Days without schools: The effectiveness of WhatsApp, as an English learning tool, during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Due to the spread of COVID-19 epidemic, many schools, colleges and other higher education institutions around the globe were forced to close and go online The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of WhatsApp, as an English learning tool, on EFL students' writing skills during current epidemic A total of 38 English major students during spring semester of 2020 participated The participants received traditional instruction at the first half of the semester and throughout multiple e learning tools in the second half Data were collected using test and retest The findings of the study revealed that 1) students found WhatsApp helpful and engaging as a learning tool, 2) although students' writing scores were slightly higher after using WhatsApp, the difference in students’ writing competence was not statistically significant, 3) switching the traditional mindset of students and instructors was a real challenge, and 4) mobile and online learning succeeded as a convenient substitute to the traditional methods