Effectiveness Of College Learners' English Vocabulary Learning Via Mobile Devices

Mobile learning is the learning that combines with mobile communications technologies.The complete ownership of mobile phones among Chinese college students and the enrichment of online learning resources provide conditions for mobile learning.It is generally acknowledged that the integration of mobile learning with language study has great potential.In the time of Internet Plus,there are more and more studies searching for methods to improve college English learning with mobile devices.English vocabulary learning has long been one of the research focuses for researchers.English vocabulary learning is usually conducted by students after class via paper by rote-memory,which leads to deficiency in vocabulary learning.Moreover,the lack of in time review worsens the problem.The popularity of mobile devices and networks provides another feasible way for vocabulary learning.This study aims to measure the effectiveness of vocabulary learning via mobile devices.This paper measures the effectiveness of vocabulary learning through an empirical study both in mobile and paper forms.The experiment follows the crossover study design,with 32 students being divided into two groups,each with 16 subjects and exchanging their roles in the middle of the experiment.The experiment lasts 10 weeks with one task each week for comparison.By analyzing both the general and specific vocabulary gains via the two learning ways,it compares the general and specific vocabulary learning outcomes of two groups.In addition,questionnaires and interviews have been conducted to investigate participants' learning experiences to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of vocabulary learning via mobile devices.Reasons behind effectiveness of vocabulary learning via mobile devices are analyzed from characteristics of mobile devices and learners' learning strategies and motivation.Results are as follows.(1)T-test analysis of the results finds that vocabulary learning via mobile devices is significantly more effective than vocabulary learning via paper in the following aspects: the general vocabulary gain,the specific aspects of the pronunciation of words,E-C words meaning translation(P<0.05;P<0.005;P<0.05).In aspects such as C-E words meaning translation and collocation,there is no significant difference(sig>0.1;sig>0.1).(2)Correlation analysis of the results finds that in pronunciation test,the correctness of pronunciation is positively correlated with the frequency of word sound played by mobile devices(P<0.005).In E-C words meaning translation,scores of the test are positively correlated with in time review by mobile devices(P<0.005).The results from questionnaire and interview help to explain the results of the experiment and provide suggestions for future application of mobile devices in college English vocabulary learning.