The effectiveness of online platforms in Learning English as a Foreign Language

di Imane Tahiri [*] 

I. Introduction

The field of English language learning is characterized by constant development thanks to the transformations that are known in other fields closely related to it, and the great importance of languages in human existence in all its social, economic and political dimensions. English is one of today’s most important languages in world education. Being among the most spoken languages and the lingua franca in the majority of countries around the world, it enjoys a particularly esteemed status in schools and educational institutions [1].

Nowadays, the new technologies are considered a gateway to modernizing educational practices in general and the field of EFL learning in particular. It facilitates interactions between the two actors of the teaching-learning process, and provides them with a range of advanced programming capabilities. Technology has become an integral part of the society we live in, in all areas of life. Its importance appeared with the “Covid 19″ pandemic, where distance learning has been adopted to ensure the continuity of education.

Learning EFL with online platforms have a great impact on students, since it can reach learners worldwide and supply them with various educational resources [2]. This great potential has shown the importance of technology along with online resources in shaping the future of education; the access to all the needed materials online such as videos, articles, games, exercises and live sessions expose learners to real-life language use, and therefore improving their listening, reading, and comprehension skills [3]. All in all, Online platforms provide various resources adapting with learners’ special needs and different proficiency levels [4].

Furthermore, the interactive features available online encourage students’ interactions, motivation, engagement and willingness to learn [5]. In addition to the group-activities, self and pee-assessment and virtual tools emerge learning autonomy, especially with immediate feedback on students’ performance.

The learning process can be conducted easily by the student in all areas since space and time are flexible. Online learning is education that occurs using the internet. It’s usually used as “e-learning” among different terms. Although, online learning is only one form of distance learning [6].

You should talk mention the objectives of the paper before speaking about the questions and hypothesis. 

II. Literature review

A.    Digital technologies

Digital literacy skills can be defined as the capability to employ e-learning resources and multimedia technologies to raise the learning quality [7]. Digital technologies give students access to authentic materials, interactive and engaging content [8].

Digital technologies have influenced different features of language learning, such as modern learning management systems, autonomous, self-paced, collaborative learning, in addition to the socio-constructivist target language acquisition. For these features of language learning, the joined interest endures to be the prominent ground of communicative language teaching, which is learning by participating and doing tasks rather than just giving orders [9]. They also have a massive effect on language learning and teaching. The accessibility and availability of resources available with digital technologies gave rise to the modern digital platforms [10]. As a result, the growing interest in making learning easier has led to a focus on helping learners build and customize their own learning experiences [11]. 

B.  EFL classrooms

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) on an online platform generally involves conducting virtual lessons for learners who need to improve their English proficiency. Students are able to develop their communication skills in English through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) [12].

In order to establish a successful learning environment, students’ concentration and interest should be taken into consideration. Students’ engagement increases in learning activities using technology. It indicates that technology-supported with strategic plans can trigger students’ motivation to take part in classroom’s activities [13].

The EFL classrooms has to be redesigned in order to adjust the new normal of education. This enables students to become self-directed and independent learners for the purpose of increasing their knowledge instead of following the traditional learning methods such as the grammar translation method [14]. The role of teachers and educators has changed since technology became the primary source in the classroom, depending on the needs and demands of the learning session [15]. The role of the teacher has shifted from being the source of the knowledge to being a facilitator [16]. 

C.  Distance learning

Distance learning is any type of remote learning in which the student is not physically attending the session in the classroom. The learner can be at any place while being engaged in the learning process; it is teaching students online. Over the years, it has become an alternative mode of teaching and learning [17].

Distance learning provides many advantages being a teaching and learning mode. Bijeesh [18] listed some constructive advantages like saving time and money. Most of the time, online classes do not cost as much as in face-to-face learning, study materials are accessible and students just need to have a computer or a tablet in addition to the internet and no longer need to take transportation and be stuck in traffic to get to the classroom on time.

Early in the history of distant education, most of interactions between teachers and students were asynchronous. With internet, synchronous work expectations broaden to incorporate everything, starting from chat rooms to videoconferencing services. Furthermore, the exchange of asynchronous materials has largely shifted to digital platforms and communication channels [19].

