The Effectiveness of Mobile and Multimodal Learning Activities in Developing EFL Pre-service Teachers' Literary Appreciation and Lesson Planning Skills

The present study assumes that mobile and multimodal learning activities facilitate the process of creating meaning by connecting technologies that afford exploration, investigation, and participatory learning. Despite its need, little research has been conducted in the EFL context on the role of mobile and multimodal learning in developing EFL pre-service teachers’ skills. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mobile and multimodal learning in developing EFL pre-service teachers' literary appreciation and lesson planning skills of literature lessons. The study sample consisted of 90 third-year EFL majors at the Faculty of Education at Minia University enrolled in a teacher preparation program for preparatory and secondary school teachers. They were divided into two equal groups (experimental and control). The study followed the quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design to collect quantitative and qualitative data through two tests prepared by the researcher. These were the literary appreciation skills test and the lesson planning skills test. The study's findings revealed the effectiveness of using mobile and multimodal learning in developing EFL pre-service teachers’ literary appreciation and lesson planning skills. The differences were statistically significant in the post-tests, favoring the experimental group in the whole test and all sub-skills. These findings were discussed by considering previous literature and the role of technological affordances in the teaching and learning processes. It was highlighted that instead of viewing mobile and multimedia devices as a cog in the academic machinery, these technological devices elevate EFL educational practice and facilitate digital transformation.