ESL on the move:

Aga PalalasGeorge Brown College

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Effective use of iPod touches and other mobile devices for language learning.

December 2009

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL)◦ Definition

◦ MALL literature digest

◦ Main projects and findings MALL at George Brown College◦ Hybrid ESP Course

◦ Pedagogy

◦ Mobile Component (iPod Touch)

◦ Pilot findings

◦ Follow-up project Practical Usages◦ Examples of applications

Outline

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Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL)

Wireless technologies Mobility of learner Mobility of location Interaction and connectivity Contextualization Formal and informal Technology affordance: e.g. adaptive software

When learners are not at a fixed, predetermined location, and they “take advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies’’ (Kukulska-Hulme, 2005, p. 1)

“The processes of coming to know through conversations across multiple contexts amongst people and personal interactive technologies” (Sharples, Taylor, & Vavoula, 2007, p. 225)

Definition of Mobile Learning

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Wireless telephony: LAN (WiFi), cellular, bluetooth or infrared network

Network affordances

Mobile devices: e.g., mobile phones, MP3/4 players, iTouches, PDAs, compact laptops, tablet PCs…

Device affordances

Mobile Technology

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Context: Telephony

The Economist: A special report on telecoms in emerging markets◦ “Poor countries have already

benefited hugely from mobile phones.”

◦ Over 4 bn subscribers (=3.6 bn people) ->6 bn by 2013

◦ New uses

Over 800 various devices

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MALL Research

Duke University

Athabasca University

Open University (UK)

University of Tokushima

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On-demand flexibility “congruent with learners’ increasingly mobile, always-connected lifestyles”

“Continuity or spontaneity of access” (Kukulska-Hulme & Shield, 2008)

‘‘Personal, informal, contextual, portable, ubiquitous (available everywhere) and pervasive (so integrated with daily activities that it is hardly noticed)’’ (Kukulska-Hulme, 2005)

Convenient with fewer time and space constraints (Nah et al.,

2008)

Ownership and control of what, when and where to learn (Laurillard, 2007)

Personalized, self-paced

Selected Advantages

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Utilizing the dead time productively

Access to up-to-date material

Multimedia options (Kukulska-Hulme & Pettit, 2009)

Student creation of content and their active participation in content delivery (Quinn, Mardomingo & Valentine, 2009)

Attractiveness, motivation

Access to resources integrating in-class and out-of-class learning

Value for money (Rosell-Aguilar, 2007)

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Selected Advantagescont.

Cost of mobile devices which limits flexibility

Inherent technical and ergonomic limitations:◦ Inadequate sound quality of microphones and speakers

◦ Limited control functions

◦ Small screen sizes

◦ Small keyboards

◦ Everything small and short

◦ Short battery life

Lack of Wi-Fi access in many locations

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Selected DisadvantagesMobile Devices

Increase in teacher workload –content creation

Challenging for those not technically savvy

Potential for information overload

Changes in teacher-student relationship

Mostly audio

Audio content cannot be skimmed (Rosell-Aguilar, 2007)

Some functions not meeting expectations (e.g., GPS)

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Selected Disadvantagescont.

MALL @George Brown College

Funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI)

Goal: To provide Internationally Trained Immigrant (ITI) graduates with communication skills that will lead to their success in the workplace

Solution: Hybrid (blended learning) ESP course

Funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI)

Occupation-Specific Language Project (OSLP)

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New to Canada Internationally Trained Immigrant Confucius-heritage learners Adult learners/non-traditional students Busy college students

Our Learners

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SLA CALL◦ interactive◦ collaborative discourse◦ socio-cultural◦ student-centred◦ task-based◦ authentic content◦ informal and lifelong learning

MALL◦ + mobility◦ + situated learning◦ + inherent audio/video affordances◦ + communication and connectivity

Pedagogy

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Accounting Communications Adjunct – Hybrid

