From computer assisted language learning (CALL) to mobile assisted language use

This article begins by critiquing the long-established acronym CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning). We then go on to report on a small-scale study which examines how student non-native speakers of English use a range of digital devices beyond the classroom in both their first (L1) and second (L2) languages. We look also at the extent to which they believe that their L2-based activity helps consciously and/or unconsciously with their language learning, practice, and acquisition. We argue that these data, combined with other recent trends in the field, suggest a need to move from CALL towards a more accurate acronym: mobile assisted language use (MALU). We conclude with a definition of MALU together with a brief discussion of a potential alignment of MALU with the notion of the digital resident and a newly emerging educational theory of connectivism

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

Twitter as a formal and informal language learning tool: from potential to evidence

Twitter can be used as a language learning tool and this potential has been identified by a number of scholars. This chapter presents an overview of the identified potential of Twitter as a language learning tool and presents an overview of different studies carried out to provide evidence of language learning using Twitter in different contexts. It concludes that, although there is evidence of language acquisition in formal contexts, more research is needed to inform how Twitter is used in informal settings

The influence of national culture on the attitude towards mobile recommender systems

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2013 Elsevier B.V.This study aimed to identify factors that influence user attitudes towards mobile recommender systems and to examine how these factors interact with cultural values to affect attitudes towards this technology. Based on the theory of reasoned action, belief factors for mobile recommender systems are identified in three dimensions: functional, contextual, and social. Hypotheses explaining different impacts of cultural values on the factors affecting attitudes were also proposed. The research model was tested based on data collected in China, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Findings indicate that functional and social factors have significant impacts on user attitudes towards mobile recommender systems. The relationships between belief factors and attitudes are moderated by two cultural values: collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. The theoretical and practical implications of applying theory of reasoned action and innovation diffusion theory to explain the adoption of new technologies in societies with different cultures are also discussed.National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean governmen

Tablets in Second Language Learning: Learners’ and Teachers’ Perceptions

This study explored the perceptions of ESL learners and teachers on using tablets in their language classrooms, focusing on the device’s four inherent affordances: learnability, usability, motivation, and willingness to use tablets. Although previous research has investigated the pedagogical use of tablets in the domain of higher education, elementary and secondary education, and teacher training, there is little research exploring the perceptions of ESL students and even less involving their teachers. The themes that guided the study are commonly found in Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) perception studies. What is known about users’ perceptions of MALL-based pedagogy (including tablets) is that students and their instructors view the use of these platforms positively. For instance, it has been acknowledged that the use of MALL-based pedagogy has the potential to enhance learning by: (1) improving the learning experience – learnability (Obari & Lambacher, 2015), (2) increasing learners’ level of comfort – usability (Altena, 2015), (3) boosting motivation (Cardoso, 2011), and (4) increasing students’ willingness to use the technology (Cumming & Rodriguez, 2013). This study examined the perceptions of 45 young adult ESL learners and 11 teachers on their use of tablets (Apple iPads) in their classrooms. A mixed-method approach was adopted to collect and analyze the data. Learners’ and teachers’ surveys used a 5-point Likert scale to probe the participants’ perceptions of the four themes: (1) learnability (e.g., using iPads helps me improve my listening skills in English), (2) usability (e.g., I find it is easy for my students to use iPads in reading activities), (3) motivation (e.g., using iPads motivates me to read English texts), and (4) willingness to use tablets (e.g., I will use the iPad for teaching my classes in the future). To measure the four key themes quantitatively, the survey results were analyzed via descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were obtained through face-to-face interviews, which were subjected to a thematic analysis. Findings reveal positive perceptions from both ESL learners and their teachers on all four measures adopted, which were also corroborated by the thematic analysis of the interviews. Keywords: tablets, MALL, ESL learners, ESL teacher

Mobile Learning Activities for Students’ English Learning Engagement in China

Although mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) activities have the potential to foster student engagement, few studies have investigated the influence of such activities on undergraduate students’ engagement in College English learning in China, particularly in a newly developed, post-pandemic hybrid learning environment. This study adopted a mixed methods design to examine the influence of mobile learning on student engagement and explored students’ lived experiences of using MALL activities for English learning. For the study’s quantitative data collection, 206 students completed an online questionnaire that included questions regarding motivation and active learning strategies. Ten students participated in the photo-production visual method and semi-structured personal interviews. Findings show that MALL activities enabled a unique opportunity to enhance students’ active engagement and knowledge construction by multiple ways of information sharing and language practices. Easy access and effective ways of communicating on learning apps intrinsically motivated students to participate in language learning. Through mobile learning platforms, students were scaffolded by their instructor or more knowledgeable peers in a more instant, visual, specific, and affective manner. Collaboration among students was not exemplified among undergraduate learners and the challenge of self-regulation in using cellphones was uncovered. These findings are significant for educators and decision-makers to lessen the stereotype of cellphones for learning and recognize the benefits of making use of personal devices for catering to individual learners’ needs, fostering connections, elevating engagement, and increasing English skills. A new MALL model is put forward

