Students’ Perceptions and User Experiences of ReCon: A Localised Malaysian Digital ESL Reading Platform

This study examined the practicality of Reading in Context (ReCon), a localised Malaysian digital ESL reading comprehension platform. Drawing on data from a Google Forms survey administered to 57 undergraduate students at a Malaysian public university, this study examines learners’ perceptions and experiences of the difficulty, engagement, interface usability, navigation, and contextual relevance of using the digital ESL platform. The results from this study indicated that the students enjoyed completing the quizzes as they are primarily created by embedding Malaysian sociocultural and historical context, which they are familiar with, hence helping them to understand the context well. This research offers valuable insights into ESL students’ reading comprehension preferences and the role of digital platforms in shaping contemporary educational practices, offering empirical data in promoting reading comprehension in Malaysian educational contexts. It is hoped that this paper initiates more research in the area of ESL digital reading comprehension for future global benefit.

ESL, digital literacy, Schema Theory

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