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Gabarre, C., & Gabarre, S. (2010). An innovative assessment method for real world learning: Learner created content with a cell phone, YouTube and an LMS. Proceedings of Global Learn Asia-Pacific 2010 - Global Conference on Learning and Technology, Penang, Malaysia (pp. 1202-1210). AACE.

This Malaysian paper describes a 4-week mobile phone-based video recording project in a university French for tourism and hospitality course. Using their phones, 22 A2-level French majors worked in groups of 3-4 to create a 5-10-minute narrated video promoting a Malaysian tourist attraction. Videos were posted on YouTube with a link to the university’s LMS. The videos submitted were of excellent quality with accurate content and both language performance (reading, writing, listening, speaking) and intercultural skills showed substantial gains. However, one of the groups failed to work collaboratively, with one student doing all the work.

Gabarre, C., Gabarre, S., Din, R., & Fung, Y-M. (2013). Action research to explore the future language classroom with iPads. The European Conference on Technology in the Classroom, 86-95. The International Academic Forum.

This paper investigates the in-class use of iPads by 25 beginning level L2 French learners at a Malaysian university. During a 14-week period, students shared five iPads to play multimedia files and access a variety of applications (e.g., lecture notes, presenters, polls, annotators, interactive whiteboard, e-books, Internet browsers). Data was collected through observations, artefacts and field notes, interviews, learners' self-reflexive logs as well as lecturers' memos. Although pedagogical advantages were hindered by connectivity issues, findings confirmed that the devices' features and applications were relevant to language teaching and learning.

Gabarre, S., & Gabarre, C. (2009a). Using cell phones in the language class: A preliminary look at some of the possibilities. The 6th Malaysia International Conference on Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (pp. 729-740). Putrajaya, Malaysia: Department of English, University Putra Malaysia.

This Malaysian conference presentation describes two 2-week experiments that involved using mobile phones to foster communicative writing and speaking skills in the L2 French of university students. In the first, 18 participants used their phones to take pictures on campus accompanied by a written commentary, which was later sent to and discussed in an online forum. In the second, 22 students made recordings of a 30-second simulated dialogue.  Student productions were sent via MMS to an online class forum. Students viewed each other’s work and commented on it in writing and with audio recordings in the forum.

Gabarre, S., & Gabarre, C. (2009b). Delivering pull and push content with SMS, MMS and an LMS in a foreign language course. Proceeding of ICEL 2009 International Conference on E-Learning. Shah Alam, Malaysia.

This Malaysian paper explores the preferences of 22 university A1-level L2 French students regarding the reception of grammar notes delivered over a 14-week period via SMS and MMS compared to the same information accessible from an e-learning platform. SMSs and above all the MMSs were extremely well received by the learners. Course material was hardly ever pulled from the website by the students. Learners never initiated a request for information using the course website and only on one occasion using the mobile devices. Students’ self-perception of their L2 French competence and liking for the subject increased following the treatment.

Gabarre, S., & Gabarre, C. (2010a). Utilising mobile phones as a language learning tool. In T-B. Hoon, Y-M. Fung, Y-N. Thai (Eds.), Language learning: Challenges, Approaches and Collaboration (pp. 92-118). Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller GmbH & Co. KG.

This Malaysian conference presentation describes the same French L2 experiment with university students reported in Gabarre & Gabarre (2009a), in which mobile phones were used to take pictures and make accompanying textual commentaries as the basis for discussion on a web-based class forum.

Gabarre, S., & Gabarre, C. (2010b). Shooting short videos in French with mobile phones. Flinders University Languages Group Online Review,4(2), 93-108.

This Malaysian paper describes an eight-week MALL treatment involving 22 university students of unspecified L2 French competency level. Participants engaged in three mobile phone-based activities. First, they took a picture on the campus which they posted in a new thread in the first activity’s forum with a 50-word description or explanation. Secondly, they audio recorded a conversion with another student which was posted in the relevant forum accompanied by a verbatim transcription. Lastly, working in groups of 3-4, they shot a 90-second video of a self-chosen topic. Student questionnaires and interviews revealed that participation and motivation were mutually increased.

Gabarre, S., & Gabarre, C. (2010c). Using the learners’ mobile phones to enrich exchanges in a French language course. Proceedings of ICEL 2010, the International Conference on E-Learning (pp. 118-125). Penang, Malaysia: ACI.

This Malaysian paper describes a year-long set of activities undertaken by 22 university L2 French students of unspecified L2 French competency level. They worked in small groups using their mobile phones to create short audio and video role plays as well as 5-minute video clip presentation. These were uploaded to a class forum and served as the basis for student comments that were similarly recorded on mobile phones and uploaded to the forum. Students’ out-of-class performances were better and less stressful to do, but students preferred in-class presentations for their ease and lack of technological dependence.

Gabarre, S., Gabarre, C., & Din, R. (2013). Digital story telling with mobile phones: An experiment in foreign language teaching. In E. Yamato (Ed.), Studies on Foreign Languages and Cultures in Malaysia (pp 50-67).

This Malaysian paper describes a four-week out-of-class project involving 21 L2French university students at the A2/B1 level (CERF). Using their mobile phones, participants worked online in triads to produce a five- minute video about a childhood memory or traditional story. The project sought to determine the influence of language proficiency on the quality of video production. The outcome indicated that language proficiency played only a slight role in online interactions and that success on the task was much better predicted by technological skills than language proficiency.

Gabarre, C., Gabarre, S., Din, R., & Fung, Y-M. (2013). Action research to explore the future language classroom with iPads. The European Conference on Technology in the Classroom, 86-95. The International Academic Forum.