Lately, online learning in educational institutions had a big attention since diverse benefits have been discovered such as low-cost expenses. Various studies have revealed that e-learning is useful to students’ gains and performance. Nevertheless, students must be active participants throughout the whole process in order to accomplish the most favorable result [20] [21].

However, distance learning has also some disadvantages: it is not adequately motivating [22] [23], effective [24] [25], and does not really contribute in the students’ knowledge [26]. Distance education cannot be used in place of face-to-face instruction [27] [28] but each one apply depending on the situation. The lack of communication and face-to-face interaction is considered as a disadvantage [29].

D.  Online learning

Online learning is not new; in fact, teachers have integrated technology in their classrooms for decades. Online learning go hand in hand with online learning platforms; Online learning tools that use the internet enable virtual classes, allowing teachers and students to communicate in real time (synchronously) or at their own pace (asynchronously) [30]. Consequently, online learning platforms has become an essential tool during online learning [31], and the efficient use of online learning platforms has a major effect on students’ engagement in online learning [32]. They also allow students to adapt the language learning material depending on their needs in order to achieve their learning goals [33].

Online education allows students who do not have the capability to attend in-person classes the opportunity to take online lessons [34]. Online learning allows students to build their own knowledge and perspectives in a small group. The focus of 21^st century education is to generate individuals with ‘a culture of inquiry’ and knowledge generation through online learning activities that encourage team-work, communication, creativity and critical thinking [35].

Teaching foreign languages remotely relies on online learning platforms. Teachers use interactive technologies to create different learning activities and evolve common language competences [36]. These online learning platforms offer convenient and ready-made online lessons and assignments. Teachers are also able to design lessons and create exercises on their own conforming to the curriculum demands taking into consideration the language proficiency levels of the students [37].

Online learning in ESL classrooms reveal new pedagogical innovations to students with the assistance of technology which help them to master the language skills quickly and therefore increase their motivation and excitement [38]. ESL learners can explore and find a wide diversity of learning resources that are available online with unlimited access [39]. This is an advantage for ESL learners especially in the 21st century where the focus of language learning is not entirely on grammar like it used to be, but instead on the learners’ aptitude to practice the language proficiently and effectively [40].

Students prefer online platforms since they are self-determined to learn English. The use of online learning in ESL classroom can also help students to become proficient in the language skills quickly if they are exposed to different interactive online learning tools, which makes the students excited and motivated for a long period. It is highly important for students in online learning environments to be fully engaged in their own progress in addition to active observation of their performance. Additionally, search for the needed information in order to finish their tasks by themselves and take proper action to face any difficulty that may face them [41]. A study discovered that the students’ performance in grammar is higher when they are motivated to win an online game [42].

E. Online Platforms

The use of online platforms has a significant impact on education and the achievement of online learning purposes. Numerous online platforms can also contribute in the employment of online learning [43]. For instance, virtual classes rely on services such as Google Classroom, Edmodo, Zoom, etc. [44]. Raad [45], mentioned that online learning helped students in their learning process from their homes during the COVID-19 crisis and using applications such as Zoom, Teams, Google Classroom, and many others, helped them to maximize their learning opportunities. Learners are really motivated to learn how to use online learning materials effectively, and online platforms became a crucial part of the language curriculum [46]. These platforms enable students to attend online classes with video and audio elements. Hence, these tools are effective in developing communicative proficiency and pronunciation practice for students [47] [48], and they can also help teachers deliver the language teaching material to their students and provide authentic language learning material. Furthermore, it has become the most preferred tool of students because it increases their learning autonomy.

