The integration of technology in language curriculum has grown widely during the past decades (White,
2003). As a result, educators and researchers have begun to take advantage of the benefits of digital
sources to both keep up with this rapid development and also enrich the language learning experience.
Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has been a persistent concern among educationists since
technology, if used wisely, can play a major role in enhancing L2 learning outcomes. Whether technology
fulfills this promise depends on how it is used in the curriculum. The interactive nature of language
learning requires a sound integration of different technological devices with the learners’ characteristics
such as technological literacy, psychological states, etc.
Despite many studies which have investigated the benefits of CALL for foreign language pedagogy
(Blake, 2009; Cummins & Davesne, 2009; Hafner & Miller, 2011; Kárpáti, 2009; Laborda, 2009;
Mompean, 2010), few studies have investigated the anxiety caused by the application of technology in
language learning contexts. Anxiety has always been considered as an important factor in the teaching
and learning of foreign languages (Huang & Hwang, 2013; Kim, 2018). Its effect on the learners’
motivation and performance is undeniable (Ahmetović et al., 2020; Dervić & Bećirović, 2019; Horwitz et
al., 1986; Jones, 2004). During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all educational activities including
teaching and learning foreign languages shifted to the online mode. Such an abrupt shift occurred while
teachers and students were not prepared. The present study reports on an attempt to compare two common
online modes (i.e. LMS & WhatsApp) in the Iranian EFL context to discover which mode caused more
anxiety for the student