Mobile Apps and Games to foster students' writing competences

Journal of Engineering and Applied Technology, 2020

English became the first foreign language that came to Indonesia in 1967. The human needs of English can already be seen through lots of official scientific works in English and its intense competitions globally. However, still, many people finds it difficult to learn English, for example, the difficulty in understanding tenses, differences between writing, reading and pronouncing. By relying on the latest features on smartphone, which on the mean time, smartphone is one of many gadgets that is the most practical to use in anywhere and anytime, plus, with gaming contents as the best multimedia entertainer application, learning English will be more interactive and easier to use. In this research, Construct 2 is used as The Developer App and Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC) method of Rido Ramadan and Yani Widyani’s version is used as The Development Method. The game system tested by using black box and by giving out Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction to 24 respondents, to...

Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2024

The educational system has undergone substantial transformation over the past two years causing disruptions in traditional learning methods. Learners have struggled to bridge academic gaps and enhance essential skills after transitioning from modular distance learning to in-person classes. Among the key challenges observed is a deficiency in fundamental English vocabulary, affecting both academic writing and oral communication. This study focuses on the specific context of Camohaguin Elementary School (CES), where Grade 2 learners are encountering difficulties in developing their vocabulary skill. Low mean percentage scores in school monitoring evaluations reveal the extent of the problem, affecting areas such as academic writing and oral communication. As technology integration becomes prevalent nowadays, the researchers pursued the study on the Development, Validation, and Testing of Vocabulary Gaming App as a Tool for English Vocabulary Development of Grade 2 learners of Camohaguin Elementary School. The study has three parts: the Development of the app which encompasses Concept, Production, Technicality, and Feedback, its Validation in terms of Design, Content, Accessibility, Ease of Use, and Suitability, and Testing where it reveals the significant improvement in Grade 2 learners' vocabulary skills, shifting from an "average" level before app usage to "moving towards mastery" after. Additionally, there was a significant difference in pre-test and post-test scores, validating the app's effectiveness.

PARIPEX INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH, 2022

The new generation uses digital games in their everyday lives for entertainment and learning. Digital games have a remarkable role in the learning process of the new generation. Many education scholars investigated the effect of using games to enhance learners' English language learning in general and specifically improve writing skills, revealing that games in the classroom can foster writing skills and bring remarkable improvement. This study investigates the impact of digital games on improving students' English Language writing skills depending on a literature review. As many studies focus on the impact of digital games on different English language skills, this conceptual literature review aims to stimulate reflection on the use of digital games in enhancing English language writing skills. This study revealed that digital games increase students' engagement in the learning process, create a less-anxious writing skills environment for students, and motivate and help students get a deeper understanding of the English writing process.

2019

This article presents a set of practical tasks aimed at developing 4 basic language skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking. The purpose of the study is to identify effective tasks that can be performed with the help of mobile devices and mobile Internet. Mobile devices are widely used and it can be explained by their convenience (they are always at hand and people make use of them at any time and in any place they like). We examined different types of mobile tasks and presented some of them that appeared to be the most exciting for learners. We also analyzed different mobile learning platforms that were initially designed for educational purposes and others that were created for professional purposes but can be effectively implemented into the educational process. These mobile activities are regarded as an additional source that should be implemented together with traditional methods for learners’ in and outside the classroom educational process. The experimental learning was carried out with full-time learning form within the program of Additional Vocational Education. This article also presents the results of the research and the conclusions that were made on the basis of the conducted survey after the experimental learning. The obtained results show that mobile technologies can help learners improve and maintain the level of their language proficiency and sustain their motivation. Therefore the present mobile technologies can be successfully applied by teachers and learners.

2021

2015

The 21st century is the generation of Digital Game-Based Learning, a generation growing up with technologies and contributing to the prevalence of digital games [Chuang et al., 10]. Thus, the use of mobile consoles (Nintendo DS or SONY PSP) for entertainment at all ages has increased dramatically, as has the availability of games that meet specific needs, requirements or users preferences. Though this field of applications is not exempt from constraints such as connectivity, usability and technical limitations [Moses, 08; Hussain and Adeeb, 09], mobile learning is now on the agenda at all levels of education [Cheon et al., 12; Frohberg et al., 09; Suki and Suki, 07]. In this study we analyze how Nintendo mobile technology used to teach vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, writing and listening skills can help to improve the learning environment and the results in English for Engineering students. The twofold investigation aims to (1) evaluate the student's satisfaction with mobile technology and (2) measure student learning with Nintendo DS. In the light of these hypotheses, the results show how the introduction of mobile devices can increase students' interest and motivation in the learning process, fostering the integration of activities and increasing the academic performance of students.

