Research of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching Abstract

吴佩慧 陈晓莹 吴绰莹 潘泳仪

◆摘  要：With a new upsurge in Internet plus Education， mobile learning platforms， like WeChat learning platforms， APP learning platforms and online course platforms， have laid a foundation for facilitating education and diffusing knowledge. Meanwhile， multi-faceted teaching methods and enormous resources by booming platforms have exerted phenomenal influence on traditional English teaching.Combining learning theories of Behaviorism， Situated Cognition and Connectivism. this paper probes into the current situation of English learners through questionnaires. More importantly， feasible countermeasures can be proposed to spur its development and satisfy learners manifold demands. The research found that they make profound impacts on assisting English teaching， mainly in enhancing the quality and efficiency.

◆關键词： mobile learning platforms， English Teaching，feasible countermeasures

Chapter One Introduction

1.1 Research Background

Spurred by the remarkable process of network information technology， English teaching mode in China has wrought an epochal change. Hence， mobile education arises at the historic moment， allowing learners to draw upon mobile devices for mobile learning. A learning mode effectively presents learning content，free from barriers of time and place through mobile devices.

As the carrier of mobile learning， mobile learning platforms， including WeChat learning platforms， App learning platforms and online course platforms， emerge at the right moment. They nurture pluralistic teaching modes and extensive materials， amassing numerous users. Nevertheless， as they are beset with fierce homogenized competition， a major thrust of the research is to better advance English teaching and enhance user adherence.

1.2 The Purpose and Significance of the Study

With the vigorously emerging artificial intelligence devices， mobile learning platforms become backbone force in education reforms so that English learners can conform to the requirements of the era.

In this research， feasible suggestions can be put forward to strengthen the quality of learning content and users loyalty by means of analyzing its pros and cons. On this basis， the research digs out their prospect to further excavate the potential as English auxiliary learning tools.

Chapter Two Literature Review

2.1 Previous Studies on the Development of English Teaching

The traditional teaching mode featuring teaching-based pattern， blackboard writing and teaching media is based on the prevalent Western teaching method. With its guidance， the learning content is imparted to students by teachers， dominators in teaching. However， teachers' dominating roles suppress students' autonomy in learning[1]. More damningly， the absorption and reinterpretation is completely dependent upon students themselves， which might hamper the subsequent knowledge acquisition for students with poor independent learning capacity. Beyond that， its overemphasis on lexicon and grammar triggers students' inferior listening and speaking ability， sparking off "dumb English"， indicating that traditional teaching mode runs counter to the basic idea of quality-oriented education.

With the thriving information technology， novel teaching modes appear accordingly. Burgeoning teaching mode include but are not limited to Flipped Classroom， Smart Class， MOOC， and artificial intelligence， etc. Compared with conventional ones， new teaching modes underscoring students principal status and lecturers guiding role， thus exercising students elaborative faculty and explorative competence. Meanwhile， novel teaching modes can help construct a lively and interesting classroom experience， fully arousing students' fervor and initiative. They also enrich English learning resources and enables learners to opt for learning materials and styles freely. Novel teaching modes centering around students conform to demands of modern educational technology， which will shine brilliantly in educational field.

2.2 Previous Studies on the Development of Mobile Learning

2.2.1 Domestic Situation of Mobile Learning

Domestic researches on mobile learning originated from the publication of a paper named From Distance Learning to E-learning and then to Mobile Learning by Dr. Desmond in 2000. Its commencement unveiled a prelude to its researches in China. Since then to 2005， a multitude of scholars have dived into the researches of mobile learning， plentiful research outputs are followed for endowing mobile learning with more convenience， universality and pervasiveness.

Along with incessantly evolutionary of technology， mobile Internet technology developed by leaps and bounds from 2013 to 2015， which can be manifested in the breadth of the research field. Wider application in medical education and scientific research in universities will be predicatively in sight. Bountiful achievements embrace "Handheld Thinking English" by Noah，  "Mobile Phone School" in Zengcheng， Guangdong， etc.

On the whole， moderately later than that in foreign countries， known research fruits and advanced technology have outfitted with support to its sustainable development in China.

