Exploring the correlation between engagement with language learning applications and social networks, and achievement in listening and reading comprehension among english-major students

Abstract

The integration of educational technologies in higher education in general and language learning in particular has now become paramount. However, engagement with these technologies has been reported to vary significantly among students. Therefore, further investigations are needed to explore the impact of using them on learning outcomes and academic achievement. This research focuses on English-major students at the University of Bejaia, and adopts a quantitative approach through the use of a structured questionnaire, which was responded by 51 students to measure their engagement levels, and a written test, which was completed by 37 students to evaluate their receptive skills. Additionally, participants were selected randomly for the study, they were divided into three groups: those who use Social Networks, those who use Duolingo, and those who use both. Further, data collected is analyzed through SPSS to determine whether there is a significant correlation between engagement in language learning through the use of EdTech and the development of receptive skills. The findings of the study showed that the social networks group demonstrated a strong correlation between listening and reading skills. However, overall engagement (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive) did not significantly predict students’ comprehension outcomes across all groups. Further, this indicates that while certain platforms may support receptive skills achievement, engagement levels alone may not be reliable predictors of comprehension development. Overall, this study contributes to understand how engagement in EdTech tools relates to language learning outcomes, particularly in the context of social network use. In addition, research should explore diverse applications, frequency usage, and adopt mixed-methods to gain deeper insights into the nature of engagement in language learning.