Various online learning platforms are frequently used in EFL online classrooms; the most famous are: Zoom, Google Meet, Edmodo, Google Classroom, and Moodle. Those platforms provide different characteristics that contribute in the learning process and help teachers to provide materials for their students. For example, Zoom and Google Meet give virtual discussion meetings that help both teachers and students communicate on live video. Additionally, Edmodo and Google Classroom help students with an easy submission of their assignments [49] [50] and Moodle give students the opportunity to assess each other’s assignments using the Workshop Activity module [51]. Moreover, online learning platforms offer space for content storage, enabling teachers to upload textbooks and add all the necessary materials to the database. In addition to having the possibility to apply different teaching modes in different contexts, they allow teachers to upload and provide the students with the materials needed. Furthermore, a teacher is responsible for determining online learning platforms used in EFL classrooms that can improve students’ self-efficacy. For instance, teachers on Zoom can split students into groups and set different tasks for collaborative work [52] and therefore practice reading and writing skills [53] in addition to the listening and speaking.

Mobile applications stimulate active participation in foreign language learning. For example, the WhatsApp application has a positive influence on the students’ aptitude to learn. The studies found that it developed the exchange between students and teachers and vice versa, helped to spread information between participants [54], be part constructive team work and make a noticeable progress of communication skills [55]. These features help students develop their language competences and facilitate teamwork.

 F.  Self-efficacy

In English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction, using online learning platforms is necessary to improve EFL learners’ language competency and self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy [56] has a positive effect if the digital platforms take part of the educational tools far from regular classes or as a virtual approach to enhance e-learning [57], especially in the techniques of learning the English language. The employment of digital platforms facilitates the team learning between foreign language students in innovative and effective approaches [58]. There’s a need to improve learners’ self-efficacy by utilizing digital platforms for studying English to create an effective learning environment [59], and to create a base for student creativity and professional accomplishment [60].

Students’ self-efficacy may affect their behavior and enthusiasm to use an online learning platform in an online learning classroom [61].  As the students strongly believe in their potential, they can carry on and deal with some technical problems in a virtual classroom [62]. Conversely, students who do not have confidence in their ability to use the learning management system, think that using the platform is difficult, complicated and not useful [63]. Accordingly, students should have a decent knowledge with the learning management system applied in the online learning classroom [64].

 G. Challenges faced in online learning

Students’ attitudes toward distance learning vary according to different studies. In some studies [65] [66], it is stated that students have positive attitudes, while in some studies [67] [68] their attitudes are negative. The transition to distance learning has been a source of anxiety for some students [69].

Technology failure is a challenge for instructors and learners since learning can be interrupted. The most popular technological issues in an online learning environment are bandwidth problems, slow internet connections and lag during online meetings [70],  the struggle to open the system, low teaching quality, teachers’ inability to follow-up each student since they can be connected but not really focusing on the lesson and lack of suitable courses,  contact, communication and internet instability [71]. In addition to the misemployment of technology-based training, teachers may not be able to really assess the student’s individual work and evaluate it [72] and the difficulty to keep concentrating on the computer screen for a long time.

However, Bijeesh [73] also stated the disadvantages of distance learning; there can be a high distraction since students are connected from their comfort zone which is their home. This can lower their performance, which makes teachers challenged to keep their students motivated to focus during the lesson by creating more engaging lessons. In relation to the covered costs, Online classes help save money because students don’t need to pay for transportation to get to a physical classroom, but there are other costs such as buying a software and some applications to support the online classes. Furthermore, some technology complications such as slow internet and outdated devices can make using applications demanding and time-consuming especially for younger learners who may not have enough knowledge to use technology effectively to learn.

Students are obliged to complete their assignments and submit them online by the assigned limited time while, in traditional face-to-face classrooms, they are given more time in order to write and submit their assignments [74]. Previous studies have discovered that online learning is time-consuming compared to traditional face-to-face classrooms, since it takes more time for teachers to grade assignments and exams, provide feedbacks and give answers to students’ questions [75].

Even though most students nowadays have a laptop or have access to computers and the internet, there are still a lot of students that need to learn how to use their mobile devices online. The mobile devices that have smaller screens, shorter battery lifespan, smaller and limited storage and slow downloading are restrictions that some students have to face [76] . Another important restriction are the online-related distractions that prevent the success of online learning. During the online sessions, students can be easily distracted by scrolling their social media accounts, watching videos and playing online games during the lessons [77], chatting with their friends on different social media platforms, doing some online shopping, playing games and many more. Therefore, spending a lot of time on activities like in Facebook groups may cause the students to lose their concentration on the real tasks given by instructors [78] because the young generation who is always eager to move on to the next activity can easily get bored [79]. Multitasking can also impact students’ concentration, distract and make them unable to fully keep the knowledge they have learned [80].