Mobile language learning games usually only focus on spelling or out of context meaning for the entire dictionary, ignoring the role of an authentic environment. 'Detective Alavi' is an educational mobile game that provides a shared space for students to work collaboratively towards language learning in a narrative rich environment. This game motivates and preserves a conversation between learners and their teachers, and also between learners and learners, whilst being immersed in the story of the game. A seamless selfassessment scoring system in the game structure provides a less dominating environment for students to expose their weaknesses, at the same time assists students to judge what skills they have learned and how much. This game has revealed improvement in different cognitive processes and deeper level of learning during the collaborative game play.

SpringerPlus, 2016

In the context of European Higher Education students face an increasing focus on independent, individual learning—at the expense of face-to-face interaction. Hence learners are, all too often, not provided with enough opportunities to negotiate in the target language. The current case study aims to address this reality by going beyond conventional approaches to provide students with a hybrid game-based app, combining individual and collaborative learning opportunities. The 4-week study was carried out with 104 German language students (A1.2 CEFR) who had previously been enrolled in a first-semester A1.1 level course at a Spanish university. The VocabTrainerA1 app—designed specifically for this study—harnesses the synergy of combining individual learning tasks and a collaborative murder mystery game in a hybrid level-based architecture. By doing so, the app provides learners with opportunities to apply their language skills to real-life-like communication. The purpose of the study was twofold: on one hand we aimed to measure learner motivation, perceived usefulness and added value of hybrid game-based apps; on the other, we sought to determine their impact on language learning. To this end, we conducted focus group interviews and an anonymous Technology Acceptance Model survey (TAM). In addition, students took a pre-test and a post-test. Scores from both tests were compared with the results obtained in first-semester conventional writing tasks, with a view to measure learning outcomes. The study provides qualitative and quantitative data supporting our initial hypotheses. Our findings suggest that hybrid game-based apps like VocabTrainerA1—which seamlessly combine individual and collaborative learning tasks—motivate learners, stimulate perceived usefulness and added value, and better meet the language learning needs of today’s digital natives. In terms of acceptance, outcomes and sustainability, the data indicate that hybrid game-based apps significantly improve proficiency, hence are indeed, effective tools for enhanced language learning.

This paper examines the trend in apps for mobile language learning (MALL), which has achieved remarkable popularity, indicated in the proliferation of apps available in the digital marketplace, and in download statistics. The burgeoning popularity of MALL apps in the field of second language learning (SLA), which has a lengthy history (Howatt & Widdowson, 2004; Kelly, 1969), motivates critical examination of the epistemological conception of language and literacy in MALL apps, and pedagogies employed. MALL utilizing apps (i.e., software applications) evolved from computer-assisted language learning (CALL) with the development of mobile smart devices over the past decade. Bo-Kristensen and Meyer (2008) trace the genealogy of technology-enhanced language teaching from the 1950s language lab through to the virtual and mobile language labs of the early 21st century. Kukulska-Hulme (2009) describes MALL designs as content-driven, or curricular, and design-oriented learning. But where Bo-Kristensen and Meyer (2008) take a positive outlook on how mobility could contribute to the flexibility of technologically-enhanced language learning designs, Godwin-Jones (2011), finds MALL apps to be pedestrian and uncreative, not utilizing “the mobility, peer connectivity, or advanced communication features of mobile devices” (p. 7). Digital mediation has revolutionized how we communicate and how we learn, and challenged understanding of what it means to know a language. Conventional grammar is a poor descriptor of contemporary multimodal literacy. A recent analysis of popular content-based MALL app, though, revealed not only an overwhelming reliance on conventional grammar and traditional skills (Lotherington, 2016) but pedagogical approaches leaning on what Kramsch (2006) describes as the drill and kill pedagogies of the 1960s. Privileging the digital artefact to drive learning removes the agency of the human teacher and delivers limited, flawed programmable learning. Learning languages on demand using free and low cost MALL apps is an attractive option that begs careful, critical scrutiny of what is being taught in the name of language learning and how, so educators can move content-based MALL towards the creative possibilities that mobile designs, in fact, offer.

Int. J. Interact. Mob. Technol., 2021

Developing writing skills in a foreign language is one of the demanding tasks for both teachers and students. It not only demands extensive reading and intensive practice in writing both inside and outside the classroom but also timely feedback and error-correction. The experimental study aimed at studying the impact of collaborative writing tasks using mobile applications like WhatsApp , Google Docs , and Google Slides on enhancing the writing ability at the pre-intermediate level of Common European Frame of Reference (CEFR). The participants were tertiary level students of Cihan University who were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=28). One group used WhatsApp and the other group used the Google Docs and Google Slides apps on their mobile devices. The comparative study analyzed the impact of each application on improving the writing skills of the students with pretest and posttest results and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that the participants who used ...