This paper investigates the in-class use of iPads by 25 beginning level L2 French learners at a Malaysian university. During a 14-week period, students shared five iPads to play multimedia files and access a variety of applications (e.g., lecture notes, presenters, polls, annotators, interactive whiteboard, e-books, Internet browsers). Data was collected through observations, artefacts and field notes, interviews, learners' self-reflexive logs as well as lecturers' memos. Although pedagogical advantages were hindered by connectivity issues, findings confirmed that the devices' features and applications were relevant to language teaching and learning.

Ġad, M., Akdağ, M., & Şad, N. (2010). İngilizce Dersinde Cep Telefonlarıyla Üretilen Sözlü Performans Ödevlerinin Yazılı Performans Ödevleriyle Karşılaştırılması (A comparison of oral performance tasks prepared using mobile phones with traditional written performance tasks). Turkish Journal of Educational Sciences, 8(3), 719-740. [in Turkish]

In this two-week experiment, after having studied English relative pronouns (who, which, where, whose) in class, pairs of eighth-graders of unspecified L2 English competency level in Turkey were assigned the task of writing a commercial, short movie or documentary that used the pronouns studied. An experimental group of 56 used the cameras on their mobile phones to film a dramatization of their creation whereas a control group of 56 visually illustrated their work with photographs, cartoons, or drawings. The experimental group significantly outperformed the control on pre-/post-treatment relative pronoun test.

Gajda, K. (2024). Aplikacje mobilne w akademickiej dydaktyce językowej na przykładzie wykorzystania platformy Duolingo w nauczaniu języka rosyjskiego (Mobile applications in academic language education using the example of the Duolingo platform in teaching Russian). Czasopismo Polskiego Towarzystwa Neofilologicznego, 62(1), 312-332.  [in Polish]

This study describes the reactions of 78 L2 Russian learners at a Polish university to their supplementary out-of-class use of a mobile-accessible language learning app (Duolingo) during a one-month summer course. The competence level of participants varied between A1, A2 and B1. Over all, they expressed a positive view of Duolingo, which they presumably accessed via their smartphones, but found it more effective for improving their reading skills than for speaking or writing. Of the 18 A1-level students who took a post-treatment verification test, 10 achieved a result above 95%, six above 85%, and two achieved a result of 75%.

Gale, E., & Kung, S-C. (2019). Student perceptions of mobile video recording to learn American Sign Language. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 11(1), 1-11.

This American study describes the use of an iOS mobile-based video recording app (Coach's Eye) to foster the learning of American Sign Language (ASL) by thirteen university students, mostly at the beginners’ level. Over 15 weeks, participants practiced the signing of grammatical features in class and out of class, which they uploaded to Dropbox for self-reflection and peer-correction. According to mid-term and end-semester student questionnaires, all participants thought that use of the app helped them to see the correct and incorrect parts of their signing skills and would recommend the app to other ASL students.

García, A., & Vidal, E. (2019). Una experiencia b-Learning/m-Learning como soporte para la mejora de las capacidades del área de Inglés para estudiantes de Ingeniería (A b-Learning/m-Learning experience as support for the improvement of the capacities of the English area for engineering students). 17th LACCEI International Multi-Conference for Engineering, Education, and Technology: “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities and Communities”, Montego Bay, Jamaica. [in Spanish]

This conference presentation investigated the effect of mobile-based flipped classroom teaching on the L2 English of 21 Peruvian university students of unspecified English competence level. Over a semester, participants used their cell phones to access a learning management platform (Helbling-Ezone), Edpuzzle and Youtube to watch videos, repeat target words and phrases and answer questions. Presumably, a control group of 24 received instruction that did not involve either blended learning or MALL activities. On a pre-/post-test comparison of grammar, vocabulary, written and oral production, the control group made no significant progress whereas the experimental group significantly improved in all assessed parameters.

García Botero, G., Botero Restrepo, M., Zhu, C., & Questier, F. (2019). Complementing in-class language learning with voluntary out-of-class MALL. Does training in self-regulation and scaffolding make a difference? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 34(8), 1013-1039. 

This Columbian study investigated the effect of self-regulation and scaffolding upon the beginner-level L2 French language learning of university students. Over ten weeks, 32 participants used their mobile devices to study French with a language learning app (Duolingo), 14 with training in self-regulation and scaffolding and 18 without such training or scaffolding. A control group of 16 studied without the app. Students who received self-regulation training used Duolingo significantly more than those who did not. They also significantly outperformed the other two groups on a post-treatment writing test. There was no significant difference between the groups in other learning outcomes.

García Cabrero, J. (2002). Third generation telephony: New technological support for computer assisted language learning. International Journal of English Studies, 2(1), 167-178.

This Spanish article is the first MALL publication to describe the emergence of the smartphone (i.e., a PDA with telephone connectivity) and its possible application to the teaching of L2 Business Spanish. A prototype lesson, based on a unit from the web-based Tele-EnREDando multimedia tutorial program, was pilot-tested with upper-intermediate-level students, who were positive about the experience. Results are claimed to be equivalent to those attained with the PC/web version of Tele-EnREDando. On the negative side, users highlighted the difficulty of data entry, which they found slow and somewhat complicated. 

Garcia-Ponce, E., Lengeling, M., Mora-Pablo, I., & Arroyo, L. (2023). Use of WhatsApp as a platform to promote English oral fluency and accuracy: A task repetition approach. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 28(1), 69-85.

This study evaluated the effect of task repetition on the oral fluency and accuracy of seven intermediate-level L2 English learners at a Mexican university. Weekly over four weeks, using an instant messaging app (WhatsApp), participants audio-recorded a monologue created on the basis of the same series of pictures. Apparently, this was done in class using personal mobile devices. When the performance of the four narrations was evaluated and compared, it was determined that only fluency increased over time. Accuracy development was limited. However, no p values were calculated to substantiate these claims.

García-Sampedro, M., Morais, M., & Iñesta Mena, E. (2018). Oral communication and m-learning in UTE primary school English classroom: Photography and video as a resource. Fonseca-Journal of Communication, 139-158.