 III. Methodology

A.   Research Questions:

•        How do online platforms impact the language proficiency of ESL learners?

•        What features of online platforms are most beneficial for learners?

•    How do learners perceive their motivation and engagement when using online      platforms in learning EFL?

•       What are the advantages and challenges do learners face when using online platforms for ESL learning?

B.  Research Hypothesis:

ESL learners using online platforms will demonstrate significantly greater improvements in language proficiency.

C. Data collection

This study adopted a qualitative research approach to enable a deeper exploration of the research topic. Qualitative methods are especially valuable for investigating complex questions, as they provide a comprehensive understanding of the context surrounding the phenomenon. This approach also facilitates the collection of rich, detailed data, offering insights into participants’ experiences and perspectives. Additionally, qualitative research is adaptable, allowing the study design to evolve in response to the research question. The participants included 9 students from different backgrounds who studied English through online platforms, selected through purposive sampling.

Additionally, interviews have been chosen as data collection’ method, since they offer more personalized experiences and perspectives. One-to-one interviews were chosen because participants can express themselves with freedom not as in the focus groups where answers can be biased. Interview questions were open as a way to allow participants answer freely and give detailed responses. Questions were semi-structured in order to encourage the participants to give their point of views rather than leading them to certain answers.

 D.  Sample

In terms of the sample size, nine participants were selected for interviews; each chosen to offer valuable insights into the study’s topic. This sample size was selected to allow a deep dive into each person’s experiences while keeping the data manageable for analysis. Participants were chosen based on criteria that aligned with the study’s goals, ensuring that each brought a unique perspective. By interviewing nine people, the study could capture common themes as well as subtle differences, adding depth and richness to the findings.

 E.  Data analysis

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants, about their experiences with online learning using online platforms. A thematic analysis approach was used to systematically code and interpret the interview data through themes identified to generate results and findings (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed line for line. After transcription, each interview was read thoroughly multiple times in order to become familiar with the content. Inductive coding was adopted since the researcher generates codes into themes of the gathered data in order to reflect the important aspects of each participants’ answers. 

Thematic cluster grid for participants 

 Table 1: Thematic cluster grid for participants

IV.  Findings

This section discusses findings based on a thematic analysis of interviews with nine students. Themes generated from the coding of interviews were sorted into a thematic grid. The thematic categories of the themes, as discussed below, form the structure to the findings that follow.

 A.  Personal experience

Most participants began their online learning journeys either during or after the COVID-19 pandemic. Some started years ago, while others started learning online four or five years ago. For some, the motivation came from the extra free time they had during the pandemic, so they didn’t have the choice but to go for online learning. Others liked the flexibility since they were able to study at their own pace, from anywhere depending on their own schedule. The option of online learning was highly appreciated since it allowed global connections and helped students build future careers; they learn with interactive and flexible resources on their own schedule, without being restricted by a teacher’s availability. Most of the participants feel more engaged in online learning due to the flexible schedule, allowing them to attend classes from any place at any convenient time. The majority are engaged consistently, joining sessions and completing assignments before the deadline. Nevertheless, two others try to stay consistent and do more efforts to attend the sessions.

Concerning the participants’ experiences with learning English online compared to face-to-face learning, the majority prefers online learning because they can study at home from their comfort zone without being distracted from other students, and it allows them to interact more with each other and develop their conversation skills. Unlike traditional school experiences, they focus mainly on grammar and vocabulary, offering limited practice with speaking skills.

B.  Online platforms

Participants used a variety of online platforms in order to improve their English learning experience depending on their needs, for example WhatsApp for live sessions and live interactions in order to improve their speaking skills. Zoom and Google Classroom were used because they allowed teachers to share the screens, to have conversations with the students, and to get their immediate feedback, making the sessions funny and interactive. To get more complete study materials, one participant used Oxford University Press resources, which offered free access to videos, audio files, and downloadable books.

