Enhancing Foreign Language Learning Outcomes and Mitigating Cultural Attributes Inherent in Asian Culture in a Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Environment

Abstract

To achieve sustainable language learning, we designed a foreign language learning activity that extended traditional lectures in classrooms to informal learning in the real world using mobile technology. Chinese undergraduate students participated in our learning activity. We tested whether our learning activity could enhance their language learning outcomes through employing a single group pretest post-test design. We explored how the participants perceived the usefulness of the activity to foster language learning by administering a questionnaire survey. Finally, we investigated whether our learning activity could mitigate the cultural attributes inherent in Asian culture through interviews with the participants and their instructors. Our results demonstrated that participant learning outcomes improved during the learning activity. The results also showed that the perceptions of most participants of the value of the exercise were high. In the interviews, the participants and the instructors revealed that they felt the learning activity was useful and interesting. They also claimed that the learning activity helped mitigate cultural attributes, such as shyness, reservedness, passiveness, inhibition, lack of confidence, risk-avoidance, test-oriented learning, reliance on teachers for knowledge, and memorization. Based on these results, we provide some implications and useful suggestions for educators and researchers.