The document reports on a study that examined the effectiveness of mobile technology assisted language learning (MALL) for vocabulary acquisition among English as a second language students. The study found that MALL had a significant positive effect on vocabulary acquisition for students with higher achievement levels, but no significant impact on pronunciation. Most students preferred learning vocabulary using tablets and cited advantages like interactive tasks and practicing pronunciation. However, some students reported disadvantages such as technical issues and distractions.

1. WITH OR WITHOUT TABLETS?
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTED
LANGUAGE LEARNING (MALL) IN CASE OF ESL
Balazs Czekman
University of Debrecen, Hungary
PhD student
ICT MasterMinds

2. ICT AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
 the effect of the ICT in education was confirmed by different
researches; with its applying the learning and teaching can be
more interesting and motivating (Chapelle, 2001)
 the emerge of mobile devices in education; several advantages;
(Marés, 2012; Abonyi-Tóth – Turcsányi-Szabó, 2015; Hashim et
al., 2017)
 it can be an effective support for developing foreign language
competencies (Hashim et al. 2017; Cobb et al., 2010; Zurita &
Nussbaum, 2004)
 there are only few Hungarian researches (e.g. Kétyi, Asztalos) and
examinations on effectiveness
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

3. THEORITICAL BACKGROUND OF MALL
 it is known from the 80’s: consultations via telephone; courses via
teleconference; SMS, MMS-based lectures; (Twarog & Pereszlenyi
Pinter, 1988; Dickey, 2001; JISC, 2005)
 Definition of MALL (Miangah & Nezarat, 2012), devices of MALL
 Main areas of MALL
 Affordances and constraints of MALL
MALLm-learning CALL
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

4. DETAILS OF THE RESEARCH
 the aim of the research:
 the research of the effectiveness of the vocabulary
acquisition;
 the students’ attitude to MALL vocabulary learning
 sample: lower primary, 4th grade (N=38)
 research method: true experimental research design
 experimental group (tablet, Quizlet) (n=20)
 control group (traditional methods, devices) (n=18)
 data collection:
 online questionnaire
 pretest, 9 posttest (Redmenta, pronunciation)
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

5. H1: The MALL can make a positive effect on students’ vocabulary
acquisition.
H2: The MALL can make a positive effect on students’ pronunciation.
H3: The MALL can make a positive effect on the motivation of
students’ vocabulary learning.
H4: The MALL differently supports the group of students with
different achievement levels.
What advantages of the mobile technology supported vocabulary
acquisition do students see?
What disdvantages of the mobile technology supported vocabulary
acquisition do students see?
HYPOTHESES, RESEARCH QUESTIONS
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

6. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION I.
tablet (n=11) non-tablet (n=10) ANOVA
mean sd mean sd F η2
pretest 68,64 14,678 66,00 15,776 0,16 0,01
posttest2 76,82 26,483 59,50 30,863 1,92 0,09
posttest3 80,91 23,645 71,00 19,120 1,10 0,05
posttest4 88,18 13,652 76,00 23,310 2,19 0,10
posttest5 84,55 13,314 68,00 17,981 5,82* 0,23
posttest6 81,82 19,656 66,50 23,694 2,62 0,12
posttest7 86,82 16,774 69,00 27,669 3,26 0,15
posttest8 81,36 17,901 61,50 24,501 4,56* 0,19
posttest9 64,55 27,969 53,00 26,687 0,93 0,05
posttest10 80,91 20,593 59,00 26,013 4,62* 0,20
The vocabulary acquisition mean of the group with the better achievement
level (percentage point), (* p <0,05; η2 = effect size)
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

7. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION II.
The change of the vocabulary acquisition results (percantage point) of the group
with the better achievement level (* p <0,05)
68,64
76,82
80,91
88,18
84,55* 81,82
86,82
81,36*
64,55
80,91*
66,00
59,50
71,00
76,00
68,00* 66,50 69,00
61,50*
53,00
59,00*
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
tablet non-tablet
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

8. PRONUNCIATION
better achievement level standard achievement level
tablet non-tablet tablet non-tablet
mean sd mean sd mean sd mean sd
pretest 82,73 15,55 83,00 24,06 64,44 13,33 76,25 17,68
posttest2 84,55 15,72 86,00 12,65 68,89 29,34 70,00 19,27
posttest3 90,00 18,97 89,00 11,97 72,22 29,06 78,75 17,27
posttest4 90,91 12,21 97,00 6,75 78,89 16,16 90,00 10,69
posttest5 80,91 21,66 91,00 9,94 71,11 15,37 81,25 9,91
posttest6 80,91 17,00 82,00 13,17 65,56 19,44 65,00 14,14
posttest7 91,82 13,28 90,00 15,63 75,56 16,67 86,25 15,06
posttest8 85,45 17,53 89,00 14,49 73,33 23,98 86,25 10,61
posttest9 82,73 18,49 90,00 11,55 68,89 22,61 70,00 17,73
posttest10 83,64 17,48 93,00 10,59 74,44 18,10 80,00 16,90
Mean of the pronunciation results (percentage point) broken by
groups with different achievement level (no significant diff.)
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

9. STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE: MOTIVATION
Would you like to continue
learning with tablets?
If we had learnt English from
grade one, we would know the
vocabulary better.
95% (19)
5% (1)
Igen Nem
90% (18)
10% (2)
Igen Nem
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

10. MOTIVATION (LEARNING AT HOME)
Distribution of learning with Quizlet at home
some times weekly
20% (4)
weekly
5% (1)
rarely
10% (2)
never
65% (14)
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

11. ATTITUDE OF VOCABULARY LEARNING
I like to learn with
tablet.
I like to learn
vocabulary with
tablet.
I like to learn
vocabulary from my
exercise book.
mean 4,85 4,45 2,50
N 20 20 20
sd 0,67 0,69 1,70
The student’s atitude to tablet supported vocabulary learning

12. ADVANTAGES OF LEARNING WITH QUIZLET
80% (16)
70% (14)
60% (12)
60% (12)
60% (12)
50% (10)
40% (8)
35% (7)
25% (5)
15% (3)
5% (1)
I can choose from the tasks
I can practice pronunciation
I write easier with mobile device
entertaining
fast
playful
I can work with tablet or smartphone
I can compete
It's cool
I receive an instant feedback
else
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő
Advantages of learning with Quizlet (number and percentage of answers)

13. DISADVANTAGES OF LEARNING WITH QUIZLET
30% (6)
30% (6)
25% (5)
20% (4)
10% (2)
10% (2)
5% (1)
5% (1)
0% (0)
0% (0)
0% (0)
it's freezing
it's slow
I don't like competing
I would like to know my results
It distracts my attention
I don't like working with mobile…
I write more difficult with mobile…
I don't like choosing from tasks
it's boring
it doesn't help my pronunciation
else
Disadvantages of learning with Quizlet (number and percentage of answers)

14. SUMMARY
 MALL helps the students to learn vocabulary, but it’s only
significant for the group with better achievement level.
 There is no significant difference in the pronunciation.
 Most of the students prefer learning vocabulary with tablets.
 One third of the students learn at home using their own
mobile devices.
 advantages: freedom to choose task, practice pronunciation
and writing easier with mobile devices
disadvantages: technical problems; competition
II. MOBILE DEVICES IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2017, Balatonfűzfő

15. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Balazs Czekman
balazs.czekman@gmail.com
edumobil.hu