2.2.2 International Situation of Mobile Learning

The international mobile learning is ubiquitously accepted to initiate the Wireless Andrew project of wireless infrastructure construction in 1994. Upon two-decade development， international researches on mobile learning have gained great achievements. Despite absence from unified definition of mobile learning currently， foreign scholars reached a consensus on its merits. With the Internet， mobile learning boasts plentiful learning materials， intensified searching capacity and interactivity irrespective of time and place. The feasibility of mobile learning has sparked multitudinous investigations. A research of Stanford Research Laboratory found the majority of students gave it highly complimentary remarks for stimulating them to learn with gusto. Nonetheless， the improper utilization and unsuitability of all learning contents still incur grave misgivings.

Meanwhile， practical applications of mobile learning cover a wide range of fields. The system developed by professor Derycke in France integrated mobile devices with sensors like RFID tags to simulate the activities of consumers and sellers in physical workplace. More situational learning can benefit their real work and practice.

Despite its lucubration， mobile learning is plagued by hidden dangers， comprised of  reliability， credibility， privacy and security. Accordingly， more in-depth researches and feasible solutions require fulfilling， which is a common pursuit shared by all scholars.

Chapter Three Theoretical Framework

3.1 Behaviorism

Emanated from the American school of psychology in the early 20th century，Behaviorism pivots around the idea that the learning process is a procedure in which humans and animals procure new expertise by forming stimulus and response under certain conditions. The blossom of Behaviorism chiefly undergoes three stages， covering Classical Behaviorism， Neo-behaviorism and Neo-neobehaviorism.[2]

The Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It issued by John Broadus Watson in 1913 substantially marked the advent of Classical Behaviorism. Watson professed that human thinking is a tribute to its interaction with the external environment （ also known as "Stimulus-Response" and embraced as reinforcement）[3]. Through environmental diversification and behavioral reinforcement， any demeanour can be created， contrived， engendered and remodeled[4]. Students' ideal behaviors ought to be glorified and inspirited while negative reinforcement （like punishment） should be minimized.

On account of some defects of Classical Behaviorism in research， by the end of the 1930s， it has remained largely emasculated and given way to Neo-behavorism. The Neobehaviorism centers the Operant Conditioning Theory[5]. It asserts that the nature of the result， following the behaviors， may subvert the organism's propensity for future repetitive behaviors， bringing about momentous enlightenment to the timely reinforcement education of learning results.[6]

As modern cognitive psychology caught on at full speed， unremitting efforts were made to initiate Neo-neobehaviorism， which assume that learning is a process of transforming their behaviors or producing new behaviors through observation and imitation. Judging from the analysis of experiments， Bandura accentuated teachers' exemplary vanguard role as well as external excitation in the interaction with students， and put a high premium on influence of individuals' initiative on their behaviors.

On the one hand， Classical Behaviorism and Neo-behaviorism generate unitary teaching goals and prompt them to be a sole benchmark in teaching， while Neo-neobehaviorists believe that humans bring their initiative into full play， which stimulates the Neo-neobeviorists pursuit to humans all-round development. On the other hand， learning behaviors is a process from imitation to habit formation. Positive reinforcement， appertaining to repeated reinforcement responses and favorable rewards （prizes， praise， etc.）， is a requisite for habit formation， while negative reinforcement， referring to stimulus responses only happening once or several times and then halted or removed （like punishing students' wrong behaviors）， inversely excludes students from habit formation. Through reiterative reinforcement， a battery of stimulus responses will stir up habit formation

Chapter Four Applications of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

4.1 Application of WeChat Learning Platforms on English Teaching

（1） Create WeChat groups for communication

The class-based WeChat groups are built for teacher-student communication whenever and wherever possible. Teachers are entitled to release learning tasks， organize students to launch discussions， and solve knotty problems for them， while students can give instant feedback and discuss problems with teachers.

（2） Conduct listening teaching

Conducting listening teaching through WeChat is not bound by time and the frequency of English listening. Considering students actual circumstances，teachers can recommend them specific English songs，radios and videos.

（3） Conduct oral teaching

After students post their recordings of English self-introductions， teachers will play them to correct poor pronunciation in WeChat groups. Teachers can also ask students to accomplish their oral tasks as a group and then make comments.

