Enhancing Grammar Competency Through WhatsApp: An Experimental Study in Saudi Arabian Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1310.20Keywords:
WhatsApp application, educational tool, grammatical skills, quasi-experimental design, learning outcomesAbstract
This study aimed to delve into the impact of utilizing the WhatsApp application as an educational tool in developing students' grammatical skills, specifically for a language course at the College of Science and Humanities in Al-Aflaj Governorate, Saudi Arabia. Acknowledging the potential of digital communication tools in the learning process, the research deployed a quasi-experimental design encompassing 160 students. These students were equally divided into control and experimental groups. While both groups were subjected to conventional teaching methods, the experimental group received additional support through WhatsApp, receiving clarified grammar rules and supplementary materials. The study spanned an entire semester, with a pre-test and post-test administered to evaluate student performance. Through the careful analysis of the average scores and standard deviations, significant findings were revealed. In the experimental group, post-test scores experienced a considerable elevation from 10.625 (pre-test) to 16.075, reflecting a substantial effect size of 37%. This improvement was attributed to the effective use of WhatsApp. Contrarily, the control group, not benefiting from the application, scored lower in both tests, implying a stark contrast between the two methods. The results of this study strongly advocate for the integration of mobile applications, such as WhatsApp, into the educational process. It suggests that the strategic use of such applications could serve as an effective supplement to traditional teaching methods, with the potential to significantly enhance learning outcomes.
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