From Distraction to Dedication: Students' Engagement in Using Smartphones for Learning English

Authors

  • Dwi Ima Herminingsih

    Public Administration Department, University of Tulungagung, Tulungagung 66219, Indonesia
  • Hesty Puspita Sari

    English Language Education Department, Universitas Islam Blitar, Blitar 66131, Indonesia
  • Erna Iftanti

    English Language Education Department , UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah, Tulungagung 66221, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i5.9430
Received: 10 April 2025 | Revised: 16 April 2025 | Accepted: 24 April 2025 | Published Online: 28 April 2025

Abstract

Applying smartphone technology to improve English skills can be highly beneficial and enhance students' English learning experiences. Despite the widespread use of smartphones among Indonesian students, many do not fully utilize them for educational purposes. This study investigates the extent to which active participation in smartphone technology can improve the English skills of Indonesian students. Four hundred junior and senior high school students from state and private schools in East Java Province participated in this research. In-depth interviews with ten teachers were conducted to collect qualitative data. A mixed-methods approach was used to comprehensively address the research question, potentially increasing the validity of the study's findings. The results show that students from state schools were more motivated and engaged in using smartphones to learn English than those from private schools. Approximately 84% of students use smartphone-based learning to improve their English skills, while only 16% do not. In sum, student engagement was influenced by self-awareness supported by the environment, such as schools providing Wi-Fi, teachers encouraging smartphone use, and introducing smartphone-based learning platforms. Given the limited scope of this research, future studies may focus on broader areas and specific smartphone-based learning platforms to further enhance students' English skills.

Keywords:

Student Engagement; Smartphone-Based; English Learning

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How to Cite

Herminingsih, D. I., Sari, H. P., & Iftanti, E. (2025). From Distraction to Dedication: Students’ Engagement in Using Smartphones for Learning English. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(5), 449–458. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i5.9430

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 5 (May 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Dwi Ima Herminingsih, Hesty Puspita Sari, Erna Iftanti

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.