Topic: using mobile for learn English language

Order Description this dissertation is about using mobile in learning English in for Oman students. I am already write the literature review but not sure about it I want the writer to review it and rewrite it if he see it need that. I have the data and will upload it later. Mobile Assisted Language Learning Name Institutional Affiliation Mobile Assisted Language Learning Introduction In the modern world, technology-supported devices are growing rapidly, with wireless communication technology not being an exception. Mobile phones with high performance and capabilities are used in all areas of human life. The emergence and development of mobile phones have made them easily available to many people. The widespread access to the sophisticated devices in an expensive way has re-shaped the landscape of mobile learning. Mobile phones should not be seen as a substitute for existing learning devices. However, they should be seen as an extension of learning in different environments. However, not all learning activities and content are appropriate for mobile devices. Some of the major characteristics of mobile learning include its personalized, informal, spontaneous, and ubiquitous form. In this part, I shall discuss the major characteristics of mobile learning. The part will also discuss the development of new learning apps by mobile companies, and the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile learning in the education context. Characteristics of mobile learning One major characteristic of mobile learning is portability and mobility. The portability of devices depends on certain physical features such as weight and. The portability nature of mobile learning means that students can access stored information and content anywhere at any time (Routet, Levonen, & Biardeau, 2001). The learning resources also move with the learners, which mean that information via cell phones is moveable and portable. Another major characteristic of mobile learning is wireless networking, which is a significant feature of mobile learning. This means that it helps the students and faculty avoid some of the internet connection problem (Sey, 2011). Mobile learning is interactive, with the interaction being based on three aspects. The first aspect is the educational, cognitive environment, where learners are provided with an enhanced educational environment. The distant learners can interact with their teachers, the physical and virtual environment, material of the course, and with each other (Ngimwa, 2012). The second interactive aspect is the learners, where the learners direct the process of learning. The learners are independent, which means that rather than waiting for the instructors to provide them with content, they create the content. The third interactive aspect is the skillful aspect, where mobile learning helps the learners interact using the latest apps and some additional tools (Oksman & Turtiainen, 2004). These additional tools include mobile internet access, text messaging, and voice communication. Examples of mobile learning A good example of how mobile technology is used effectively for academics is Infinite Thinking Machine, which is a YouTube series. Some schools use flipped classroom approach, where the students are expected to watch interactive lecture videos at home. Some teachers also create class Twitter accounts, where the students are expected to tweet their learning in 140 characters. Another example of mobile learning is the use of Snapguide. Snapguide is an app used by some schools to show students how to tackle different cases. The learners use the iPhone to find, develop, and share how-to guides. These guides can include video, photos, and text. The users are allowed to ask questions, share, and make comments (Liu, Min, & Ji, 2011). Another example of mobile learning is the quiz-style learning games, which are developed on the iPad. These games are used to develop the cognitive part of the learners. The learners are expected to make new and fresh games that can help other students learn. The learning delivered on the iPad through these games is practical and attractive. The effects of mobiles in language learning skills Mobile learning has an impact on the learners of the English language. There was a prediction that the use of mobile technologies in different parts of the world would be necessary and natural for majority of the students and teachers. Mobile devices are implemented in several forms such as on-line, distant, or face-to-face modes (Liu, 2011). However, some scholars have opted the idea of implementing the use of mobile assisted language learning in the classroom, taking the presence of the students as a paramount factor to consider. Mobile apps, which are used in mobile learning, provide the students with a wide range of learning tools. The students can download the apps and use them to learn. In case of language learning, the use of mobile apps becomes more practical by extending the learning of language outside the classroom period. This is especially when the practice time in the classroom is limited. Learning foreign language requires the students to have informal practices. Therefore, the mobile phones are affective as they provide the students with apple opportunities to keep learning their target language (Kekwaletswe, 2007). Acquisition of new vocabulary by mobiles Vocabulary acquisition is a critical block in gaining fluency in a foreign language. Some faculties find it hard to study new variations in teaching the English language, which make them opt for normal and standard methods of teaching vocabulary, for example, providing the learners with with vocabulary lists. The students are expected to study and understand the vocabulary of their own (Blenkinsopp, 2007). Since the learners are required to understand a large amount of vocabulary to achieve proficiency in the language, they have discovered the need to use technology to make the acquisition easier. Vocabulary is embedded into writing, speaking, and grammar exercises, where the learners are expected to show their ability to use the grammatical and pertinent vocabulary (Benson,2011). Studying the vocabulary can be time-consuming and monotonous, which has made the students try different methods of learning new words. Learning the English language has many needs, which have made students and teachers to prefer using mobile phone technology as their preferred mode of study. Students believe that mobile technology