◦ In-class + online + mobile (iTouches)◦Hours: 14 weeks x (2+1+2)◦Modular and scalable◦Course-specific with some generic content◦Language training, socio-cultural skills and

Canadian workplace◦Focus on speaking and listening, pronunciation◦Critical reading and writing competencies ◦Business terms and colloquial language

OSLP: Hybrid Solution

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 Listening and video activities (podcasts and vodcasts)◦ Key terms and definitions, excerpts from textbooks

◦ Pronunciation

◦ Telephone scripts

◦ Listening quizzes

In-house and open sources◦ ESLpod, Business English

◦ OSLP audio – Intermediate Accounting text, email English, Whaddaya Say

◦ OSLP video – accounting scenarios, and socio-cultural content

◦ Online accounting dictionaries

Blogging and email

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Mobile Component

Pilot Findings (MALL)

Funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI)

Is It Effective?

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High satisfaction with the course in general: 7SC + 5VS

“Doing in-class, mobile and online together is best.”

“More listening files (mp3) are going to help!!”

“Don’t know how to prioritize the activities. A label ‘Do this first’ or ‘Most important’ would be helpful.”

Findings: Hybrid

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Listening: 1- greatly, 4-considerably, 1-somewhat, 4-minimally

Speaking

Writing

Reading

Did Students Learn?

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Is iPod Touch an Appropriate Technology for Language Learning?

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“I don’t want to take time to download; I only want to listen to what’s available.”

“We can download dictionary for iTouch? I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t know I have to go to everyone’s blog to read what they wrote. I thought their comments and postings would appear on my blog.”

“iPod was fairly new to me at the beginning and was very complicated to me.”

iTouch Technology

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Access to the Internet 8 Learning while on the move 8 Instant access to online data 7 Instant access to audio and video data 6 Learning pronunciation 6 Ability to carry it around 6 Fun 5 Using free time 4 To keep up with email 4 Ability to carry different types of media 3

Mobile Learning Advantages

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“The class helped me develop confidence with technology” (4VH + 8 H)

"I don’t need to make extra time for hearing [content] because I could access anytime, anywhere.”

“Whenever I have extra time, I could listen and watch especially during driving or in the bus. I don't need to make extra time for hearing it because I could access anytime anywhere. It was very good and I'll keep using the files.”

Mobile Learning Advantages

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Audio, video and open source podcasts found valuable: 8VV + 4SV (for all 3 categories)

Speaking/Listening vs. Reading/Writing Good for pronunciation practice, learning

accounting terminology and reviewing content Downloading additional podcasts, e.g. ESLpod iTunesU

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Mobile Learning Content

Ways in Which Students Used iTouches

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“How many hours in total over the 15 weeks did you spend using the following features on your iPod?”

 Greatest Total

HoursLeast Total

HoursNumber of “0"

HoursAverage (excludes

"0"s)

Blog 15 0 6 11.9

Browse Internet 40+ 0 1 14.15

Listen to audio 100 0 1 24.15

Watch video 30 2 0 11.4

Type notes 15 0 4 6

Download podcasts 25 0 1 14.25

Search podcasts 15 1 0 9.09

Email 30+ 0 3 10.628

Perceived Value of Podcasts and Blog

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Cost 8 Typing on it not easy 6 Lack of WiFi/internet connection 6 Short battery life 4 Downloading and selecting content time-

consuming 4 Technical problems 1 Lots of functions to learn 1 New technology 1 Small screen, taxing on the eyes 1 Lacking interactivity Unaware of available resources No ownership of devices hence no experimentation

Mobile Learning Disadvantages

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“Cool” factor

Dependence on structure

Technological difficulties

◦ Great effort to prepare students for technology

◦ Students self-reported being comfortable with technology

◦ Difficulties observed

◦ After course, 11/12 reported that they are VC or QC

Unexpected Findings

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Survey of mobile device usage

