Title: The limited usage and effect of smart phones and an online tutoring system for regular and large-scale university English teaching

Authors: Jiyou Jia; Yuzhen Li; Huixiao Le

Addresses: Department of Educational Technology, Graduate School of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China ' Beijing Institute of Technology Zhuhai, Guangdong, China; Graduate School of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China ' Department of Educational Technology, Graduate School of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China

Abstract: This research integrates online learning supported by students' smart phones and a tutoring system CSIEC into a university course of English as a foreign language, through one semester with 548 students and eight lecturers from 13 classes. The treatment students used the system to learn vocabulary during the specified periods through voluntary participation and natural grouping, while the control students used alternative methods. The online learning activities analysis shows significant difference between the online learning behaviour of the treatment and control group, and demonstrates that the treatment group improved the vocabulary grade with a large effect size and decreased the time spent on completing the quiz. The treatment group improved better than the control group in overall learning, especially in vocabulary mastery and writing examined in regular university tests. The anonymous online survey results reveal that the students were satisfied with the English learning. The reasons leading to the findings are discussed. The implication for MALL research and future work are suggested.

Keywords: smart phone; tutoring system; college English; vocabulary automaticity; effectiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2023.133768

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2023 Vol.17 No.4, pp.517 - 536

Received: 17 Aug 2021
Accepted: 17 Dec 2021
Published online: 03 Oct 2023 *

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