Concerning vocabulary building, some used Duolingo along with the British Council’s website for grammar and reading practice, YouTube for listening and learning about cultural aspects, Zoom for live sessions to learn grammar and speaking on Cambly for actual practice. A participant used platforms such as Rosetta Stone, and Zoom for live sessions since the lessons appear to be more structured using interactive elements that kept students motivated.

 C.  Flexibility

Most of the respondents feel that face-to-face learning is effective because one gets to interact with teachers and classmates directly, and it is easy to understand concepts since everything happens right in the moment. The traditional classroom setting often presents an orderly environment where interactive learning tools, such as pedagogical games, may make learning more enjoyable. A setting like this gives some a better feeling of real interactions and enthusiasm, and an atmosphere that is hard to recapture online. Nevertheless, it is time consuming since students need to attend the sessions physically, fixed hours and inability to cancel or reschedule. Some participants find it boring since technological tools are rarely used.

On the other hand, online learning offers a unique form of flexibility not comparable with traditional classes. While online classes give their learners the choice to study when and where they want, there is always a fixed schedule present in a formal classroom. Two participants mentioned that this flexibility is taken quite seriously since they have a busy life and it allowed them to fit lessons around other responsibilities, whether early morning or late at night. Studying at home adds in comfort and convenience, others appreciate this kind of freedom in a self-directed learning journey because classes can be canceled, rescheduled, or stretched to accommodate the individual.

D.  Advantages

Participants noticed a significant change with online learning especially with the engagement and consistency in attending the sessions. Especially, the flexibility of studying at home allowed them to take part in lessons whenever it is convenient, as a respondent said «I feel that I learned much more effectively online than in traditional settings». Another mentioned: «In the physical class, many times I had to manage time for sessions, quite a hassle. But at home, I can just pull my laptop in and continue learning from a cozy spot, hence it is easy for me to stay on track».

Online platforms increase flexibility in terms of going back and forth with pre-recorded sessions that enable students to go back to those complex topics or conversations at their own pace. Reliving one session allows the possibility to reinforce learning and thereby learn new insights that might have escaped during the first instance of interaction.

Participants show appreciation for the interaction features of live sessions in online learning. They like immediate communication provided by online platforms where they can see, hear, and talk to people, just like in a regular class. In many ways, such an arrangement brings an almost classroom-like environment to participants by allowing them to ask questions and receive instant answers, thus making learning active and engaging.

The use of digital tools such as live sessions and screensharing on platforms such as Google Meet, and Zoom increases the participants’ attention and motivation. These are described as very user-friendly because one only needs to log into them, share a link, and participation is easier for all students regardless of the level of knowledge of technology. The live sessions are particularly helpful in speaking skills practice with real tutors where immediate feedback can be given-a hands-on learning experience.

Interactive features, namely quizzes, videos, and learning games comprehensively offer an adaptive learning experience, meeting a variety of learning needs and styles and enhance this online experience. Learners like to review the content by quizzes and games where they can check their knowledge in a playful yet challenging manner. Watching videos and then responding, via questions, to what they have viewed helps students focus on the details for better retention. The activities lend themselves to active listening and, more importantly, make learning much more a game than a chore and reduce the effort needed to engage deeply with the material.

 E.  Challenges

Most of the time, participants have to go through various challenges that arbitrate against effective online learning. One common frustration is the unreliable internet connection. Network interruptions disrupt live sessions into a disjointed experience for both students and teachers. Sometimes, learners might be midway into a sentence, only for them to resume and hear their dropped connection repeat themselves- an annoying scenario that can dampen the flow of interaction. For some, these are far more than minor inconveniences, which are the authentic setbacks that make the process of learning less smooth and more tiring. It can also be smooth, distraction-free for those with stable connections and quiet environments.

Furthermore, for some participants, online learning depends sometimes on structured schedules. Without the discipline of set class time, consistency and motivation, which require a large amount of self-discipline, can be quite hard to maintain. A participant mentioned: «In traditional classes, there’s more accountability, and you are less likely to skip lessons. You could easily miss a session of online learning if you are tired or busy, and that might affect the overall efficiency of the learning process».