JURNAL BASIS

Writing is claimed to be the most difficult skill for second language and foreign language learners. Thus, it needs an effective model of teaching to improve the students’ writing skill. This study aims to describe the use of a mobile learning application Busuu to improve students’ writing skill. This is a classroom action research (CAR) that was conducted into two cycles. Each cycle consisted two meetings and involved four steps namely planning, action, observation and reflection. The data were collected by using technique of observation, test, and interview. The subject of the research was fourteen students of Widya Kartika University. The result showed that there was an improvement in students’ writing skill. It can be seen from the result of writing test in each cycle which was improved. Mean score of the students’ writing in cycle 1 was 61.14 and the mean score of the students’ writing was 71.42 in cycle 2. In addition, the results of the interview showed that the students had ...

The first section of the paper focuses on the development of mobile learning and provides an overview of a growing body of research which describes mobile devices as useful tools for language learning. The development of cutting-edge mobile devices has driven the attention of educators, making mobile learning (mlearning) a new and interesting approach to language learning. Mobile tools and social networks allow users to produce and share content and context (Hill & Hannafin, 2001; Saad & Borg, 2009) and allow learners to access an ubiquitous, autonomous and individualised learning experience (Ibrahim Abukhattala, 2016; Shuler, 2009). Moreover, mobile tools offer a wide range of functions and activities, enhancing multisensory learning, which provides significant benefits for the brain. Indeed, it is known that multisensory learning eases the processes of recollection and processing of information (Katja M. Mayer et al., 2015). The benefits provided by mobile learning are embraced by learners, who feel better engaged, resulting in more successful outcomes (Wang et al., 2009). However, in some cases, the use of mobile tools for educational purposes provokes concerns for educators (Barrell, 2011). Moreover, the implementation of new media is affected by educators’ beliefs and attitudes (Van Olphen, 2007), which suggests that training is needed, in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of mobile learning (Liu, 2009). The second section of this paper includes a description of four apps (BUSUU, SPEAKINGPAL, VOXY and OPENLANGUAGE) for language learning and the results of a survey carried out amongst 13 university EFL learners (10 women and 3 men), belonging to different fields of study and with different levels of language competence (according to selfevaluation). Even if this study can be considered as a beta test –due to the small sample and the nature of participants– students’ comments suggest that mobile learning is an interesting and engaging way to bring the language learning experience outside of the classroom and share it in a broader –although digital– environment.

International Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals, 2016

With increasing globalization, foreign language skills have become one of the main requirements when applying for a job in leading ICT companies. Due to their ubiquity and multi-functionality, mobile devices allow teachers to provide technology-friendly students with highly dynamic learning contents in line with their lifestyle. Unfortunately, most of the available APPs still support a mainly one-way interaction (teacher to learner or computer-client interaction). The authors have designed an APP based on a highly interactive, ubiquitous and constructive learning approach. The current paper illustrates firstly how the APP has helped learners to get actively involved in their own learning process sharing and assessing their foreign language knowledge. And secondly, how students' logs can be used to automate the assessment of different skills such as the ability to explain terms in a foreign language or to assess definitions created by other game players.

Journal of Computing Research and Innovation, 2018

Knowing that education is a part of important element in economic growth, this research was focused on the development of interactive mobile game specifically to create vocabulary related to idioms for young learners of English. The major concern among Pre-Diploma students is their lack of English vocabulary despite years of learning the subject. Therefore, this has affected their confidence level whenever they are required to use English either in spoken or written communication. We investigate the effect of mobile games on learning targeted vocabulary for Pre-Diploma students. Moreover, this study also examines whether the interactive mobile games created can improve motivation to learn and foster a deeper processing of vocabulary especially in terms of idioms for young learners of English. Therefore, through the mobile game, students will be exposed to the benefits of technology development nowadays. Lecturers also can opt for a more interactive way of teaching vocabulary rather...

TEFLIN Journal - A publication on the teaching and learning of English

This article reports on the results of a study concerning the type of texts and their features produced by a student after using mobile technology as a support to improve the development of the students’ writing skills in a second language. The Functional Systemic Linguistic (FSL), Genre Pedagogical Approach (GPA), and mobile learning concepts were employed as theoretical framework. The participant of the research was a freshman student that belongs to an English narrative course in a private university of the Caribbean region, Universidad Del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. This case study analyzed the student’s writing during a period of eight-week course, which was then complemented with an interview conducted by the researcher. The results reveal that genre approach can be implemented with mobile technology to increase students’ writing ability.