The advantages and disadvantages of mobile applications for language learning

Mobile applications are in fashion. But how useful do language learners really find them compared to traditional language software? In this article, I present the main findings of a recent survey I conducted on student perceptions of mobile apps for language learning.

The survey was conducted among users of a French language and dictionary website, with a total of 290 respondents responding. From them:

• almost a third (31%) reported using a mobile device to help with language learning;
• almost another third (30%) reported that they did not own a mobile device that could run apps;
• the remaining 39% reported that while they owned a device capable of running apps, they did not use it to learn languages.

Whether or not they used their device to learn languages, all respondents were asked which features of mobile devices were beneficial for language learning. Among these, the clearest benefit perceived by respondents (56% agree) was that apps promote “bite-sized” learning: mobile apps are generally designed to be picked up for a short period of time without the need for long periods of concentration.

Currently, respondents apparently do not perceive the use of applications as part of “mainstream learning”, but this may be an advantage for them. Just over a third of respondents (38%) agreed that an advantage of apps was that they allowed learning outside of school or another formal setting. A similar number (37%) saw a benefit in apps as an “additional means” of language practice to “help things sink in.” It will be interesting to see how these perceptions change as more mobile devices become more widely adopted in the classroom.

With the audio, visual, and touch interfaces available on today’s mobile devices, we might have found interactivity to be a benefit. But fewer respondents thought this was the case, with just 25% agreeing with the statement “I think a mobile app is more interactive.” This may be a message to application designers that they still need to work on making better use of the input and output features of the devices.

With the average price of an educational app being a few dollars (and increasing downward pressure on app prices), one might have expected the low price of apps to be perceived as a benefit. Perhaps surprisingly, users did not consider price to be a key factor: only 22% of those surveyed agreed that the lower price of apps compared to regular software was a benefit.

This survey has provided an initial picture of trends in user perception and experience of using mobile apps for language learning. In particular, users seem to appreciate the benefits of mobile apps as a means for bite-sized extracurricular learning. On the other hand, it seems that they are not yet taking full advantage of the potential interactive features of mobile devices.