Students' self-reported assessment of e-dictionaries

Abstract

In recent years e-dictionaries have been getting enormously popular in Japan. A variety of small pocket electronic dictionaries (PEDs) are gaining popularity, especially among high school and university students. Dictionaries which are contained in personal digital assistants (PDAs), including the iPhone and cellular phones, have also been used by students. In addition to these handy pocket-sized tools, dictionaries are now available online, free of charge, created by publishers and educational institutions. Recently, computers have become accessible to the public in Japan, these online dictionaries have recognized as useful tools for students to study with. However, little research has been conducted regarding how students view these different kinds of e-dictionaries. This study examines students' perceptions of different types of e-dictionaries and looks at what they think about various effects of dictionary use in different educational situations. The results of this study suggest that advantages and disadvantages of e-dictionaries are perceived differently in different educational contexts. The findings also suggest some important implications regarding how instructors should encourage students to utilize these dictionaries in the classroom. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.