Using PDA for undergraduate student incidental vocabulary testing

Recent studies have explored English vocabulary learning in environments where students used mobile technologies for prescribed vocabulary learning tasks, or tested designed personalized learning systems to enhance student vocabulary learning for short periods of time in language related courses. Dictionary use via mobile devices has mostly been used for referential purposes. Referential use refers to applications that provide student access to content such as dictionaries, e-books, etc. at places where learning activities occur, taking advantage of the portability and mobility of mobile devices. Research on free student use of mobile devices to foster incidental vocabulary learning in non-English courses remains scant, and no in-depth studies have been carried out to investigate the value of dictionary use on mobile devices for incidental vocabulary learning in higher education. This one-year multiple-case study investigated undergraduate students’ dictionary and other uses of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to enhance their incidental vocabulary learning in an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) university. The research findings show: (a) the students made various uses of the PDA to improve their vocabulary learning, namely, referential, situated, constructive, reflective, explorative and conversing uses, (b) the students adopted integrated uses of the tools on the PDA and the computer for their incidental vocabulary learning, and (c) the integrated use of the PDA and the computer shaped the vocabulary learning activities and vice versa. These research results indicate that PDAs can be used in more flexible, novel and extended ways for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary teaching and learning in higher education, taking student needs and contexts into consideration.published_or_final_versio

Culture in the design of mHealth UI:An effort to increase acceptance among culturally specific groups

Purpose: Designers of mobile applications have long understood the importance of users’ preferences in making the user experience easier, convenient and therefore valuable. The cultural aspects of groups of users are among the key features of users’ design preferences, because each group’s preferences depend on various features that are culturally compatible. The process of integrating culture into the design of a system has always been an important ingredient for effective and interactive human computer interface. This study aims to investigate the design of a mobile health (mHealth) application user interface (UI) based on Arabic culture. It was argued that integrating certain cultural values of specific groups of users into the design of UI would increase their acceptance of the technology. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 135 users responded to an online survey about their acceptance of a culturally designed mHealth. Findings: The findings showed that culturally based language, colours, layout and images had a significant relationship with users’ behavioural intention to use the culturally based mHealth UI. Research limitations/implications: First, the sample and the data collected of this study were restricted to Arab users and Arab culture; therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other cultures and users. Second, the adapted unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model was used in this study instead of the new version, which may expose new perceptions. Third, the cultural aspects of UI design in this study were limited to the images, colours, language and layout. Practical implications: It encourages UI designers to implement the relevant cultural aspects while developing mobile applications. Originality/value: Embedding Arab cultural aspects in designing UI for mobile applications to satisfy Arab users and enhance their acceptance toward using mobile applications, which will reflect positively on their lives.</p

Using Mobile Phones for Teaching and Learning in Chinese Traditional Undergraduate Education

Mobile learning is the new global trend of educational innovation with information and communication technologies. Mobile phones are one major type of mobile technology that can be used for mobile learning. As a highly popular possession among Chinese undergraduate students, as well as among general population, mobile phone usage for learning purposes in the context of Chinese traditional undergraduate education warrants attention from both the education practitioners and researchers. However, very few institutional efforts of promoting mobile phone integrated learning have been reported within the scope of Chinese traditional undergraduate education. A qualitative phenomenological research study was conducted with the students, faculty members, and administrators of a traditional undergraduate institution in China. Their use of mobile phones for teaching and learning purposes, the factors that affect such use at the institution, and the possible measures to promote the use were explored. Six students, four faculty members, and two administrators, a total of 12 participants were selected, qualitative data were collected through one-on-one face-to-face interviews and then analyzed for themes that describe the essence of experiences shared among the participants. The results add knowledge to the research and provide guidelines for practice. The results show that mobile phone integrated learning presents both opportunities and challenges which usually exist side by side. Students and faculty members used their mobile phones in a variety of ways to support their learning and teaching, but they had different perceptions about the use. Overall, students were more active in using mobile phones for learning and more optimistic about the future of mobile phone integrated learning. Faculty members and administrators, on the other hand, held mixed views of mobile phone integrated learning and had more concerns about the integration. Next, some institutional measures were proposed for the institution to promote mobile phone integrated learning. At the end, implications of the research and recommendations for future research were discussed

The antithesis of smartphones popular use among Chinese university students: a perceived relationship between the frequent use of smartphones for acquiring english and rate of proficiency

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