EFL Learners’ Attitudes towards the Use of Digital Tools to Enhance Vocabulary Knowledge: Case of First-Year Students at Tlemcen University

Abstract

In today's globalised world, new technological developments have emerged in the field of teaching and learning in general. Thus, exploring students’ opinions and attitudes towards digital tools and their effectiveness in improving vocabulary knowledge is an essential aspect of language learning that requires additional research. In accordance with this thinking, the central focus of this inquiry is to gain a deeper understanding of firstyear EFL students' attitudes towards digital tools used in vocabulary learning, as well as to gain insights into learners' experiences with these tools to demonstrate their effectiveness in improving their vocabulary knowledge. On account of this, a case study involving 47 first-year EFL students and five teachers from the Department of English, University of Tlemcen was carried out. The present study employed three different research instruments in order to bolster the credibility and validity of the research. Specifically, students' questionnaire, teachers' interview, and focus group discussion. This combination of research methods revealed that first-year EFL students‟ confront a multitude of vocabulary learning difficulties, mostly related to meaning, recalling, pronunciation, and spelling. Another notable finding from the study was that the majority of students showed positive attitudes towards digital tools used in vocabulary learning, and found them necessary to develop a deep understanding of word forms, meaning, and use, or word knowledge as a whole. Overall, this study sheds new light on the importance of digital tools in improving vocabulary learning and assisting in meeting vocabulary challenges.