Mobile Informal Language Learning: Exploring Welsh Learners’ Practices

Mobile devices have great potential in supporting language learning, through providing access to vocabulary, lessons and resources, and supporting interactions with other speakers. There may be particular advantages, however, in using such technologies for learning minority languages. Welsh is a minority UK language spoken by around 611,000 people in Wales and there is considerable interest among adults in Wales and from Welsh families in learning Welsh. However the small numbers of speakers and their uneven distribution make it difficult for learners outside Welsh speaking “hotspots” to hear and practice Welsh. Mobile learning therefore has great potential for Welsh learners by providing resources wherever the learner is and by supporting web-based learning communities. The study reported here investigates whether this potential is being exploited in practice. It employed interviews and a small survey to study the practices of Welsh learners at all levels. It was found that learners used mobile technologies widely, to access a wide range of resources, although not always on-the-move, and also that many were using courses, in particular one online course. Learners’ practices in using digital technologies for their Welsh language learning are discussed, and also the implications for both learning other minority languages and for informal mobile learning more generally

Learning English Speaking through Mobile-Based Role-Plays: The Exploration of a Mobile English Language Learning App called Engage

[EN] Engage is a new form of mobile application that connects students studying English with teachers in real-time via their smartphones. Students receive target language through preparation dialogues, and then apply it to a role-play with a teacher. The conceptualization and development of Engage follows the user-centred design approach; and the product was built through multiple iterations: in the first iteration, students were invited to try out a paper mock-up; in the second iteration, students tried out a mobile prototype; in the external test, a fully functional application was released to App Store between October 25 and November 20, 2012, and 326 users downloaded it. The application was well-received by these test users, reflected in the post-study survey, student ratings, and students’ usage records. The external tests proved that the technical environment of the application was feasible for production; and the operationalization of the teacher service and cost model were also proven to be feasible and scalable.Yang, B.; Zhou, S.; Ju, W. (2013). Learning English Speaking through Mobile-Based Role-Plays: The Exploration of a Mobile English Language Learning App called Engage. The EuroCALL Review. 21(2):27-38. https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2013.9788OJS2738212Burke, T. & Guest, A. (2010). Using role playing as a teaching strategy: an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, 34-35.Buzan, T. (1989). Use both sides of your brain. New York: Penguin.Demouy, V. & Kukulska-Hulme, A. (2010). On the spot: using mobile devices for listening and speaking practice on a French language programme. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 25(3), 217-232. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2010.511955Edge, D., Searle, E., Chiu, K., Zhao, J. & Landay, J.A. (2011, May). Micromandarin: mobile language learning in context. 2011 Annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Symposium conducted in Vancouver, BC, Canada.Hyerle, D. (2004). Student successes with thinking maps: school-based research, results, and models for achievement using visual tools. CA: Corwin Press. ISO 13407 (1999). Human-centred design processes for interactive systems. London: British Standards Institution.Karat, C. (1997). Cost-justifying usability engineering in the software life cycle. In M. Helander, T.K.Landauer and P.Prabhu (Eds.), Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 653-688). Amsterdam: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-044481862-1.50098-4Kondo, M., Ishikawa, Y., Smith,C., Sakamoto, K., Shimomura, H., and Wada,N. (2012). Mobile assisted language learning in university EFL courses in Japan: developing attitudes and skills for selfregulated learning. ReCALL, 24, 169187. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344012000055Kukulska-Hulme, A. and Shield, L.(2008). An overview of mobile assisted language learning: from content delivery to supported collaboration and interaction. ReCALL, 20(3), 271-289. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344008000335Kujala,S. (2003). User involvement: a review of the benefits and challenges. Behavior & Information Technology, 22(1),1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290301782Liu, T.-Y. (2009). A context-aware ubiquitous learning environment for language listening and speaking. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25(6), 515-527. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00329.xMiangah, T. M., and Nezarat, A. (2012). Mobile-assisted language learning. Journal of Distributed and Parallel Systems, 3(1), 309-319. https://doi.org/10.5121/ijdps.2012.3126Parrish, B. (2004). Teaching adult ESL: a practical introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.Rubin, J. (1994). Handbook of usability testing: how to plan, design, and conduct effective tests. New York: Wiley.Schafer, R. W. (1994). Scientific Bases of Human-Machine Communication by Voice. In D.B. Roe (Eds.), Voice communication between humans and machines(pp.34-75). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.Senf, M. (2012, Dec). Role-play, simulations and drama activities. DocumBase. Retrieved from http://en.convdocs.org/docs/index-44311.htmlSnyder, C. (2003). Paper prototyping: the fast and easy way to design and refine user interfaces. San Diego, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Pub.Sousa, D. A. (2006). How the brain learns. CA: Corwin Press.Traxler, J. (2007). Current state of mobile learning. International Review on Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8(2), 9-24

Theoretical perspectives on mobile language learning diaries and noticing for learners,teachers and researchers

This paper considers the issue of 'noticing' in second language acquisition, and argues for the potential of handheld devices to: (i) support language learners in noticing and recording noticed features 'on the spot', to help them develop their second language system; (ii) help language teachers better understand the specific difficulties of individuals or those from a particular language background; and (iii) facilitate data collection by applied linguistics researchers, which can be fed back into educational applications for language learning. We consider: theoretical perspectives drawn from the second language acquisition literature, relating these to the practice of writing language learning diaries; and the potential for learner modelling to facilitate recording and prompting noticing in mobile assisted language learning contexts. We then offer guidelines for developers of mobile language learning solutions to support the development of language awareness in learners

Going with the grain: mobile devices in practice

Fifty-seven alumni of a global Masters program participated in research into their use of mobile devices. Drawing on questionnaire and interview data,the paper examines how far the devices were embedded in the personal and professional lives of these alumni, most of whom were aged 35-54. All had experience of online and distance education, and most worked in education or training. The study revealed some innovative uses of mobile devices, a selection of which is reported in this paper. The paper links the findings to wider debates about the changing relationship between learners and educational institutions, and the role of mobile devices in enabling individuals to engage in learning conversations. Data are provided on which devices were used by the alumni and for what purposes, and the paper explores the implications of these findings for educators

Learning technologies and EFL teamwork

In this article, we discuss how technology-based learning methodologies developed in primary and secondary education can offer useful approaches to higher education instruction. For example, young and adult Spanish speakers are often used to participating in discussions and debates in their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. This paper highlights how this model can help support a wider collaborative, ubiquitous learning environment that supports in-class and out-of-class interactions that allow 21st century second-language learners to work with other peers in building (digital) knowledge and forming stronger arguments in English. This article emphasizes that mastering communication skills, cooperation, and collaboration through a combination of learning technologies are themselves necessary 21st century skills in today’s citizens. These capabilities can help to establish a continuous lifelong learning orientation when dealing with education at different stages of life. We will conclude that higher education assessment strategies need to be transformed in order to appreciate these collaborative, digital and EFL students’ outcomes