The effect of short message service on the retention of collocations among Iranian lower intermediate EFL learners

Abstract

The rapid developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) have created new opportunities to enhance the reach and quality of education. Mobile phones are new addition to the ICT for learning. This study attempts comprehensively to investigate the effect of Short Message Service (SMS) on the retention of collocations among Iranian lower intermediate EFL learners. To this end, forty university students were assigned into experimental and control group. The participants received English collocations as well as definitions and example sentences either on paper or through SMS messages in a scheduled pattern of delivery two times a week during five weeks. After the third and the sixth session of treatment, students received two quizzes either on paper or via SMS in order to show whether the students progress during the treatment or not. Students were compared at the end of the study. The results revealed the fact that participants in SMS group could significantly outperform the ones in conventional group. © 2011 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.