. L. (2023). Promoting learner autonomy in learning English listening skills through mobile-assisted applications. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 14(2), 118-139. https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.231428
Oxford, R. L. (2016a). Powerfully positive: Searching for a model of language learner well-being. In D. Gabryś-Barker & D. Gałajda (Eds.), Positive Psychology Perspectives on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 21-37). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32954-3_2
Oxford, R. L. (2016b). Toward a psychology of well-being for language learners: The “EMPATHICS” vision. In Peter D. MacIntyre, Tammy Gregersen, & S. Mercer (Eds.), Positive Psychology in SLA (pp. 10-87). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783095360-003
Pearson, W. S. (2024). Affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement with written feedback on second language writing: A systematic methodological review. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1285954. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1285954
Philp, J., & Duchesne, S. (2016). Exploring engagement in tasks in the language classroom. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 36, 50-72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190515000094
Reinders, H., & Wattana, S. (2015). Affect and willingness to communicate in digital game-based learning. ReCALL, 27(1), 38–57. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344014000226
Pham, T. T., Nguyen, L. A. D., Dang, H. M. & Le, T. T. P. (2023). Exploring tertiary Vietnamese EFL students’ engagement in vocabulary learning through the use of an AI tool. In Proceedings of the 20th AsiaCALL International Conference Vol 4 (pp. 129–149). https://doi.org/10.54855/paic.23410
Schmidt, S. J. (2020). Teaching and reaching our students from a distance. Journal of Food Science Education, 19(4), 234-237. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4329.12210
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-25554-000
Stockwell, G., & Hubbard, P. (2013). Some emerging principles for mobile-assisted language learning. The International Research Foundation for English Language Education. https://www.tirfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TIRF_MALL_Papers_StockwellHubbard.pdf
Thompson, P. N. & Ward, J. (2022). Only a matter of time? The role of time in school on four-day school week achievement impacts. Economics of Education Review, 86, 102198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102198
Wang, H. C., & Chen, C. W. Y. (2020). Learning English from Youtubers: English l2 learners’ self-regulated language learning on Youtube. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 14, 333-346. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1607356
Wellington, J. (2015). Educational research: Contemporary issues and practical approaches. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Zimmerman, I., Tal, T., & Baram-Tsabari, A. (2024). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement with science news predicted by the use of accessibility strategies in science-minded and general audiences. Public Understanding of Science, 34(1), 92-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625241252561