An Analysis of University Students’ Understanding of Phonological Sound Change in Digital Media–Based Phonology Learning

Abstract

Phonological sound change is a crucial aspect of phonological studies that must be mastered by students of linguistics and language education. Along with technological advancements, digital media are considered to contribute significantly to the mastery of phonological materials due to their interactive and multimodal characteristics. This study aims to describe students’ levels of understanding of phonological sound changes after participating in digital media–based phonology learning. The study employed a descriptive quantitative research design involving 30 students from the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Program. Data were collected through an objective test that had been examined for validity and reliability. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics by calculating mean scores, percentages of understanding levels, and categories of comprehension. The results indicate that the majority of students achieved a high level of understanding of phonological sound changes, with a mean score of 83.5 on the comprehension test. These findings suggest that digital media are effective in enhancing students’ understanding of phonological sound change concepts. Pedagogically, the results highlight the importance of integrating digital media into phonology instruction to improve students’ linguistic competencies.