Using Mobile Augmented Reality Applications for Enhancing EFL Writing Skills of Early Childhood Education Students and their Engagement

The current research aimed at investigating the effect of using Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) applications for enhancing EFL writing skills and engagement of second- year students at Faculty of Early Childhood Education enrolled in the Teaching in English specific program. A quasi-experimental approach using a pre- post administration to two independent groups design was adopted. Instruments of the study included: a writing skills test with an analytical rubric for scoring it, and an engagement in writing scale. Five main writing sub-skills were specified as necessary for target participants: content and development of ideas, organization, accuracy, word choice, and mechanics. Research sample consisted of ninety second- year English specific program female students at the Faculty of Early Childhood, Mansoura University. They were divided into two groups; an experimental group of forty- five students (n= 45) that was taught the proposed MAR treatment, and a control group (n= 45) that was taught using the conventional method. The content of six selected units presented with the integration of ARLoopa application within the activities of pre-, while-, and post- writing stages was taught to students throughout ten sessions. Results revealed that the mobile AR application- based treatment had a large effect on enhancing students’ EFL writing skills and engagement in writing as there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control group students' mean scores on the pre- and post- administrations of the instruments of the research. Finally, recommendations and suggestions for further research were proposed.