Abstract-The purpose of this research was to make suggestions for choosing Apps for a Foundation level English program in the United Arab Emirates. The program had to prepare for the integration of iPads into the English program for approximately 800 students. To prepare, the program launched a pilot study with a small group of teachers, administrators and technology specialists. We used qualitative research to fulfill our research needs which included participant diaries, focus groups, a research journal and observations. From the data, we developed a list of criteria for choosing Apps and a process for selecting Apps.Index Terms-iPads, Apps, higher education; mobile learning, App review, English as a Second Language, English as a Foreign Language, Second Language Learning, education, university, UAE

Research indicates that mobile learning (ML), has the potential to transform teaching and learning. Despite its benefits, mobile learning adoption is a challenging process which requires support to facilitate its integration. The focus of this article is to investigate the factors that could affect ML acceptance. The quantitative and qualitative data collected from the surveys revealed additional information regarding the pedagogical benefits of and obstacles to mobile learning integration. Even though participants in this study reported to be late adopters of technology, they  maintained that ML is useful for learning, specifically ubiquitous learning. Teachers also noted that mobile learning integration is more successful when aligned with local cultural norms.  Mobile learning tools that might be culturally appropriate in one context may not always be accepted in another.  Findings of this study provide several implications and recommendations for future research on mobile learning implementation. Further research could explore the development and utilization of a rubric with specific criteria for evaluating mobile learning applictations.<strong> �  </strong>

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Students native to the Arabian Gulf region often struggle with reading skills. The purpose of this study was to explore the reading habits and reading culture of Emirati undergraduate students and to investigate the use of a particular reading strategy (Listening While Reading) on undergraduate Emirati students reading rate and comprehension. This case study was conducted through a mixed method research design. It was carried out with sixty-one SLL (second language learners) undergraduate students. By assigning them into two groups, the experimental group (28 students) was given books with an auditory component, while the control group (33 students) was given the same books but without the auditory component. both positive and negative reflections from teachers and students on different aspects of the LWR experiences are discussed. Qualitative findings revealed more contextualized results related to the lack of comprehension improvement such as, lack of reading habits. Additionally, quantitative results indicated that the performance of students in reading rate and accuracy improved over time. However, reading comprehension did not improve. Additionally, implications in terms of the use of the LWR in English language classes for practitioners are discussed as well as recommendations for future studies.

In recent years, the use of technology in educational contexts including e-learning has become increasing ubiquitous. While it is commonly believed that technology use can facilitate the process of teaching and learning, it is of paramount importance to adopt a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) to address the needs of students who might experience difficulty because of cultural, linguistic and technological obstacles that might be inherent in the use of educational technology. With this consideration in mind, the present paper reports on the findings of a qualitative research involving three case studies based on structured interviews with three university professors who are experts in developing digital tools and applications for educational purposes. The participants recorded their responses to interview questions on Google Docs over a period of one month, and the data was analysed for significant themes. The data revealed that all participants believe that cultural, methodological and pedagogical barriers can significantly affect the use of educational technology in face-to-face and online classes and can consequently impact student learning. The emergent themes in the data indicate that a solid understanding of the local context in which the process of teaching and learning takes place, flexibility in terms of one’s methodological approaches to teaching and embracing differences in students’ knowledge and abilities can help ensure students succeed in their academic endeavours, they are uncritically accepted and treated in an equitable manner regardless of their competency level. All three participants in the study believe that while there are some cultural and linguistic barriers in e-learning contexts and in developing and using technological applications for students, through adopting the core principles of a culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), they have been successful in achieving the course learning outcomes for their students. They argue that by adapting the language used in applications to the linguistic level of students, using familiar and culturally relevant themes, and adopting a blended approach in which technology complements face-to-face instruction, a better dialogue is established between the teacher and the students, and learning is thus facilitated. The findings of this study reveal that becoming familiar with the local culture, the relevant prescriptions and proscriptions can furnish the education technology developers with the requisite knowledge for creating applications that are relevant to students’ lives and are thus more effectual. Similarly, the results show that educational applications should provide a suitable platform to create and maintain an ongoing intrapersonal and interpersonal dialogue for the students to help them engage in the process of learning in a regular and consistent manner. Implications for pedagogy and research will be discussed.