This Spanish study describes the design and implementation of a three-month-long program that sought to improve the English oral communication of 84 L1 Spanish fifth-/sixth-graders of unspecified L2 English competence level. The treatment involved the exploitation of the image and video affordances of Android-based smartphones and tablets. Working collaboratively out of class, the children took pictures relating to objects from their language curriculum. Video recording was used for the creation of a narrated story. All artifact creation was followed up with in-class discussions. All the students and teachers gave a positive assessment of the learning initiatives.

Gelsomini, F., Kanev, K., Barneva, R., …, & Roccaforte, M. (2019). BYOD collaborative storytelling in tangible technology-enhanced language learning settings. In M. Auer & T. Tsiatsos (Eds.), Mobile Technologies and Applications for the Internet of Things (pp. 22-33). Proceedings of the 12th IMCL Conference.

This Italian study describes a two-hour session in which 22 A1+ level Italian university students used their own mobile devices to access QR codes placed on images and objects distributed around their classroom. Working in pairs or triads, they created a story inspired by the QR-encoded information. Activities were devised to let students practice speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. Participants voice-recorded their story step-by-step as the proceeded to different QR codes. They used Google Docs to write up the completed story. According to a post-treatment questionnaire, all the participants liked the activity and were interested and motivated by it.

Geng, X., & Yamada, M. (2020a). The development and evaluation of an augmented reality learning system for Japanese compound verbs using learning analytics. Proceedings of 2020 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (pp. 71-76).

This study describes the design and pilot testing of a mobile-based Augmented Reality app intended to help L2 Japanese students learn compound verbs. It was trialed during one 100-minute session by thirteen N2-level (Advanced-low) international students at a university in Japan. The system consisted of eleven cards with a single verb character printed on them. Using the app on their smartphones to scan the cards, participants could move them around virtually and combine two to form a compound verb. Participants demonstrated a significant improvement on a pre-test/immediate post-test comparison. This improvement was maintained on a one-week delayed post-test.

Geng, X., & Yamada, M. (2020b). An Augmented Reality learning system for Japanese compound verbs: Study of learning performance and cognitive load. Smart Learning Environments. 7, 1-19.

This Japanese study is very similar to Geng & Yamada (2020a). The same researcher-based Augmented Reality app was used to support the learning of compound verbs. During one forty-minute session, an experimental group of 10 language school students at the N3-level (Intermediate-mid) used their smartphones to access the 3D AR materials in conjunction with paper-based image schema material. Meanwhile, a matched control group of 11 studied the same content using only the paper-based material. On a pre-/post-/four-week-delayed-post-test comparison, the experimental group significantly outperformed the control. There was no significant difference in the perceived cognitive loads between the two learning methods.

Ghaemi, F., & Golshan, N. (2017). The impact of Telegram as a social network on teaching English vocabulary among Iranian intermediate EFL learners. International Journal of Media and Communication, 1(1), 23-29.

This Iranian study describes the effect of a social networking app (Telegram) upon the vocabulary acquisition of 30 upper-intermediate-level L2 English adolescent language institute students.  Twice a week, participants were sent messages containing 15 items with word meanings and example sentences. A total of nearly 100 words was sent, thus presumably the treatment lasted about six weeks. During the same period a matched control group of 30 studied the same vocabulary on paper. Whereas on a pre-/post-test comparison the experimental group significantly improved their scores, the control did not.

Ghanizadeh, A., Jahedizadeh, S., & Movaghar, F. (2022). The effect of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on Iranian EFL learners’ idiom learning and perceptions of classroom activities. Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 14(1), 41-60.

This Iranian study evaluated the effect of classroom-based compared to the out-of-class mobile-based learning of six L2 English idioms. Pictures, texts, audio, and video files, were used as the materials in teaching the idioms. Over ten days, university students of unspecified English competence level learned three idioms per week. Forty-five participants did so in class, three idioms at a time twice per week. Sixty-nine participants learned one idiom at a time per day, three times per week out of class via Telegram messages using their mobile phones. The mobile phone users significantly outperformed the in-class learners on an immediate post-test.

Gharehblagh, N., & Nasri, N. (2020). Developing EFL elementary learners' writing skills through mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). Teaching English with Technology, 20(1), 104-121.

This Iranian study evaluated the effect of mobile-phone based peer-group discussion and feedback upon the composition writing of 15 elementary-level L2 English learners. Over a semester, participants used a social networking app (Telegram) to individually write and collaboratively discuss their written composition assignments with feedback from their instructor. Students in a matched control group of 15 wrote their compositions on paper without collaborative interaction or instructor feedback. Both groups showed statistically significant improvement on an immediate and delayed writing post-test, but the experimental group more so than the control.

Ghee, T., Terng, H., & Chui, H. (2019). Students’ perception of WhatsApp as an effective medium for enhancing listening skill in foreign language learning. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 27(2), 833-845.

This Malaysian study evaluated student reaction to the use of a social networking app (WhatsApp) for listening practice in a beginner-level L2 Mandarin course. From time to time throughout a semester, 38 university students used their smartphones to access a total of twelve 5-7-minute podcasts distributed via the app. According to a post-treatment survey, most students thought that WhatsApp was a suitable, effective, fast and easy to use medium for podcast delivery. Notwithstanding, over a quarter of the respondents expressed negative reactions to the treatment.

Gheytasi, M., Azizifar, A., & Gowhary, H. (2015). The effect of smartphone on the reading comprehension proficiency of Iranian EFL learners. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 225-230.