Some of the participants-especially the ones who have a more flexible schedule-report that they do not have any issue at all and that it is an ideal setup for online learning. Nevertheless, a participant stated that some of the technical requirements, like needing high-end devices for better access, indirectly increase their financial burdens.

Apart from the technological problems, there are also environmental distractions. Studying at home or shared space exposes one to background noise and interruptions, making concentration quite hard. However, other learners have mastered this by scheduling their studies at a time when there is minimal noise to minimize disruptions as much as possible.

 F.  Online learning achievements

Online learning changed some participants language skills immensely and opened wider horizons personally and professionally. All participants improved at least the listening and speaking skills in addition to reading and writing. Moreover, they felt confident enough to communicate fluently in English and understand complex expressions. Some mentioned watching movies without subtitles and reading books without translation. In addition to learning vocabulary through the constant communication with native speakers through the multimedia materials and therefore being exposed to different perspectives, and establishing important networks for future benefits academically and professionally.

 V. Discussion

The above results from the analysis of data provide answers to the research questions of the study. In the first place, it is clear that participants view online learning to entail both advantages and disadvantages. Online learning allows students to learn at their own pace, review any of the class materials at their discretion, and decide when and where it is most convenient for them to study. They would not have to go on hold with their daily activities in order to attend classes. This flexibility in scheduling enables students to fit their education into their different needs, preferences, and lifestyles along with managing their schedules and keep up with deadlines independently, which guided them in building self-discipline and effective time management skills. Many find this a bit disturbing, though, as there are no face-to-face interactions with teachers or fellow classmates. Even if the virtual classroom is more convenient for them, connecting with teachers and peers might still be problematic. With the elimination of live group discussions, there will be fewer opportunities to share opinions, debate thoughts, or even just enjoy and have fun with classmates. Traditional classes rely on the direct contact with the teacher and classmates by practicing immediately and asking questions frequently. Still, they appreciated online class flexibility though it didn’t have face-to-face interaction in developing fluency.

Online learners employ various techniques to ensure a better understanding and retain the learning. Most of them rely on direct interaction with tutors where they ask them to explain further some points or repeat something that they did not understand. Other students ask for recorded sessions. In this case, they can study the lesson materials at their convenience, which allows them to replay the parts that they did not get, unlike in the traditional classes where learners do not have enough time to ask the questions they want or even go back to the points where they face difficulty to understand. Moreover, learners seek supplementary resources. Some get additional explanations on YouTube since they can watch and listen to different explanations. Others set their goals for every session and use either language apps, flashcards, or other digital tools to retain what they have learned.  Many students do independent research to further their understanding by referring to dictionaries, language learning applications and videos. Online classes brought in excitement and a new structure of programs, which was not rigid like what was offered in schools. Rescheduling classes when learner’s encounter some emergencies was not a choice, as well as the travel back and forth to face-to-face classes consume so much time compared to learning conveniently at home. For this reason, the students can manage their time more productively.

Students start learning English online because they are highly motivated to increase their English level, and most have chosen methods of online learning because of the flexibility and effectiveness. Learners acknowledge that with such a widely spoken language, it would develop their career and they would be in touch with people from every part of the world. They highlighted the importance of achieving an advanced level concerning proficiency in English in terms of professional and personal matters. Structured, traditional methods are very often oriented toward formal grammatical skills, not necessarily toward practical language use, which is somewhat limiting to achieve the learning goals. Unlike online learning that offers more dynamic practice with speaking and listening.

Online learning can create mixed feelings of social connection in contrast to isolation. Many participants, especially introverted ones, enjoy being alone while learning online, where they can focus on one-to-one sessions with instructors or study independently using tools such as YouTube without being disturbed by others as in a physical classroom. They appreciate the ability to work independently at their own pace, not having to deal with outside noise. Additionally, many learners use online study groups or WhatsApp to connect with others outside the classroom. Such involvement with other learners fosters communication and motivation through the diversity of perspectives and shared learning experiences. Especially, learning English has become more convenient and accessible because learners can be in contact with people from other backgrounds and learn several ways without even leaving their own space, overcoming the feelings of isolation.