would help them acquire new language words and skills (Traxler, 2005). On the other hand, the faculty believes that mobile technology can help streamline the data and content delivery to the students. Use of mobile technology provides the teachers and students with free time during normal teaching periods. The free time is used on interactive and communicative tasks. According to (Brewer et.al, 2005), students and teachers believe that mobile technology helps them in acquiring the English language faster. As a result, class time can be used on communicative and interactive tasks. Students and the faculty hold the myth that mobile technology automatically helps them acquire new language skills rapidly Advantages of mobile learning Mobile learning is used by people who do not have time. Mobile learning is reinforced when individuals encounter the shortage of time due to long working hours. In such an environment, the busy people tend to use mobile devices to learn rather than using the traditional classroom-based model (Wang, 2012). The physical features of a mobile device should be assessed in this respect. These include the weight and size of the mobile phone, the output, and input capabilities such as touchpad and keypad, and the audio and screen size functions of the device. The prior knowledge, experience, and skills of the learner in using the mobile phone to learn place a crucial role in the quality of the output of mobile tasks (Smordal & Gregory, 2003). The following are the major properties that define the benefits of using mobile devices in learning. The first property is portability, which means that the small weight and size of the device makes it possible to be taken to different places. The social interactivity of the mobile phone makes it possible for learners to collaborate and exchange data with other students. The contextual sensitivity of the mobile phone makes it easy for learners to gather data and respond to it uniquely to the current time and location (Anderson, 2008). The connectivity feature of mobile devices means that mobile phones can be connected to other portable devices, a common network by developing a shared network or to data collection devices. The individuality nature of mobile phones means that it is possible to customize platforms for individual learners (Traxler, 2002). Several scholars have discussed the benefits of using mobile phones in learning. According to Canny, mobile phones offer an ideal platform for learners because they are affordable, ubiquitous, wireless, and compact. Researchers at the University of California worked on a project called MILLEE. In this project, the researchers concentrated on simple skills of the English language. They formed a series of games that constitute the ESL course curriculum (Sampson, 2013). The researcher tested the mobile phone-based learning programs and games in North India. According to their study, the mobile games can give the learners significant learning benefits. According to the researchers, this type of learning will enhance the basic skills of the student. It also provides clues to the scalability and sustainability of the student’s approach to Microsoft research program (Traxler & Bridges, 2004). Another study done to test the advantages of mobile phones in learning languages was by Kenny and Levy. In this study, the two researchers gave the students the option to receive text messages that covered known words in contexts through their mobile phones (Seppala & Alamaki, 2003). The study involved the learners getting nine or ten messages every week. The reports of the study showed that the text messages were helpful for the students to learn vocabulary. Sariola (2003) did a similar study, where they sent short lessons to their students for learning vocabulary through email to the students’ cell phones three times a day. The researcher used new words in multiple contexts, where the learners were required to infer the meaning. The study showed that the students improved their range of scores after the texts, which was encouraging. Other strategies can be used to learn vocabulary through mobile phones. For instance, the learner can be provided with tailored vocabulary practices that are based on classroom activities. The students are then asked to complete the practices on their cell phones and send them back to the teachers. (Perry, 2003) A learner can also learn vocabulary through pictorial annotation shown on his or her mobile device, which can help him or her understand new words. A study done by Chen saw learners being provided with verbal and pictorial annotation for learning vocabulary. According to the study, the pictorial annotation helped the learners with higher visual ability and lower verbal ability to retain vocabulary (Polishook, 2005). Some scholars suggest that computers are better than mobile phones in terms of learning because they can handle different types of information such as sound, visual, and textual information (Pasanen, 2003). However, the mobile device is superior to the computer due to its portability. Furthermore, not all students own computers. Gardner (1983) used the theory of multiple intelligence to argue that people have several cognitive abilities. According to Gardner, human beings have eight kinds of intelligence or abilities that help him or her to learn and understand about the world. These intelligence and abilities include spatial, logical-mathematical, musical, interpersonal, bodily kinesthetic, naturalistic, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. (Kneebone, 2005) Thus, an argument is made that since mobile technologies can store video, text, and audio files, if one can integrate it with the learning environment, the tools can reach learners with different learning styles(Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler, 2005). Disadvantages of mobile learning Mobile learning has some major limitations that make it less convenient for the learners depending on it full time. One of the major limitations of mobile learning is connectivity. The student may encounter connectivity issues while downloading and uploading data due to poor mobile network signals (Keengwe, Maxfield, & IGI Global, 2015). Another major limitation is the size of the screen. The screen of the mobile device being used can be too small, which can result in the user straining if they use it for a long time. The size constraints can also result to the gist of content or less information being provided to the student (Keengwe, 