Abstract

Mobile technologies provide opportunities for L2 learners to engage in complex interactions involving a multitude of cognitive, meta-cognitive, and affective factors. Understanding the process of learners’ mobile language learning thus needs holistic approaches that integratively consider learner attributes and their interaction with mobile technologies. In this study, we applied a holistic person-centred approach to examining L2 learners’ self-initiated engagement with mobile learning activities. Data were collected with a questionnaire and follow-up interviews. A cluster analysis performed on the questionnaire data yielded six types of learners with distinctly different learning experiences. We further found that each learner type brought along a distinct package of motivational, emotional, and linguistic interaction, and that the distinct learning experiences of each learner type bore different relationship to learners’ perceived L2 improvement. This study offers theoretical and methodological insights into the complexity and variety inherent in informal mobile language learning. Findings also inform teachers about the design of adaptive and tailored instruction and scaffolding.

摘要

移动技术为L2学习者提供了参与涉及多种认知，元认知和情感因素的复杂交互的机会。因此，了解学习者的移动语言学习过程需要整体的方法，这些方法应综合考虑学习者的属性及其与移动技术的相互作用。在这项研究中，我们采用了一种以人为本的整体方法来研究第二语言学习者对移动学习活动的自我参与。通过问卷调查和后续采访收集数据。对问卷数据进行的聚类分析得出六种类型的学习者，他们的学习经历截然不同。我们进一步发现，每种学习者类型都带来了动机，情感和语言互动的独特组合，并且每种学习者类型的不同学习经历与学习者感知的L2改进有着不同的关系。这项研究为非正式移动语言学习固有的复杂性和多样性提供了理论和方法上的见解。调查结果还向教师介绍了适应性和量身定制的教学与脚手架的设计。