Listening learning objects

◦ Contextualization and context awareness

◦ Personalization

◦ Flexibility

◦ Access

◦ Interactivity

◦ Engagement

◦ Informal learning

Next MALL Project

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Mobile Devices: Practical Usages

Distribution and playback of music, interviews, radio programs, language drills, dialogues

Listening to recorded lectures and conferences, audio books, audio courses and other podcasts and materials downloaded from the web

Using digital sound files to record progress and achievement

Recording students’ practice or spoken reflections on their learning

Logging thoughts electronically Creating digital sound files Feedback Gap fill and listening exercises…

Podcasts Usages Recent Research

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Podcasts and vodcasts Communication (Web 2.0 tools + telephone) Games Student-generated content Examples◦ GBC ◦ English for Mobile Phones - food vocabulary◦ IELTS Academic Preparation (www.ieltsexams.net)◦ What time is it? ◦ ESLpod ◦ Real ESL◦ ESL Phone Demo – LinguaComm

Mobile Device Usages

Contact

Aga Palalasapalalas@georgebrown.ca

Thank you!

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Anderson, T. (2009). Foreword. In M. Ally (Ed.), Mobile learning transforming the delivery of education and training (pp. 15-182). Athabasca University: AU.

Chan, A. & McLoughlin, C. (2006). Everyone’s learning with podcasting: A Charles Sturt University experience. Paper presented at 23rd Annual Ascilite conference: Who’s learning? Whose technology?, Syndey, Australia.

Duke Unviersity. (June 2005). Duke iPod First-Year Experience – Final Evaluation Report Summary. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney06/proceeding/pdf_papers/p92.pdf

Kukulska-Hulme, A. (2005). Introduction. In A. Kukulska-Hulme & J. Traxler (Eds.), Mobile learning: A handbook for educators and trainers. London: Routledge.

Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Shield, L. (2008). An overview of mobile assisted language learning: From content delivery to supported collaboration and interaction. ReCALL 20(3), 271-289. doi:10.1017/S0958344008000335

Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Pettit, J. (2009). Practitioners as innovators: emergent practice in personal mobile teaching, learning, work and leisure. In M. Ally (Ed), Mobile learning transforming the delivery of education and training. Athabasca University: AU Press.

Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler, J. (2007). Learning design with mobile and wireless technologies. In H. Beetham and R. Sharpe, (Eds.), Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: designing and delivering e-learning (pp. 180–192). London, UK: Routledge.

Laurillard, D. (2007). Pedagogical forms of mobile learning: framing research questions. In Pachler, N. (Ed.), Mobile learning – towards a research agenda (pp. 153-175). WLE Centre, Institute of Education, University of London.

Nah, K.C., White, P. & Sussex, R. (2008). The potential of using a mobile phone to access the Internet for learning EFL listening skills within a Korean context. ReCALL, 20(3), 331-347. doi:10.1017/S0958344008000633

Naismith, L., Lonsdale, P., Vavoula, G., & Sharples, M. (2004). Literature review in mobile technologies and learning. University of Birmingham: Futurelab.

Quinn, A., Mardomingo, R., & Valentine, C. (2009). Mobile blogs in language learning: Making the most of informal and situated learning opportunities. ReCALL, 21(1), 96-112.

Rosell-Aguilar, F. (2007). Top of the pods - In search of a podcasting podagogy for language learning. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 20(5), 471-492. doi:10.1080/09588220701746047

Sharples, M. (2007). Foreword. In M. Sharples (Ed.), Big issues in mobile learning. Report of a workshop by the Kaleidoscope Network of Excellence Mobile Learning Initiative (p. 4). Nottingham, UK: Learning Sciences Research Institute. University of Nottingham.

Sharples, M., Taylor, J., & Vavoula, G. (2007). A theory of learning for the mobile age. In R. Andrews and C. Haythornthwaite (Eds.) The Sage Handbook of Elearning Research (pp. 221-47). London: Sage.

The Economist (2009, September 26). A special report on telecoms in emerging markets.

References

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