Using Mobile Devices to Improve Educational Outcomes: An Analysis in Primary Education
Keywords:
Mobile devices, mobile learning, application (App), EFL (English as a Foreign Language), information and communication technologies (ICTs)Abstract
Significant challenges to the delivery of quality education remain
as Taiwan has carried on its educational reform. In the attempt to find
solutions to these challenges, desires associating new information and
communication technologies (ICTs) should be put into consideration.
Mobile-assisted-language-learning (MALL) is one of the examples.
Nowadays, even though having wireless learning environment in Taiwan,
schools have difficulties in implementing mobile learning if they do not
possess the appropriate courseware. This article examines the extent to
which mobile devices facilitate M-learning in terms of educational
outcomes of Taiwan. The purposes of this study are: 1) developing the
appropriate mobile learning application (App) for language learners, (2)
designing the mobile learning curriculum model, and (3) evaluating the
effectiveness of mobile learning. Analysis of the study indicates that there
important evidence of mobile application facilitating EFL (English as a
Foreign Language) learning. The results also indicate that students are
motivated to use the application in their spare time and that this benefits
their learning. Mobile technologies should be emdedded in a natural
learning environment. As for the future investigation, more technical
breakthroughs in curriculum and instruction need to be put into
consideration, in order to gain an overall picture of the optimal outcomes
of English teaching.
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