The Effect of Using Canva Media on the Eighth-Grade Students’ Learning Motivation and Writing Skills in Recount Text

Abstract

Although Canva is increasingly used in English language instruction, limited research has simultaneously examined the effects of teacher-designed Canva instructional media on eighth-grade students’ learning motivation and recount-text writing skills. This study investigated the effects of Canva-based instructional media on these two learning outcomes. A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest nonequivalent control group design was employed. Forty-four students selected through purposive sampling were assigned to experimental and control groups, with 22 students in each group. Data were collected using a learning motivation questionnaire, a writing test, and classroom observation and analyzed through descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests. The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher learning motivation than the control group, t(42) = 6.799, p < .001. A significant between-group difference was also identified in posttest writing performance, t(42) = 10.047, p < .001. These findings indicate that purposefully designed Canva-based instruction can support both learning motivation and recount-text writing skills. This study contributes empirical evidence regarding Canva’s simultaneous benefits for affective and academic learning outcomes in English language instruction. Teachers should therefore integrate Canva with relevant visual resources, interactive activities, guided writing practice, and meaningful feedback to optimize its instructional value.