Personalising learning in Maltese - exploring international students’ expectations towards Ġabra Online Lexicon

Abstract

The rapid incorporation of digital technologies in formal education has led to significant transformations, albeit not always yielding the anticipated productivity. This study investigates the attitudinal changes towards an online Maltese lexicon, Ġabra, among 46 adult learners of Maltese as a foreign language. By utilising a composite analytical model, the study is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Technological Frames of Reference, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). These frameworks guided the tracking of the development of respondents’ attitudes over a five-month research period. The survey results gathered at the onset and conclusion of the study highlighted a perceptual discrepancy between the initial expectations towards an e-dictionary and the actual usage experience of the Ġabra platform. As the students gained more experience with the platform, their attitudes towards Ġabra underwent a shift. Despite some initial expectations not being fulfilled, the majority of students ultimately found Ġabra to be a beneficial tool for learning Maltese. The students’ feedback about the Ġabra online dictionary can potentially pave the way for a more personalised learning experience of the Maltese language.