1. Evaluating Language Learning Mobile Apps
Fernando Rosell-Aguilar
@FRosellAguilar
Department of Languages, The Open University

2. Apps for language learning
New market since 2007 (iPhone) + iPad 2010
“Game changer” (Goodwin-Jones, 2001)
Functionalities
Competitors followed (Android, Windows...)
100 billion apps downloaded by 2015
Potential for ubiquitous learning opportunities, ease of use, collaborative potential, content access, productivity (Murphy, 2011)
Fits with constructivism; use of authentic materials; informal and lifelong learning; learning objects; CALL; MALL theories and practices of just in time teaching.

3. Apps for language learning
“Super powers” (Sweeney & Moore, 2012)
Screen size
touch screen
enhanced text entry
high-quality image, audio and video playback, recording, editing and sharing
voice recognition
storage
Fast connectivity
Geolocation
Bluetooth connection
(Goodwin-Jones, 2011)

4. Apps for language learning
Criticisms
Often “designed by developers with little knowledge of language learning” (Moore, 2011)
Often replicate what’s been done before: “pedagogically nothing new has been done with smartphones that has not already been done with earlier mobile devices” (Burston, 2014)
Most apps focus on cognitive processes and receptive skills (Kim & Kwon, 2012). Little socio-cognitive activity or collaborative learning.
Have we gone 20 years back to behaviourist CALL?
This is changing.

5. Apps for language learning
Research: Wide ownership, enjoyable (Khaddage & Latemann, 2013) Some indications of language learning improvement:
Reading (McLanahan et al, 2012; Harmon, 2012)
Listening (Lys, 2013, Kim, 2013)
Vocabulary (Yildiz, 2012)
Verb conjugation (Castañeda & Cho, 2013)
Character writing (Shinagawa, 2014, Rosell-Aguilar & Kan, 2015)

6. My taxonomy

7. Pronunciation & Intonation
Listening
Teaching
Grammar
Progress
Description
Writing
Language Learning
Speaking
Pedagogy
Vocabulary
Reading
Content quality
Differentiation
Language varieties
Scaffolding
Cultural information
Engagement
Visual content
Use of media
Interactivity
Offline work
User experience
Technology
User registration
Support
Price
Interface
Gamification
Interaction
Badging
Stability
Navigation
Advertising
Sharing
Instructions

8. My students' favourite apps:
Duolingo
Busuu
Google Translate
Memrise / Quizlet +
Chinese First Steps
Conjuverb
MacMillan Sounds
TED

9. Final considerations
Do not expect an app to do it all, but to do what it does well.
Wouldn’t expect perfection from other media or type of resources.
Use framework to develop skills to evaluate apps.
Each individual has different needs.
“The one app to rule them all” doesn’t exist: use several apps to create a synergy of different skills to suit learners with different needs at different stages, different levels, different times.

10. @FRosell-Aguilar Fernando.Rosell-Aguilar@open.ac.uk
Please complete the feedback form
@FRosell-Aguilar
Thank you! ¡Gracias!