This Iranian paper investigated the effectiveness of in-class smartphone-based reading activities upon the L2 English reading comprehension of 18 high school students of unspecified English competency level. A pre-/post-test comparison after one month of daily instruction demonstrated the significantly higher comprehension of the experimental group compared to a control of 16 whose treatment conditions were unspecified. However, the results of post-treatment student questionnaires and interviews indicated negative attitudes towards the use of mobile phones in class. Specifically, concern was expressed regarding the addictive nature of mobile phone usage, its distractive and disruptive potential and the loss of control over information.

Ghobadi, S., & Taki, S. (2018). Effects of Telegram stickers on English vocabulary learning: Focus on Iranian EFL learners. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 6(1), 139-158.

This Iranian study investigated the effectiveness of Telegram stickers in fostering the vocabulary acquisition of 30 intermediate-level L2 English university students. Over four class sessions, participants received 40 vocabulary items and their definitions via Telegram stickers. During the same time, a matched control group of 30 studied the same words on paper. According to a pre-/post-treatment comparison, both groups improved their mean scores on a 30-item multiple-choice vocabulary test. However, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater gains than the control.

Ghooriyan, A., & Salehi, H. (2022). Using Instagram for teaching idioms to Iranian upper-intermediate EFL learners. Journal of Critical Studies in Language and Literature, 3(4), 16-26.

This study evaluated the effect of an instant messaging app (Instagram) upon the L2 English vocabulary acquisition of Iranian university students, all L1 Persian speakers at an upper-intermediate English competence level. Over an unspecified time period/frequency, 30 participants used Instagram via their smartphones to learn unspecified idioms following unspecified procedures. Vocabulary was presented through text, pictures and audio. Meanwhile, a matched control group of 30 learned the same idioms using only text-based materials. The experimental group significantly outscored the control on a pre-/post-test comparison. Experimental group participants also expressed positive attitudes regarding the pedagogical use of Instagram.

Ghorbandordinejad, F., Aghasafi, A., Farjadnasab, A., & Hardani, A. (2010). Mobile handheld recording devices in the general English classroom. The First Symposium of Educational Technology, CITY, Oman.

This Iranian paper investigated the effectiveness of using mobile voice recording devices compared to class notes on the learning of grammar in a university General English class of unspecified L2 English competency level. A single-session pilot study was undertaken with 15 students using voice recorders, MP3 players or their mobile phones to record the class discussion and 15 taking notes with paper and pencil. Based on a test taken a week after the class, students who prepared with the support of the recorded lesson significantly outperformed those who only had access to their class notes.

Ghorbani, N., & Ebadi, S. (2020). Exploring learners' grammatical development in mobile assisted language learning. Cogent Education, 7(1), 1-14.

This study evaluated the L2 English grammatical competency of thirty Iranian university students. Every other day for three months, presumably using mobile devices in matched ability pairs ranging from A1 to C2, participants text-chatted for 15-30 minutes via an instant messaging app(Telegram). These were monitored by the instructor, corrected for grammatical errors and posted back to the students. A control group of five mixed ability pairs of students similarly chatted, but only received feedback from their partner. Students who received instructor feedback significantly outscored the control group on a post-treatment grammar test.

Ghounane, N. (2019). The attitudes of second year EFL students at Dr Moulay Tahar University towards learning English pronunciation through mobile assisted language. Arab World English Journal, Special Issue on CALL, 5, 110 -123.

This Algerian study describes the use of three mobile-based apps to improve the English pronunciation of 95 university students of unspecified L2 English competency level. Over six months, students used Sounds: The Pronunciation App and Stress Training App to work on segmental and stress features. The BBC English Listening App was also used to provide oral reading practice that allowed comparison with the recorded pronunciation of native speakers. Scores on a pre-/post-test comparison demonstrated substantial improvement in pronunciation, stress placement and intonation. Students as well as 15 instructors expressed positive attitudes towards the MALL treatment.

Ginting, R. (2019). The effect of Hello English application on the students’ vocabulary mastery at the eighth grade of junior high school. BA thesis, UIN Sumatera Utara, Medan.

This Indonesian BA thesis evaluates the effect of a mobile-based L2 English tutorial game app (Hello English) on the vocabulary acquisition of 32 eighth-graders of unspecified English language competence. Over an unspecified time period, using their smartphones, these participants studied unspecified material in the app while a control group of 32 received the same classroom instruction without use of the app. Both groups demonstrated improvement on a pre-/post-/treatment vocabulary test comparison, but the Hello English users significantly more so than the control with a strong effect size result.

Ginting, R., & Fithriani, R. (2021). Using the Hello English application in the EFL classroom: Its efficacy in helping students to master vocabulary. Annual International Conference on Language and Literature (pp. 592-600).

This conference presentation replicates the BA thesis study of Ginting (2019), evaluating the effect of the same mobile-based L2 English tutorial game app (Hello English) on the vocabulary acquisition of 32 Indonesian eighth-graders of unspecified English language competence. Over an unspecified time period, using their smartphones, these participants studied unspecified material in the app while a control group of 32 received the same classroom instruction without use of the app. A pre-/post-test comparison confirmed the same results, with the Hello English users significantly outscoring the control group.

Giridharan, B. (2013). Exploring the use of ARS-keepad technology in English vocabulary development. Arab World English Journal, 4(2), 93-105.

This Malaysian study describes the effect of a hand-held classroom response system (ARS-keepad) upon the L2 English learning attitudes and behaviors of 40 pre-tertiary students of unspecified English competence level. Participants accessed the system twice weekly for 14 weeks to learn/review vocabulary encountered in previous assigned readings. ARS-keepad was used to answer multiple-choice questions embedded in PowerPoint presentations. Students were observed to be enthusiastic during the learning tasks. They appreciated the increased interaction during classroom learning activities achieved through the use of ARS-keepad and thought that it had motivated them greatly and improved their competence and confidence in learning.

