Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features

Vocabulary plays a great role in language learning as learners would face difficulties in language learning if they have insufficient vocabulary knowledge. The advent of new technologies has encouraged the development of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) and the increase in mobile apps for vo...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Deris, F. D., Shukor, N. S. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Association of Online Engineering 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.utm.my/92194/1/FarhanaDianaDeris2019_VocabularyLearningThroughMobileApps.pdf
_version_ 1796865376244465664
author Deris, F. D.
Shukor, N. S. A.
author_facet Deris, F. D.
Shukor, N. S. A.
author_sort Deris, F. D.
collection ePrints
description Vocabulary plays a great role in language learning as learners would face difficulties in language learning if they have insufficient vocabulary knowledge. The advent of new technologies has encouraged the development of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) and the increase in mobile apps for vocabulary learning. Nonetheless, it would seem that there is a dearth in research on the use of mobile apps for vocabulary learning especially in our local contexts. Capitalising on the strength of phenomenological inquiry and a model for technology acceptance, this study investigated several existing mobile apps for language learning. In particular, it looked into students' acceptance and the features of mobile apps conducive for vocabulary learning. This study employed in-depth interviews and surveys as instruments. Using purposive sampling technique, thirty-three students were selected as participants to experience using mobile apps to learn vocabulary on self-directed basis for a specified duration. At the end of the trial stage, all participants responded to the surveys, and three were interviewed. The accounts given by participants indicated positive acceptance and several desired features. Interestingly, this study also revealed several challenges in learning vocabulary through mobile apps which should be the concern of both apps developers and language teachers.
first_indexed 2024-03-05T20:56:02Z
format Article
id utm.eprints-92194
institution Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - ePrints
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-05T20:56:02Z
publishDate 2019
publisher International Association of Online Engineering
record_format dspace
spelling utm.eprints-921942021-08-30T04:23:05Z http://eprints.utm.my/92194/ Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features Deris, F. D. Shukor, N. S. A. P Philology. Linguistics Vocabulary plays a great role in language learning as learners would face difficulties in language learning if they have insufficient vocabulary knowledge. The advent of new technologies has encouraged the development of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) and the increase in mobile apps for vocabulary learning. Nonetheless, it would seem that there is a dearth in research on the use of mobile apps for vocabulary learning especially in our local contexts. Capitalising on the strength of phenomenological inquiry and a model for technology acceptance, this study investigated several existing mobile apps for language learning. In particular, it looked into students' acceptance and the features of mobile apps conducive for vocabulary learning. This study employed in-depth interviews and surveys as instruments. Using purposive sampling technique, thirty-three students were selected as participants to experience using mobile apps to learn vocabulary on self-directed basis for a specified duration. At the end of the trial stage, all participants responded to the surveys, and three were interviewed. The accounts given by participants indicated positive acceptance and several desired features. Interestingly, this study also revealed several challenges in learning vocabulary through mobile apps which should be the concern of both apps developers and language teachers. International Association of Online Engineering 2019 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.utm.my/92194/1/FarhanaDianaDeris2019_VocabularyLearningThroughMobileApps.pdf Deris, F. D. and Shukor, N. S. A. (2019) Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 13 (7). pp. 129-140. ISSN 1865-7923 http://www.dx.doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v13i07.10845 DOI: 10.3991/ijim.v13i07.10845
spellingShingle P Philology. Linguistics
Deris, F. D.
Shukor, N. S. A.
Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title_full Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title_fullStr Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title_full_unstemmed Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title_short Vocabulary learning through mobile apps: a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
title_sort vocabulary learning through mobile apps a phenomenological inquiry of student acceptance and desired apps features
topic P Philology. Linguistics
url http://eprints.utm.my/92194/1/FarhanaDianaDeris2019_VocabularyLearningThroughMobileApps.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT derisfd vocabularylearningthroughmobileappsaphenomenologicalinquiryofstudentacceptanceanddesiredappsfeatures
AT shukornsa vocabularylearningthroughmobileappsaphenomenologicalinquiryofstudentacceptanceanddesiredappsfeatures