THE IMPACT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ON EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' DERIVATIONAL KNOWLEDGE: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Authors

  • Atimade Chankob Doctor of Education, Language and Society Research Laboratory, Faculty of Languages, Letters and Arts, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco orcid.org/0009-0007-8269-3953

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v9i1.691

Keywords:

experiential learning, receptive derivational knowledge, productive derivational knowledge, EFL students, quasi-experimental design

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of experiential learning (EL) on the derivational knowledge development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students within reading comprehension classes. Drawing on Kolb’s experiential cycle, this study examines whether experiential learning activities, characterized by hands-on engagement and real-world application, lead to greater gains in receptive and productive derivational knowledge compared to conventional explicit instruction. To conduct this study, a quasi-experimental design was employed involving 80 first-year Moroccan university students from L'École Supérieure de l'Éducation et de la Formation (L’ESEF), Ibn Tofail University. The participants were evenly divided into experimental and control groups. Both groups received eight weeks of instruction focusing on common English derivational morphemes. Data collection included a proficiency placement test, pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test. Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant gains in both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge among the experimental group, with improvements maintained over time. For instance, scores in receptive derivational knowledge increased from a pre-test mean of 5.17 to 13.32 in the delayed post-test (p < .001). Conversely, the control group showed no significant improvement.

Author Biography

  • Atimade Chankob, Doctor of Education, Language and Society Research Laboratory, Faculty of Languages, Letters and Arts, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco orcid.org/0009-0007-8269-3953

    Dr. Atimade Chankob is a graduate teaching assistant at the Faculty of Languages, Letters and Arts (FLLA), Ibn Tofail University (ITU), Kenitra, Morocco, and a member of the Language and Society Research Laboratory. She has professional experience in the Moroccan Air Force, where she taught Aviation Phraseology and Aviation English. Her research specializes in experiential learning as an immersive pedagogical framework for enhancing receptive and productive vocabulary development in EFL contexts, with a particular focus on Moroccan higher education. Her scholarly interests also include the development of critical thinking skills in language learning and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on EFL pedagogy, academic literacy, and learner autonomy. She is particularly interested in how AI-supported learning environments can be integrated with experiential learning approaches to promote higher-order thinking, cognitive engagement, and sustainable language development in university-level EFL education.

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Published

2026-03-21

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026)

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