Gjedde, L., & Bo-Kristensen, M. (2012). Workplace mobile-assisted second language learning: Designing for learner generated authenticity. In J. Díaz-Vera (Ed.), Left to my own devices: Learner autonomy and mobile-assisted language learning innovation and leadership in English language teaching (pp. 183-195). Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

This Danish study reports on a lifelong-learning project in which adult L2 Danish learners complement classroom instruction with their out-of-class documentation of workplace language and situations. No details are provided about student L2 competence level, linguistic focus, participant number, treatment duration or frequency. Using their own mobile phones, participants made textual notes, captured still photos and videos, and recorded their voices and those of native speakers in interviews. These cultural and linguistic artefacts were stored on a server, accessible via mobile phone or PC, and shared with class members. According to teachers, the treatment fostered greater student motivation and engagement.

Gokgoz-Kurt, B. (2023). Mobile-assisted peer feedback for oral presentation performance: L2 English speakers’ perceptions and practices. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 22(4), 140-152.

This Turkish study investigated the types and targets of mobile-assisted peer feedback provided and received by 32 B1-level university L2 English speakers, along with their views and experiences with peer feedback. Over four weeks, participants used their smartphones during four in-class sessions to give feedback via TEAMMATES to classmates’ undescribed oral presentations. Students provided more than twice as much positive feedback as negative. Feedback comprised three major areas: content, spoken performance (fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary) and oral presentation skills (preparation, eye contact, self-confidence, use of visuals). Their perceptions and practices indicated a favorable view of the use of mobile-assisted peer feedback.

Gómez Ardila, S. (2013). Learning Design Implementation in Context-aware and Adaptive Mobile Learning. PhD dissertation, Universitat de Girona, Spain.

This PhD dissertation describes the design of an Android-based L2 English app (UoLmP4) that was trailed by twenty intermediate-high-level university students in Spain. The app allowed participants to integrate English language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in the real-life task of setting up a business. Over 24 days, the participants worked collaboratively in and out of class on the project. A control group of eight students did not use the app, but no comparative data is presented. The experimental group expressed very positive attitudes towards use of the app.

Gorbatiuk, L., Kravchenko, N., Mikolavna, A., & Sergivna, P. (2019). Mобільні додатки як засоби формування іншомовної лексичної компетентності студентів нефілологічних спеціальностей (Mobile applications as a means of foreign language lexical competence formation of non-philological specialties' students). Інформаційні Технології І Засоби Навчання (Information Technologies and Learning Tools), 74(6), 150-164. [in Ukrainian]

This Ukrainian study compared the effectiveness of traditional classroom instruction against that of an Android-based app for the learning of L2 English vocabulary. The app was trialed by an unspecified number of computer science university students for an unspecified period of time. The experimental app using group outscored the traditional class of a pre-/post-treatment vocabulary test comparison.

Gorham, T., Jubaed, S., Sanyal, T., & Starr, E. (2019). Assessing the efficacy of VR for foreign language learning using multimodal learning analytics. Professional Development in CALL: A Selection of Papers (p. 101). Voillans, France: Research-Publishing.Net.

This conference presentation reports the effect of a mobile-based virtual reality application using an Oculus Rift VR headset to teach seven Japanese kanji characters corresponding to days of the week to two L1 English students in an American university with no previous exposure to Japanese. The participants used the app during one twenty-minute session. Their learning was measured by an immediate post-test and compared to that of a matched control participant who studied the same kanji characters for the same amount of time using a printed paper list. The control participant outscored the virtual reality users by a wide margin.

Gou, P. (2023). Teaching English using mobile applications to improve academic performance and language proficiency of college students. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 16935-16949.

This Chinese study investigates the effect of mobile-based apps (Busuu, Lingoda, LinguaLeo, BBC Learning English) upon the L2 English proficiency of 70 university students with an A2-B2 competency level. Participants were asked to use at least one app of their choice weekly over a semester, presumably using personal mobile devices. All apps offered interactive exercises using quizzes, written exercises, and audio/video materials that complemented the English classes. However, no information is provided about what was studied or the procedures followed. On a pre-/post-test comparison, this experimental group significantly outscored a matched control group of 70 that received no MALL-based instruction.

Govindasamy, P., Yunus, M., & Hashim, H. (2019). Mobile-assisted vocabulary learning: Examining the effects on students' vocabulary enhancement. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(12 A), 85-92.

This Malaysian study compared the effect of two types of word look-up procedures on L2 English vocabulary retrieval. In one 60-minute session, 50 high school students looked up synonyms for 50 words using a printed Oxford Dictionary. Three days later, during another 60-minute session, they did the same thing with a different set of 50 words using their mobile phones, presumably via Internet word searches. The score of every student was higher when using a mobile phone. Also, they left far more questions unanswered when using a printed dictionary.

Green, J. (2021). Students’ perceptions of mobile-mediated corrective feedback and oral messaging in a WhatsApp chat group. MA thesis, University of Barcelona.

This Spanish MA thesis describes the perceptions of 17 L1 Spanish/Catalan intermediate-level L2 English students in a private language school regarding the reception of individual L2 English corrective feedback through a social networking (WhatsApp) written/oral chat group. The treatment lasted six weeks and was supplemented with a weekly whole-class feedback session on Zoom. A semi-structured post-treatment questionnaire revealed positive attitudes towards receiving corrective feedback in this manner, with a preference towards receiving more explicit corrective feedback. Students liked having the opportunity to send oral messages, but rarely did so. Over half the participants regretted not having sent more oral messages.

