Task 2: Article Review

This time, the second task is to review an article.

Below is the link to the article (please choose the title “Using Mobile Phones For Vocabulary Activities: Examining The Effect Of The Platform” from the website) :

The link to the article.

The article title that being reviewed is “Using Mobile Phones For Vocabulary Activities: Examining The Effect Of The Platform”. The article is published in “Language Learning and Technology Journal”, June 2010, Volume 14, Number 2. The author is Glenn Stockwell from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. He is a Professor in Applied Linguistics and his research interests include computer-mediated communication, mobile learning, and the role of technology in the language learning process.

i. The aims of the research

            The aim of the research was to find out if there was/were any factors/features that can affect users whether to use mobile phone or PC. Another aim was do they achieve higher scores with the PC compared to mobile phone? Alternatively, do learners find that the activities take too long to complete on the mobile phone? Rather than looking at subjective survey data, the research looks at the actual scores achieved by learners depending on the activity type, the amount of time spent engaged on the activities, and any longitudinal differences that were apparent across the period investigated. The research questions were as followed.

1. Are there differences in the scores achieved in activities completed on mobile and PC platforms?

2. Are there differences in the time required to complete activities on mobile and PC platforms?

3. Do learners improve in speed and scores over time on each platform? 

ii. The methodology

The researcher used the vocabulary activity system entitled VocabTutor. The system was written in PHP and MySQL, and integrated into Moodle, which was used for management of class grades and for provision of the audio passages for the lessons covered in the textbook. When students undertook the vocabulary activities on PC, they were required to log into the Moodle system, and then follow a link to the activities. The mobile system was the same as the PC system in content, but had a simplified interface to fit the smaller screen, and graphic images were removed to make loading faster. Both the PC and mobile versions accessed the same databases, and regardless of which platform was used for completing the activities, they were recorded in exactly the same way, but a record was kept of which platform was used. Next, the data for the research were collected through detailed server logs that were automatically kept by the system. The server logs kept records of, among other things, the platform the learners used to complete an activity, the lesson number, the type of activity, the time the activity was started and completed, and the score attained for the activity. Other information including the number of attempts on each item, along with the overall accuracy measures of the vocabulary items was also recorded in each learner’s profile, but these were not used in the current study.

iii. The subject/sample

The research was conducted about three years with three individual groups where the total was 175 learners. All learners were enrolled in a compulsory first-year English-language subject in the School of Law at Waseda University, Tokyo, which focussed predominantly on improving listening skills and vocabulary. All classes were taught by the author and the teaching approach and content were the same. The classes were not streamed, and learners were randomly assigned by the faculty’s student affairs office. Learners were mostly fresh out of high school, and were all aged between 18 and 21.

iv. The findings of the research

The result that answer to the first research question showed that showed no consistent difference between the mobile phone and the PC, with some activities scoring higher on one platform and others scoring higher on the other. For second research question, the results of the study clearly demonstrated that, with the activities used in the current study at least, there was a clear difference in the amount of time required to do activities on the mobile phone compared with the computer. Meanwhile, for the third research question, the data collected did not seem manage to determine whether learners improve in speed and scores over time on each platform, and activities in some lessons took longer than other lessons, regardless of the platform.

i. Does the research interest you?

This research interest me somehow because I want to know is it possible for us to learn trough mobile phone because people perception toward mobile phone is always to used and communication stuff and not for education purpose. Thus, if it is possible, then, it will be one way to improve students’ knowledge especially vocabulary in this research. This research also will blocked negative perception towards technology especially mobile phone.

ii. Do you think the research well conducted?

From my point of view, I think the research was well conducted. The research takes about three years and the sample was being taught by the researcher. Thus, the researcher supposes to know the level of the students and the effectiveness of the methodology the researcher used. The researcher also carefully selected the topic and compared the result.

iii. What is/are the implication(s) of the research in the teaching and learning of ESL ( in the general and Malaysian contexts)

One of the implications of this research in the teaching and learning of ESL is it can provide broader view to Malaysian especially teachers to used technology in class for the teaching and learning of ESL process. When we used technology such as mobile phone, it will grab the attention and focus from the students and will increase their interest in learning. Another implication will be the students will used English in daily usage because they used to use English using mobile phone. So, when the student texting their friends, they might used English.