The Use of Mobile Applications for English Learning by the University Students in Taiwan and Kinmen

• Main Authors: Nien-Chen Wu, 吳念真
• Other Authors: Feng-Sheng Hung
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/47290865034263968195

碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 應用英語系應用語言學與英語教學碩士班 === 104 === This survey research investigated the effects of learner variables on the use of mobile apps for English learning and compared the differences of usage frequency and perceived usefulness in mobile learning between the groups of university students studying in Taiwan and Kinmen. A total of 285 students participated in this study. Among the students, 152 of them were in the Taiwan group and the rest of 133 were in the Kinmen group. To collect the data needed for the proposed research questions, the researcher designed and employed a questionnaire as the major instrument for the two groups of participants. The questionnaire was made up of three parts for collecting the participants’ background information, recognizing their frequency of using mobile devices to learn English online, and examining their use of mobile apps for English learning. There were four major results obtained from the study. First, the students’ gender, years of studying English, and experience of taking an English proficiency examination did not have statistically significant effects on their frequency and perceived usefulness of using mobile apps for enhancing aural and oral skills, literacy skills, and overall language skills. However, their age and grade level were significantly correlated with the perceived usefulness of using mobile apps for enhancing their English language skills. Second, the two groups of students had equally the same frequency of using mobile devices for online English learning. Third, there was no significant effect on the frequency of using mobile apps to enhance oral and aural skills, literacy skills, and overall English language skills between the two groups of students. In comparison with the Kinmen students, the Taiwan students used mobile apps more frequently for improving their speaking, writing, and test-taking skills. Fourth, there was not any significant effect on the perceived usefulness of using mobile apps to enhance oral and aural skills, literacy skills, and English overall skills between the two groups of students. Unlike the Kinmen students, the Taiwan students perceived the higher usefulness of practicing writing skills via mobile apps. Finally, this study proposed pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research.