Grigoryan, T. (2020). Investigating the effectiveness of iPad-based language learning in the UAE context. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 37(2), 146-168

This study from the UAE describes the results of two experiments that evaluated the effect of iPad usage upon the beginner-level L2 English competence of two groups of university students. Both experiments took place over four weeks, consisting of eighty sessions of fifty minutes each. In the first, twenty participants did all their course work on iPads using a variety of mobile apps (note taking, interactive e-books, grammar/spell checker, project planner, slide presenter, etc.). A matched control group of twenty studied the same material using printed textbooks and paper & pen exercises. The experimental group significantly outperformed the control on a pre-/post-test comparison. For the second experiment, forty students who had not previously used iPads in the course (including the twenty non-users from the first experiment) did all their coursework using iPads and the same suite of apps as in the first experiment. All of the participants showed considerably higher results in a pre-iPad /post-iPad test comparison. All iPad participants, from both experiments, expressed very favorable attitudes towards its use.

Grimshaw, J., & Cardoso, W. (2018). Activate space rats! Fluency development in a mobile game-assisted environment. Language Learning & Technology, 22(3), 159-175.

This Canadian study investigated the effect of Spaceteam ESL upon the oral fluency of 10 low-intermediate L2 English college students and examined the participants’ perceptions of the game as an anxiety-reducing tool. Participants used Spaceteam ESL as a 15-minute warm-up activity once a week for six weeks. A matched control group of ten completed paper-based, interactive, and timed activities as a warm-up. The only significant difference observed involved the game-playing group, which displayed a significant improvement from pre-test to delayed post-test. Spaceteam ESL was positively perceived by the treatment group.

Grimshaw, J., Cardoso, W., & Waddington, D. (2016). Can a "shouting" digital game help learners develop oral fluency in a second language? In S. Papadima-Sophocleous, L. Bradley & S. Thouësny (Eds.), CALL Communities and Culture – Short Papers from EUROCALL 2016 (pp. 172-177).

This Canadian paper evaluates the effect of an Android/iOS mobile game (Spaceteam ESL) on the speaking fluency of eleven beginner-high/intermediate-low L2 English college students. It was trialed by eleven students as a class warmup for six weeks, 15 minutes each time. A control group of nine spent the same amount of time doing traditional face-to-face info gap and story retelling activities. Although there was no significant improvement over time, the treatment group improved slightly between the pre- and post-tests, whereas the control group decreased in performance between these same tests.

Gromik, N. (2009). Producing cell phone video diaries. In M. Thomas (Ed.), Handbook of research on Web 2.0 and language learning. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.

This Japanese paper explores the feasibility of using mobile phones to produce video diaries in a university L2 English course. As an independent learning project, over five weeks seven advanced-level L2 English level students recorded weekly 15/30-second videos. These were on self-chosen topics and accompanied by a written description. The treatment allowed students to practice their pronunciation, listening speaking and writing skills. The findings revealed that while the majority of the students found merit in this project, some had reservations.

Gromik, N. (2012). Cell phone video recording feature as a language learning tool: A case study. Computers & Education, 58(1), 223-230.

This Japanese paper presents the results of a 14-week project that exploited the video-creation facility of mobile phones to improve L2 English speaking skills. Nine university students used their phones on a weekly basis to produce 30-second narrated videos. Compared to a pre-project control video, students on average demonstrated a substantial increase in word production and in words uttered per second. All students agreed that producing weekly cell phone videos in English improved their speaking ability. However, they did not believe that such a task was transferable to other courses.

Gromik, N. (2015). The effect of smartphone video camera as a tool to create gigital stories for English learning purposes. Journal of Education and Learning, 4(4), 64-79.

This paper investigated the effect of smartphone-based video story creation upon the speaking ability of 67 Japanese university students of unspecified L2 English competence level. During a twelve-week term, students were encouraged to record weekly thirty-second videos addressing a teacher-selected theme. In a post-treatment student survey, participants indicated that they enjoyed the digital video storytelling activities and thought that they had improved their English-speaking abilities. The only objective measurement of speaking performance was based uniquely on speaking speed, which only increased by 11% between the beginning and end of the term.

Gromik, N. (2017). The effect of theme preference on academic word list use: A case for smartphone video recording feature. Education and Information Technologies, 22 (5), 2087-2101. 

This Japanese study investigated the effect of theme topics upon the use of Academic Word List vocabulary among 67 L2 English university students. Using their smartphones participants created one out-of-class video clip per week for 12 weeks which they e-mailed to their instructor. The videos were based upon teacher-selected themes, but students created them without any assistance from the lecturer. It was found that easier themes promoted a greater use of K1000-2000 words, with students using their prior knowledge of the target language extensively rather than utilizing more advanced words.

Gromik, N., & Anderson, N. (2010). Cell phone technology and second language acquisition: An action research experiment. In N. Anderson, N. Healey & I. Fussell (Eds.). Proceedings of the 5th QS-APPLE conference (pp. 21-37), 24-26 November, 2009, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This Japanese paper presents the results of a 14-week project involving 102 L2 English university students of unspecified L2 English competence level. They used their mobile phones on a weekly basis to create 30-second narrated videos intended to improve their speaking ability. Only 50 of the students completed all the assigned videos, which demonstrated no significant improvement in oral production. However, from mid-term to the end of the course, the proportion of the class that viewed the procedure positively increased from about two-thirds to over three quarters.

Guaqueta, C., & Castro-Garces, A. (2018). The use of language learning apps as a didactic tool for EFL vocabulary building. English Language Teaching, 11(2), 61-71.

This Columbian study describes the effect of two game-based mobile-accessible apps (Duolingo, Kahoot!) upon the English vocabulary acquisition of twenty 10th graders of unspecified L2 English competence level in a rural high school. Over six months, participants alternated between first learning vocabulary using Duolingo in eight sessions on their own and then being tested in class on the same vocabulary the following week using Kahoot!. Students doubled their average score on a pre-/post-test comparison. According to a post-treatment survey, students viewed use of the apps favorably and their attitude towards learning also improved.

Güdücü, M. (2016). The uses of smartphones among EFL learners and their effects on vocabulary learning in foreign language English preparatory school. MA thesis, Eastern Mediterranean University.

