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Exploring the potential of Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) to facilitate learner engagement in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) adolescents and young adults. A Design-based research study

Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This Design-Based Research (DBR) study investigates the dynamic interplay of task design, teacher facilitation, and platform affordances in fostering multidimensional learner engagement within a WhatsApp-mediated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) environment. Conducted from 2019 to 2023 with Spanish adolescent and young adult learners, the research spanned an initial exploratory phase and three iterative cycles. We employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative data from WhatsApp chat logs, student interviews, and teacher reports with quantitative data from questionnaires, transcripts, and participation logs. The study shows a clear development in cognitive, behavioural, emotional, and social engagement, illustrating how iterative adjustments in task design and flexible teacher roles significantly improved learner engagement and independence. Key findings suggest that creative, personalised and collaborative tasks, supported by an emotionally invested and strategically present teacher, transformed WhatsApp into a lively and self-sustaining learning community. WhatsApp's widespread use unexpectedly proved highly effective as a backchannel, enabling spontaneous and informal communication crucial for peer support and real-time problem-solving. This was particularly vital during remote learning periods mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic and in HyFlex sessions. This research enriches engagement theory by showcasing the simultaneous activation of all four dimensions in mobile instant messaging learning contexts. It also provides a replicable DBR framework for analysing engagement in digital environments. Pedagogical implications advocate holistic, relational approaches to technology-enhanced learning that leverage everyday mobile communication to cultivate deep social connections and meaningful language use.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7159553353
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