THE IMPACT OF GADGET USE ON STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION AND ENGLISH LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of gadget use on learning motivation and academic achievement in English language learning among fourth-grade students at SD Negeri 99 Palembang. A total of 38 students participated as respondents. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using normality tests, homogeneity tests, simple linear regression, and the coefficient of determination. The results showed that the data were normally distributed and homogeneous, fulfilling the assumptions for regression analysis. Regression findings indicated that gadget use had a positive and significant effect on learning motivation (B = 0.298, t = 2.463, Sig. = 0.018) and academic achievement (B = 0.198, t = 2.563, Sig. = 0.015). The coefficient of determination revealed that gadgets contributed 12.5% to learning motivation and 15.2% to academic achievement, while the remaining variance was influenced by other factors such as learning strategies and classroom environment. These results suggest that appropriate use of gadgets in English language learning can enhance students’ motivation and academic performance at the elementary level.