This MA thesis evaluated the effect of using a mobile social networking app (WhatsApp) to teach 54 L2 English words to 30 university students in North Cyprus. Over ten days, the app was accessed via smartphones to distribute target words with a definition, example, word parts, visual illustration, associations, and collocations. A control group of 30, which like the experimental group was of unspecified English competence level, received the same words in a single printed handout. The experimental group significantly outscored the control on a pre-/post-treatment vocabulary test. Positive reactions to the treatment were also received from the experimental group.

Gülcü, İ. (2015). Yabanc di lolarak mobil destekli Türkçe kelime öretimi (Foreign Language Mobile Supported Turkish Vocabulary Teaching). PhD dissertation, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. [in Turkish]

This Turkish PhD dissertation evaluated the effectiveness of using smartphone-accessible instant messaging and social networking apps (WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook) as a learning management system for the teaching of A1-level L2 Turkish. Daily over six weeks, 24 university students used their smartphones to access SMS/MMS vocabulary related materials (synonyms, antonyms, positive and negative words, holidays, hours, time, etc.). Online activity types included drag & drop, matching, read/write, listen/read. Meanwhile, a control group of 24 studied the same materials following unspecified traditional teaching methods. Both groups improved significantly on a pre-/post-test comparison, but the experimental group significantly more so than the control.

Gümüş, H., Kavanoz, S., & Yilmaz, M. (2017). Kavram Karikatürlerinin Mobil Öğrenme Ortamında Ulaştırılmasının Ortaöğretimde İngilizce Deyim Öğrenmeye Etkisi (The effect of delivering concept cartoons in mobile learning environments on learning English idioms in secondary education). YYU Journal of Education Faculty, 14(1), 815-855. [in Turkish]

This Turkish study evaluates the effectiveness of using concept cartoons to teach English idioms under two delivery conditions. Over four weeks, 15 seventh-graders of unspecified L2 English competence level studied ten idioms a week. They used smartphones to access concept idiom cartoons out of class via a social networking app (WhatsApp). A control group of 14 accessed the same cartoons in class. There was no significant difference between the results of the two groups on either an immediate or four-week-delayed post-test. Nonetheless, the students' experiences about using concept cartoons in a mobile learning environment were positive.

Guo, F., Zhang, Y., & Wu, Z. (2022). Mobile-assisted vocabulary learning through the Shanbay App outside the classroom: Effects of self-regulation and peer scaffolding. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-16.

This Chinese study describes the effect of peer scaffolding upon the intermediate-level L2 English vocabulary learning of university students. Over eight weeks, 37 participants used their mobile devices daily out of class to access a mobile vocabulary app (Shanbay) and mutually share online their daily learning achievements. A control group of 34 studied vocabulary the same way, but uploaded their learning achievements to the researcher. Usage data collected by the app showed that peer scaffolding significantly increased the days spent learning vocabulary and number of words learned. Self-regulation and peer scaffolding also positively interacted with the sum of learned words.

Gupta, S. (2016). OGMA: Language acquisition system using immersive virtual reality. MA thesis, The University of Texas at Arlington.

This American MA thesis evaluated the effectiveness of an immersive virtual reality app (Ogma) on the learning of ten Swedish words by 18 participants during one session using a Myo arm band and Oculus rift headset. Neither the Swedish language competence nor institutional association of the participants were specified. A control group of 18 participants with similarly unspecified backgrounds spent one session learning the same words using printed flashcards. The control group significantly outscored the experimental group on an immediate post-test. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups on a delayed post-test taken one week later.

Gürkan, S. (2018a). The effects of a mobile assisted vocabulary learning application on vocabulary learning. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 9(3), 288-311.

This Turkish study of unspecified duration investigated the preferences of 10 A2-level L2 English high school students regarding the types of annotation (text, audio, graphic, video) used in an Android-based tablet reading app. Five of the participants were identified as aural learners and five visual learners. In the text, taken from the course textbook, 38 words were annotated in the various formats. Many visual learners remarked that videos and graphics facilitated their learning more compared to auditory learners who claimed that audio and videos helped them more in learning the target words.

Gürkan, S. (2019). Effect of annotation preferences of the EFL students’ on their level of vocabulary recall and retention. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(6), 1436-1467.

This study investigated the L2 English vocabulary acquisition of Turkish tenth-graders. For four weeks, 49 students read textbook passages using an Android-based app (Vocastyle) that provided multimedia annotations. Another group of 55 read the same passages, for which they maintained a handwritten vocabulary journal. A control group of 31 read the passages without annotations.  Both annotation groups significantly outscored the control on an immediate post-test, Vocastyle users considerably more so than journal keepers. The scores of all groups decreased in a delayed-post-test, but the Vocastyle group obtained the best results.

Gürlüyer, M. (2019). Examining students' perceptions and achievements in terms of the utilization of WhatsApp in learning EFL vocabulary. Kafdaği, 4(2), 173-193.

This Turkish study investigated the effect of using a social networking communication app (WhatsApp) upon the pre-intermediate-level L2 English vocabulary acquisition of 79 university students. Over eight weeks, a total of 202 words was sent to the participants’ smartphones via WhatsApp, about 25 each week. A pre-/post-treatment vocabulary test confirmed statistically significant gains in the students’ mean scores. According to a student questionnaire, participants also expressed positive perceptions towards use of WhatsApp for vocabulary learning.

Gürocak, F. (2016). Learning vocabulary through text messages: Help or distraction? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 623-630.

This Turkish study compared the effectiveness of learning L2 English vocabulary via SMS delivery versus printed word lists, both of which contained definitions and example sentences. Over a two-week period, 56 B1 level volunteer university students were presented with 6-7 words per day with half of the group receiving them under each treatment condition. On both an immediate and a four-week delayed post-test (Vocabulary Knowledge Scale), the SMS group significantly outscored the control. A post-treatment survey completed by the experimental group participants demonstrated positive attitudes towards Mobile-Assisted Language Learning.  

