Students’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Using Smartphone Applications in Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition

The normalization of mobile technology has given rise to mobile devices that are increasingly becoming effective learning platforms. This study explores Saudi learners’ perceptions about the application and effectiveness of smartphone applications (apps) in enhancing their vocabulary acquisition. It also examines the factors that might affect their perceptions of smartphone apps' potential role in vocabulary building. An online questionnaire and the researcher’s observation were employed to elicit the data from 270 English majoring students at the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. SPSS and NVivo software programs were used to analyze the data. The overall findings revealed that respondents have positive perceptions of the effectiveness of smartphone apps in advancing vocabulary acquisition as they have a transformational role in providing them exposure to sufficient vocabulary input. It was also found that the two factors of familiarity with the apps' use and age affected respondents’ perceptions of the apps effective role in vocabulary acquisition. Other factors of gender, possessing smartphones, college, educational level, frequency of using the smartphone apps, and the hours spent surfing the apps did not affect respondents’ perceptions of the apps effective role in vocabulary acquisition. Hence, it is recommended that teachers and educational policymakers should encourage students to use their free time in accessing smartphone apps to enhance their vocabulary. Program designers should also consider users’ learning needs.