Revealing the effects of task complexity through digital storytelling on learning consonant clusters and language mindsets in EFL learners: A mixed-methods analysis

While digital storytelling (DST) has gained recognition as an engaging pedagogical tool, there is a scarcity of research investigating how manipulating task complexity within DST activities impacts specific pronunciation skills and language mindsets concurrently. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining the effects of task complexity implemented via DST tasks on Iranian EFL learners' acquisition of consonant clusters and their language mindsets. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, 245 Iranian EFL learners were assigned to either an experimental group (EG) engaging with DST tasks of increasing complexity or a control group (CG) completing similar tasks without the DST component. Both groups undertook pre- and post-tests measuring consonant cluster production and language mindsets, analyzed statistically to compare gains. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 EG participants to gather qualitative insights, which were analyzed thematically. Quantitative findings revealed that the EG demonstrated significantly greater improvements on post-tests for both consonant cluster accuracy and growth mindsets scores compared to the CG. Furthermore, qualitative yielded some themes: "Improved Engagement," "Promoted Language Proficiency," "Increased Motivation," and "Expanded Cognitive Development" as key benefits perceived by learners engaging with complex tasks through DST. These converging results suggest that integrating systematically varied task complexity within DST provides an effective pedagogical strategy for enhancing targeted phonological skills while simultaneously promoting adaptive mindsets among EFL learners.