Gurova, T., Riabukha, T., Zinenko, N., & Gostishcheva, N. (2020). Mobile learning in developing phonetic competence of future interpreters. Advanced Education, 14, 66-74.

This Ukrainian study investigated the effect of MALL upon the L2 English phonetic competence of university students preparing to become interpreters. Over an unspecified treatment duration/frequency, 23 students of unspecified English competence level used unspecified mobile devices to access materials in the form of presentations, video files, text documents, links to drills for pronunciation mastering as well as options for homework assignments, tests, questionnaires, and various references. Meanwhile, a control group of 27 students was taught using unspecified traditional methods. Whereas the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in a pre-/post-test comparison, no significant change was observed with the control group.

Gurunada, J. (2020). The Google Classroom mobile application as a learning tool in English language teaching for pre-service teachers. Proceedings SLELTEC British Council and Ministry of Education (pp 1-3).

This study describes the effect of a mobile-accessible app (Google Classroom) upon the L2 English writing accuracy of 25 pre-service teachers of unspecified English competency level, presumably in Sri Lanka. Over six months, using mobile phones, this group was given unspecified lessons, exercises and assessments using Google Classroom as well as opportunities to do unspecified film reviews and free writing activities through the app. A control group of 25 studied in an unspecified customary manner using paper and pen. The experimental group outperformed the control on a pre-/post-test comparison. However, no statistical evidence is presented to substantiate this claim.

Guskaroska, A. (2020). ASR-dictation on smartphones for vowel pronunciation practice. Journal of Contemporary Philology, 3(2), 45-61.

This study, which involved Macedonian L2 English learners of self-described intermediate and high proficiency levels at an unidentified institution, investigated the pronunciation recognition and learning effect of smartphone-based ASR-dictation (GBoard, Siri). Twenty minutes daily for two weeks, 11 participants used the system to repeat 26 words containing four minimal pairs: /i/, /ɪ/; /æ/, /ɛ/; /u/, /ʊ/; /ɑ/, /ʌ/. The written output of the pronounced word provided feedback. The correct recognition rate of the ASR-dictation was lower than that of ten phonetically trained native English speakers. While the experimental group improved its accuracy in a pre-/post-treatment pronunciation test comparison, a control group of ten did not show any improvement.

Gutiérrez-Colon Plana, M., GallardoTorrano, P., & Grova, M. (2012). SMS as a learning tool: An experimental study. The Eurocall Review, 20(2), 33-47.

This SMS phone-based Spanish project sought to improve the L2 English vocabulary of 13 L2 English university students of unspecified L2 English competence level. Over a period of two semesters, students were sent via SMS three exercises per week based on class content, to which they were expected to respond immediately without consulting any outside resources. An attitude survey administered after the first semester revealed that most of the students found the experience interesting and appealing. Students who took part in the project outscored a control group on a pre-/post-test comparison after the second semester.

Gutiérrez-Colon Plana, M., Gibert Escofet, M., Triana Figueras, I., ..., & Hopkins, J. (2013). Improving learners’ reading skills through instant short messages: A sample study using WhatsApp. Proceedings WorldCALL 2013 (pp. 80-84). Glasgow, UK: University of Glasgow.

This conference presentation corresponds to the published chapter in Gutiérrez-Colon Plana, et al. (2015). It was completely rewritten with different co-authors.

Gutiérrez Colon Plana, M., Gimeno, A., Appel, C., …, & Figueras, I. (2013). Improving learners' reading skills through instant short messages: A sample study using WhatsApp. World CALL: Sustainability and Computer Assisted Language Learning (266-281).

This Spanish study investigated student reactions to the use of an instant messaging app (WhatsApp) to provide out-of-class L2 English reading practice to 95 university students. Three times per week over twelve weeks, presumably using personal mobile devices, participants accessed short B2-level texts and related comprehension questions via a WhatsApp link to SurveyMonkey. The vast majority of students reported a high level of satisfaction and agreed that not only had their willingness to read in English increased, but the experience had also had a positive impact on their reading habits, and had resulted in more regularity and confidence.

Gutiérrez-Colon Plana, M., Gimeno-Sanz, A., Appel, C., & Hopkins, J. (2015). Improving learners’ reading skills through instant short messages: A sample study using WhatsApp. In A. Gimeno-Sanz, F. Blin, D. Barr & M. Levy (Eds.) WorldCALL: Sustainability and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (pp. 157-166). New York: Bloomsbury.

This Spanish paper is the published version of Gutiérrez-Colon Plana, et al. (2013). It investigates the use of a mobile phone-based SMS reading comprehension program at the B2 (CEFR) target level which was trialed for 12 weeks by 95 L2 English university students. With a drop-out rate of over 50% only 37 participants completed all the tasks and final survey. Aside from the personal cost, the principal drawback of the program was that the short excerpts negatively affected comprehension.  Students nonetheless reported a high level of satisfaction, a positive impact on their reading habits and willingness to read in English.

Gwee, S., & Toh-Heng, H. (2015). Developing student oral presentation skills with the help of mobile devices. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 7(4), 38-56.

This Singaporean study evaluated the effect of corrective feedback of mobile-based video recordings upon the oral presentation skills of high school students. Neither the L2 (presumably English) nor linguistic competency level of the students was specified. Over three months, one experimental group of 21 received formal in-class corrective feedback from their instructor following explicit guidelines. A second experimental group of 18 received informal out-of-class peer review following a checklist. A control group of 19 peer reviewed their in-class oral presentations following the same checklist without video recordings. The best results were obtained by students who received formal teacher-provided corrective feedback.