Learning English in the Palm of Your Hand: Comparing English and Non-English Major Students’ Views on Smartphone-Based Vocabulary Learning in an Indonesian EFL Islamic Higher Education Context

Nicha Hannisma, Daflizar Daflizar

Abstract


This study aimed to investigate tertiary EFL students’ perceptions of using smartphones for English vocabulary learning and to examine whether there is a significant difference between English major and non-English major students. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 54 students from an Islamic higher education institution in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale and distributed via Google Forms. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent samples t-test. The findings showed that students generally had positive perceptions of smartphone use for vocabulary learning, particularly in understanding word meanings, learning new vocabulary, and improving comprehension. However, students reported relatively lower perceptions regarding more complex vocabulary aspects, such as collocations, synonyms, and antonyms. The independent samples t-test indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between English major and non-English major students, p = .984. These findings suggest that students’ academic background did not significantly influence their perceptions of smartphone use for vocabulary learning. The study highlights the potential of smartphones as accessible tools for supporting English vocabulary learning in the context of Islamic higher education.


Keywords


Smartphone-Assisted Vocabulary Learning; EFL Students; Vocabulary Learning Perceptions; English Majors and Non-English Majors; Islamic Higher Education

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i5.3034

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