Perceived Benefits of Digital Storytelling for Speaking Development Among Motivated Indonesian EFL Learners

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the impact of Digital Storytelling (DST) on the speaking fluency of pre-advanced level students at a Private University in Central Java, Indonesia, who are deemed ‘highly motivated learners’, within an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study quantitatively tracks the progress of students’ fluency over time while also capturing students’ self-reported perceptions of the process qualitatively. Results show positive improvements in the learners’ fluency level, which is attributed mainly to the autonomy learners experienced within the DST framework, the reduction of learners’ anxiety, and the nature of the communication, which was holistic and multi-faceted. The most significant contribution to the existing literature is the study context, an under-resourced Indonesian university with a constructivist framework, understated self-determination, and dual coding phenomena, which simultaneously applies DST with highly motivated learners. Reported outcomes included improved self-confidence, higher engagement, more active participation, increased enjoyment, and active collaborative feedback, unparalleled by previous technological learning experiences. This study has shown how applying DST principles in the classroom can enhance students’ social interaction and foster motivation, helping under-researched communities advance educational knowledge. The suggested policy offers to replace fixed, rigid scaffolding with pliable, understood frameworks that contour to diverse learners' perceived and assessed needs within distance education paradigms. Additional research is required beyond the limited attention given to a particular subset of learners and their respective contexts, students, and geographical locations.