Language Learners Perceptions and Experiences on the Use of Mobile Applications for Independent Language Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

Nowadays many learners are keen to explore the wide variety of applications available in their portable and always readily available mobile phones and tablets. The fact that they are keen to take control of their learning and autonomy is thought to lead to greater motivation and engagement, and the link with games-based learning suggests that the fun factor involved should not be overseen. This paper focuses on the use of mobile applications for independent language learning in higher education. It investigates how learners use mobile apps in line with their classes to enhance their learning experience. We base our analysis on a survey carried out in autumn 2013 in which 286 credited and non-credited language students from various levels of proficiency at The University of Manchester express their perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of the use of mobile applications for independent language learning, together with examples of useful apps and suggestions of how these could be integrated in the language class.

The Impact of Social Strategies through Smartphones on the Saudi Learners Socio-cultural Autonomy in EFL Reading Context

“…Learners managed to use the expressions for clarification, cooperate with their classmates in order to solve a linguistic task and to use conversational strategies, and convey ideas and points of view naturally. These findings are in agreement with Nino (2015) who reported that language learners employed their mobile applications of videos, newspapers, language practice to comprehend language skills such as reading, listening, and speaking; dictionaries and translation applications to get the meaning of new words; flashcard and not taking applications to memorise new words; chat or messenger applications to communicate with other people; and games applications to learn with fun to enhance their independent language learning at university. Unlikely, the results of the level of SS reported in this study are not in line with Etxebarria, Garay and Romero (2012) who reported the low use of social strategies through the Moodle e-learning platform for linguistic purposes because of the lack of habit of using the Internet and tools of e-learning platforms to learn the target language.…”

“…Recent research has highlighted the role of mobiles in foreign/second language learning (Almekhlafy & Alzubi, 2016;Ahmed, 2015;Chen, & Hsieh, 2008;Chinnery, 2006;Godwin-Jones, 2011;Hazaea & Alzubi, 2016;Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler, 2005;Rahimi, & Miri, 2014;Palfreyman, 2012;Seddigh & Shokrpur, 2012;Thornton & Houser, 2003;Wong, Chin, Tan, & Liu, 2010). Mobiles are inevitably a means of independent language learning (Clarke & Svanaes, 2015;Nino, 2015;Persson & Nouri, 2018). Nino (2015) who surveyed language learners' perceptions and experiences on the use of mobile devices to support their independent language learning in higher education claimed that mobiles are suitable for passive language skills such as the acquisition of vocabulary, written and oral comprehension, pronunciation, and grammar.…”

“…Mobiles are inevitably a means of independent language learning (Clarke & Svanaes, 2015;Nino, 2015;Persson & Nouri, 2018). Nino (2015) who surveyed language learners' perceptions and experiences on the use of mobile devices to support their independent language learning in higher education claimed that mobiles are suitable for passive language skills such as the acquisition of vocabulary, written and oral comprehension, pronunciation, and grammar.…”

The effect of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) on EFL learners’ collocation learning

“…Moreover, some characteristics such as the convenience, portability and ease of use of mobile applications were the reasons for use. Nino (2015) also found that characteristics such as convenience, interactivity, immediate feedback and use of authentic resources were the advantages of the mobile applications. In both studies (Nino, 2015;Steel, 2012), it was found that vocabulary was the most frequently used part of language structures in mobile applications.…”

“…Nino (2015) also found that characteristics such as convenience, interactivity, immediate feedback and use of authentic resources were the advantages of the mobile applications. In both studies (Nino, 2015;Steel, 2012), it was found that vocabulary was the most frequently used part of language structures in mobile applications. In Rezaei, Mai and Pesaranghader's (2014) study, the learners believed that using mobile applications (Busuu and Interactive English) helped them feel more confident and had positive effect on their class participation.…”