2014). The third limitation is the price of the devices. Students are required to possess the mobile device that will be able to support the courseware, which might be expensive. The devices need to be upgraded due to the constant change of technology. In addition to the high cost of the mobile devices, the learner is supposed to part with extra money for monthly data charges from the network providers. As a result, the student may take a long time and more money when downloading large content (Lu, 2012). Students are also high likely to be distracted when accessing the course through cell phones. This is especially when they get text messages, calls, or social media updates (Pachler et.al, 2010). The role of mobile phone companies in producing learning applications According to a survey done by university students on the student’s use of mobile learning practices, most students own mobile devices, with tablets being among the most preferred devices for academic purposes. The study also found out that cell phone learning usually takes place outside the classroom with limited guidance from the instructors (Hackemer & Peterson, 2005). Mobile companies and learning hubs have come up with applications that help the students in improving their learning. Applications adaptable to tablets and smartphones connect learners interact freely with other learners across the world. These applications running on the mobile devices does not only let the learners consume content but also to discover and produce content (Hewson et.al, 2003). Thus, the applications continue to transform how learners from universities and colleges learn, influence their learning preferences inside and outside the classroom. Educational bodies have realized that there is a big gap between students having portable devices in school and using them for academic purposes. These bodies, together with mobile companies, have realized the need to facilitate specialized professional development, which aims at instructing the learners and integrate technologies into the curriculum. Some of the major apps used by students in mobile learning include information apps for example Google and reference apps such as Dictionary (Gayeski, 2002). Others include school apps such as Mobile Learn and UCF Mobile and resource management apps, such as Evernote, Notes, Dropbox, and word processing. Teachers and institutions should first compile the frequently used and familiar academic apps, which would help them in incorporating these apps into the curriculum. The integration of apps in the curriculum requires the instructors to consider relevant technical limitations (Griswold et.al, 2002). They should also poll their learners to see the type of devices they own. Previous study Theoretical framework understands that the society have different sections that interpret and perceive mobile phones differently. This interpretation of mobile phones helps in integrating mobile technologies in modern day education. For example, Soderstorm (2011) used the constructive grounded theory analysis and qualitative interview method to evaluate the use and significance of cell phones in the lives of the Norwegians. Soderstrom narrowed his study to the younger generation of the able and disabled section, where he noted a different usage of mobile phones. Soderstrom selected a sample population for the study from young people aged between 16 and 20, where 12 were normal mobile users while 12 were disabled mobile users. He found that the disabled people considered safety to be the most important feature of mobile phone, while the normal people considered connectivity and social interactions as the most significant features of a cell phone (Soderstrom, 2011). Similarly, a study done by Sey (2011) in Africa found that cell phones were used for multiple purposes, with the main use being making connections on a professional and personal level. This made the cell phones and important part of their educational and normal lives. According to a study done by Oksman & Turtianinen (2004) in Finland, teenagers in the country considered mobile phones as the most important and convenient form of communication. Oksman and Turtianen reported that chats and instant messaging were popular among the teenagers in the country in maintaining their social circle relationships with their family and friends. The two scholars described this as having an electronic life, which was seen as a better term to represent the generation. A major conclusion of the research was that cell-phone technologies were also gendered, as female teenagers were more reserved about the development of mobile technology than their male counterparts. Caronia and Caron (2004) made exploratory qualitative studies on the meanings and use of mobile technologies in Finland, where they studied how the young people had unused their mobile phones to form their social circles. The culture created by the cell phones was seen as a reflective social performance. It was also seen as a way of encouraging social thinking on different topics such as aesthetics, etiquettes, and ethics. Caronia and Caron (2004) reported that the use of cell phone technology in Finland by the young people was about technical competency and strong communication skills needed to be part of the Finish culture. Therefore, the interaction of cell phones technology and academics, from a sociological perspective, should recognize the major differences in the values, assumptions, and attitudes of the society towards the use of cell phones technologies. It is also important to note that the socio-cultural factors are significant in implementing cell-phones technologies in education. The socio-cultural factors are also important in designing and developing the mobile phones technologies. Conclusion In the modern world, technology-supported devices are growing rapidly, with wireless communication technology not being an exception. Some of the major characteristics of mobile learning include its personalized, informal, spontaneous, and ubiquitous form. The portability nature of mobile learning means that students can access stored information and content anywhere at any time. Mobile learning helps the distant learners to interact with their teachers, the physical and virtual environment, material of the course, and with each other. . Studying the vocabulary can be time-consuming and monotonous, which has made the students try different methods of learning new words. 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