Investigating the Adaptation of Saudi High School Students to Electronic Dictionaries as Language Learning Tools

Abstract

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional education system has been moved to alternative online solutions worldwide. This research aims to uncover the experiences of Saudi secondary school students in using electronic dictionaries as an assistive language learning tool in the Madrasati online learning platform for English. Mixed methods research is employed to understand students’ experiences, knowledge, expectations, and thoughts about the electronic dictionaries they used during the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden and unplanned movement to online teaching tools in their language learning and practices. A total of 145 male students enrolled in a secondary school in the Ar-Rass educational directorate were asked to respond to the questionnaire, and 5 of them were randomly chosen to participate in the semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that a majority of the participants dislike the dictionary currently available on the Madrasati platform. They stated that they either favored using free dictionaries available on their mobile phone app stores or other online dictionaries. They consulted their dictionaries mainly to check the meanings of the new words because as compared to other language skills, they engaged more in reading. The data showed that a majority of the students neither sought the help of their teachers about the unknown words nor their friends. They also thought that the pandemic drastically altered their style of learning. Data also showed some disadvantages, difficulties, and concerns of using electronic dictionaries during the virtual classes through Madrasati.