Comparing AI-Assisted Listening, Podcasts, and Shadowing for Enhancing EFL Listening Comprehension: A Quasi-Experimental Study among Third – year English – Major Students at Vietnam Trade Union University

Abstract

Listening comprehension is a fundamental component of second language acquisition and plays a vital role in learners' communicative competence. Recent advances in educational technology have introduced innovative approaches to listening instruction, including artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted learning, podcast-based extensive listening, and the shadowing technique. Although each approach has been widely investigated, comparative evidence examining their relative effectiveness within the same instructional context remains limited, particularly in Vietnamese higher education. This study compared the effectiveness of three technology-enhanced listening approaches in improving English listening comprehension among English-major undergraduates at Trade Union University, Vietnam. A quantitative quasi-experimental design with a pre-test– post-test format was employed. Fifty-eight third-year English-major students participated in the study and were assigned to three experimental groups receiving podcast-based listening (n = 19), AI-assisted listening (n = 20), and shadowing practice (n = 19), respectively, over a fourmonth intervention period. Data were collected through standardized listening pre-tests and post-tests together with a post-intervention questionnaire measuring students' perceptions of the learning methods. Statistical analyses included paired-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, independent-samples t-tests, and descriptive statistics.