Page 22 - LanGuide Project: Research and Professional Insights
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a Čebron and Emma Beatriz Villegas Cunja
reporting on research of current practices promoted by mobile-learning
pedagogy provided a framework for identifying some salient features and
affordances of this novel language learning environment. Finally, the cri-
teria derived from this research served as the basis for evaluation of the
practices introduced in the LanGuide Mobile App.
Insights from mLearning Models for Language Learning
Almost two decades ago Keegan (2002) suggested that mLearning, as a
subset of eLearning, would fashion the future of learning, since techno-
logical innovations and new devices offer learners the possibility to study
at their own convenience, wherever and whenever one wishes to exploit
the opportunities provided by the ubiquitous learning devices. So far, the
prediction seems to have come true only to a certain extent in the field of
language learning, namely, the language-learning apps have proliferated,
but there is scant research available that would confirm a revolutionizing
effect on practices of language acquisition.
For purposes of this article, mobile language apps are those accessed
through a website, as well as apps downloaded onto portable smartphones,
tablets, desktops, and laptops.
Examination of Some Technology-Mediated Self-Study Resources
For the purpose of this research, the following mobile apps have been
briefly examined: Duolingo,² Babbel,³ Busuu,⁴ Beelinguapp,⁵ Memrise,⁶ 50
languages,⁷ HelloTalk,⁸ Slonline⁹ and Flax.¹⁰ It was established that numer-
ous language-learning apps offer the possibility to engage with a wide
range of languages (50 languages: 50 different languages, Duolinguo: 38
languages, Memrise: 25 languages, HelloTalk: 150 languages, Babbel: 14 lan-
guages, and Busuu: 13 languages) and the choice is still growing. However,
except for Beelinguapp, they all offer the possibility of learning a foreign
language both on the mobile application and/or on the web platform. In
² https://www.duolingo.com.
³ https://uk.babbel.com.
⁴ https://www.busuu.com/en.
⁵ https://beelinguapp.com.
⁶ https://www.memrise.com.
⁷ https://www.50languages.com/phrasebook/it/en.
⁸ https://www.hellotalk.com.
⁹ https://www.slonline.si.
¹⁰ http://flax.nzdl.org/greenstone3/flax.
22
reporting on research of current practices promoted by mobile-learning
pedagogy provided a framework for identifying some salient features and
affordances of this novel language learning environment. Finally, the cri-
teria derived from this research served as the basis for evaluation of the
practices introduced in the LanGuide Mobile App.
Insights from mLearning Models for Language Learning
Almost two decades ago Keegan (2002) suggested that mLearning, as a
subset of eLearning, would fashion the future of learning, since techno-
logical innovations and new devices offer learners the possibility to study
at their own convenience, wherever and whenever one wishes to exploit
the opportunities provided by the ubiquitous learning devices. So far, the
prediction seems to have come true only to a certain extent in the field of
language learning, namely, the language-learning apps have proliferated,
but there is scant research available that would confirm a revolutionizing
effect on practices of language acquisition.
For purposes of this article, mobile language apps are those accessed
through a website, as well as apps downloaded onto portable smartphones,
tablets, desktops, and laptops.
Examination of Some Technology-Mediated Self-Study Resources
For the purpose of this research, the following mobile apps have been
briefly examined: Duolingo,² Babbel,³ Busuu,⁴ Beelinguapp,⁵ Memrise,⁶ 50
languages,⁷ HelloTalk,⁸ Slonline⁹ and Flax.¹⁰ It was established that numer-
ous language-learning apps offer the possibility to engage with a wide
range of languages (50 languages: 50 different languages, Duolinguo: 38
languages, Memrise: 25 languages, HelloTalk: 150 languages, Babbel: 14 lan-
guages, and Busuu: 13 languages) and the choice is still growing. However,
except for Beelinguapp, they all offer the possibility of learning a foreign
language both on the mobile application and/or on the web platform. In
² https://www.duolingo.com.
³ https://uk.babbel.com.
⁴ https://www.busuu.com/en.
⁵ https://beelinguapp.com.
⁶ https://www.memrise.com.
⁷ https://www.50languages.com/phrasebook/it/en.
⁸ https://www.hellotalk.com.
⁹ https://www.slonline.si.
¹⁰ http://flax.nzdl.org/greenstone3/flax.
22
