A new trend in preparing for foreign language exam (YDS) in Turkey: Case of WhatsApp in mobile learning

Abstract

This study has sought to reveal perceptions towards the employment of WhatsApp in foreign language learning, especially preparing for a national academic language exam. In this sense, this study is supposed to make contribution to employing WhatsApp in educational contexts. This study, designed as a case study, is to investigate the pros and cons of WhatsApp usage during preparations of foreign language proficiency exams. A total of 29 participants with different demographics and characteristics were recruited in this study. During the preparation for an academic exam called Foreign Language Exam (YDS), WhatsApp was included as a learning community to reinforce the activities conducted in regular classroom. Following the training period, the data were collected through a semi-structured interview form, prepared by the researchers. Content analysis method was used to analyses data. The findings indicate that according to participant's views, WhatsApp-supported foreign language activities have provided active learning, continuity of learning, learner-instructor interaction, learner satisfaction and motivation to learn foreign languages. However, the most frequently repeated code related to the weaknesses of WhatsApp activities is that this process is limited impact to ensure deeply learning and so these activities provide only superficial information. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.