The learners’ confidence increases with the assistance of online platforms since it gives them far more command over their schedule and the ability to target their language skills more specifically. Traditional classroom settings can be intimidating, whenever students try to speak English for the first time in a class with more advanced classmates; in fact, they feel embarrassed and therefore they avoid speaking or answering questions in public.

Online learning has offered students the comfort of learning spaces, allowing them to feel far more relaxed since they can dress down, have their coffee, and create an environment that best suits them without the rigid expectations of traditional settings. With this freedom, though, comes the responsibility to stay motivated, as there’s no strict schedule pushing you to make progress. For those who rise to this challenge, online learning can offer a satisfying and independent experience that fits comfortably with an active life. However, experiences differ. While some learners embrace independence, others want a balance between solitude and social interaction, though many resourcefully made ways to keep themselves connected and motivated. Whether through self-directed focus or group engagement, every learner needs to find his or her ways in making the online learning experience fulfilling.

Overall, online learning gives much flexibility, but at the same time, it faces many challenges in terms of unstable Internet, requirements for devices, discipline in the absence of timetables, and areas of potential distraction. For many students, the advantages of online learning are great in these aspects, while others have to get used to these challenges and look for proactive means to help themselves in creating a better learning environment.

 VI. Conclusion

This research study has explored the effectiveness of online Platforms in learning English as a second language. Thematic analysis of interview results reveals that the learners acknowledge the usefulness of the online learning platforms, identifying a number of advantages and disadvantages. The students reported that online learning helps in improving their language skills, particularly in terms of vocabulary and structure. The students indicated that contact sessions through live interaction would help them in developing speaking capability and social networks.

Another problem participants reported was inconsistency and lack of engagement during online sessions. They also claimed that online learning requires tremendous self-discipline and motivation to maintain focus on their goals. Students gave a high value to the flexibility and time-saving aspects that online learning has allowed them to attend classes without wasting time and money on commutes to school.

Valued as well was the wealth of online resources, from videos and apps to live practice sessions, that give students tools for better understanding and constant practice. Nevertheless, most students agreed that the structured environment and face-to-face interaction in traditional classrooms offer advantages which no virtual learning platform can fully replicate. They felt this because being in a classroom physically makes a person accountable and committed to learning since there is an obligation to attend and engage, which is largely absent in virtual learning.

While such challenges still prevail, there is a considerable advantage that was reported by the students concerning these online platforms for enjoying learning in an approachable way. This feedback again suggests that future research needs to adopt ways of embedding live interaction and classroom structure into the learning of languages online to have further improved learning outcomes. 

Dialoghi Mediterranei, n. 71, gennaio 2025 

[*] Abstract

Il presente studio esplora il ruolo e l’efficienza delle piattaforme online nell’apprendimento dell’inglese. L’accento è posto sui vantaggi e sulle sfide derivanti dall’utilizzo degli strumenti digitali per l’apprendimento delle lingue. Utilizzando un approccio qualitativo, questa ricerca ha esaminato i dati delle interviste di nove partecipanti che hanno sperimentato l’apprendimento online. Lo studio cerca di indagare risorse e limiti delle piattaforme online nell’apprendimento dell’inglese come lingua straniera, aiutando a comprendere ulteriormente il ruolo dell’istruzione online e sviluppando anche spunti per il miglioramento delle strategie di apprendimento digitale. 

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Imane Tahiri,  studentessa di dottorato presso l’università Mohamed V, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia di Rabat, specializzata nell’insegnamento della lingua inglese. Ha conseguito una laurea in studi inglesi presso l’università Moulay Ismail di Meknes e un master in Insegnamento dell’arabo come lingua straniera presso l’università Mohamed V, anche all’interno della Facoltà di Lettere di Rabat, dove ha approfondito la sua esperienza nella pedagogia della lingua inglese per i non madrelingua. 

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