Abstract
Mobile phone technology has gained increasing attention in education; however, its systematic pedagogical application in high school English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction remains underexplored. This study designed, validated, and evaluated a mobile-assisted pedagogical model aimed at enhancing academic enthusiasm, collaborative learning, and English language achievement among high school learners. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was adopted. In the qualitative phase, model development was informed by a systematic literature review and expert consultation. In the quantitative phase, the model underwent an expert-based content evaluation, and its instructional effects were subsequently examined using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design. The sample comprised 450 10th-grade female students, randomly assigned to experimental (n = 225) and control (n = 225) groups. Instruments included a curriculum-aligned language proficiency test, a collaborative learning questionnaire, and an academic enthusiasm scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANCOVA. Results indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in academic enthusiasm, collaborative learning, and English learning outcomes. The findings highlight the potential of mobile-assisted pedagogy to foster motivation, structured interaction, and sustained language learning. The study contributes a validated instructional framework grounded in sociocultural, self-determination, and cognitive load theories. Practical implications include integrating mobile-based activities into lesson planning, providing teacher training for technology-enhanced pedagogy, and ensuring equitable access to digital tools. Future research should examine long-term effects, gender comparisons, and the applicability of the model across diverse cultural and curricular contexts.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Authorship Contribution Statement S.I. (Siros Izadpanah), M.C. (Mahdis Charmi), and D.W. ( Dai Wenji) collaboratively contributed to the study design, data analysis, and manuscript development. D.W. conducted re‑analysis and refinement of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), integrated Sociocultural, Self‑Determination, and Cognitive Load Theories within the pedagogical framework, and substantively revised both the theoretical and methodological sections. S.I. conceptualized the pedagogical model, supervised data collection and validation, and prepared the final version of the manuscript for submission. M.C. performed the initial statistical analyses, organized figures and tables, and assisted in drafting and proofreading the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
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Approval ID: Research Ethics Committees of Islamic Azad University-Zanjan Branch: IR.IAU.Z.REC.1402.087. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants’ parents or legal guardians, and written assent was obtained from the students prior to data collection. The consent process explicitly addressed the use of Telegram for instructional communication. To protect participants’ privacy, students were instructed to adjust Telegram settings to hide phone numbers, no personal identifiers were collected, and online interactions were monitored by teachers and the research team.
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There is no ethical or conflict of interest in this research. All the participants filled out consent forms.
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Wenji, D., Charmi, M. & Izadpanah, S. Development and evaluation of a mobile assisted pedagogical model to enhance academic enthusiasm learning and collaboration in EFL contexts. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46662-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46662-z
