Implementing the Engage, Study, Activate Approach Using Technological Tools in Higher Education

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the “engage,study, activate” (ESA) approach using interactive technological tools at a private university in southern Ecuador. The participants were 67 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in two English as a foreign language (EFL) programs. The study was conducted over a period of ten weeks in three different courses, in which the ESA approach was implemented in an online remote learning environment due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The research instruments included an online diagnostic questionnaire, an observation checklist, an online perceptions questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. In each stage of the ESA approach, activities focusing on developing students’ knowledge were designed using interactive technological tools such as Zoom, Canvas, Quizizz, Canva, and Padlet. The results show that in the engage stage, participants felt comfortable, relaxed, and motivated about learning something new. In addition, dialogues and groupwork were the favorite activities during the study stage, where participants shared their ideas with one another. The use of ICT tools was especially effective in the activate stage, because it allowed participants to work collaboratively and receive feedback. All the stages of the ESA approach helped the participants improve their linguistic and pedagogical skills since the use of technological tools allowed them to be actively involved in the learning process.