4.2 Application of App Learning Platform on English Teaching

4.2.1 Assist Lexical Teaching

Mobile applications are important and imperative to vocabulary and lexical teaching. Taking BaiCizhan as an emblematic example，it stimulates users learning enthusiasm by recommending corresponding English videos about words based on users' preference. More importantly， novel mnemonic rules， instructing students to memorize vocabularies by grasping partial tone， roots and affixes， can be concluded. Additionally， electronic dictionary App make users more convenient to look up words at anytime.

4.2.2 Assist Listening Teaching

Subject to limited learning time， it is necessary for teachers to send relevant recordings and assignments to students through mobile applications. Students are allowed to preview and accomplish the tasks before class， while teachers can check the assignments and explain key points for students. Supported by offline storage of listening materials， students are rendered to practice listening and complete targeted exercises after weighing their needs.

4.2.3 Assist Oral Language Teaching

To generate more real-life oral situations，applications offer virtual English-language locale and manifold oral practices like dubbing，role play and human-machine interaction. Students can select what they prefer to practice. Personalized plans for oral learning， can be drawn out based upon their English levels， thus offering the best teaching option.

4.3 Application of Online Course Platforms on English Teaching

4.3.1 Provide Massive Videos

A profusion of videos are uploaded by online course platforms to conduct targeted English teaching. In the case of specific vocabulary drills， knowledge points regarding words and phrases can be recorded and updated and animated contents with situational dialogues can be attached to the videos. In listening teaching， teachers can publish apposite English materials on platforms and students can repetitively listen to the speech videos of foreign celebrities or original audio clips from movies. Additionally， students can learn idiomatic expressions from foreign videos， which are top picks for oral English improvement. Besides， students are  instructed to analyze and discuss writing cases online， and further summarize useful writing skills.

4.3.2 Resort to Functional Diversity

With multifarious functions， online course platforms render teachers available tools for uploading lesson， teaching chapters and Powerpoint in advance. Students have to answer certain questions raised during online videos so as to acquire the following knowledge. Meanwhile， students' attendance can be monitored timely and comprehensively.

4.3.3 Utilize Feedback Mechanism

Online course platforms are responsive to students' learning effect through online course tests， principally encompassing  mini tests and comprehensive examinations. Mini tests are described as ones taken during students online learning. Comprehensive examinations are deemed as overall insight into students mastery of expertise. Both hold up the mirror to students learning effect and analyze the deficiency of instructional design， affording valuable experience for online English teaching.[7]

Chapter Five The Questionnaire and Interview Survey

5.1 Questionnaire Survey

The questionnaires are distributed by an online platform named “Wen Juanxing”. According to it， the gleaned questionnaires add up to 763， including 313 males and 450 females， most of which are college students.

510 respondents are using these platforms to assist English learning， which indicates the valid questionnaires amount to 510. However， there is still 11.66 percent of respondents who have never used them and 164 participators have used them before but discontinued the using.

Many factors can be blamed for this phenomenon. The principal factor lies in personal reasons such as lacking self-control and spare time. Another factor to be reckoned with is the monotonous way to present knowledge.

For those who are using now， up to 85.1 present of them aim to advance their English. Many respondents use them to cope with English exams and finish homework， accounting for 62.75 percent and 42.55 percent respectively.

Learning materials pertaining to vocabulary are most commonly used by 83.92 percent of users. About 67.65 percent of users prefer learning content about listening.

They extolled a marked impact on English vocabulary and listening on mobile learning platforms. Above half of respondents are contented with the current frequency of pushing notifications， demonstrating that 3-4 times a day is relatively favorable. Still， many participants regard it so frequent that they feel bothered. Additionally， the way to present knowledge and page layout impact learners experience.

Based on the collected statistics， the below conclusions can be arrived at by cross analysis.

Gender  is immune from the outlook on mobile learning platforms and whether they are being used.

Gender affects the choice of mobile learning platforms. Females apt to use App learning platforms.

Grade is independent of the adoption of mobile learning platforms.

5.2 Interview with Teachers

To gain in-depth insight into different opinions on platform-aided English teaching， interview with 4 teachers has been carried out， embracing two teaching English majors and two college English teachers.

College English teachers give these platforms a compliment to their function as platform-aided English teaching tools. For instance， Apps dedicated to memorizing vocabularies， utilize students' fragmented time optimally and promote their mastery of words by equipping with audios and videos. But meanwhile， low-quality learning materials， the dependence of network and instability of the platforms are by-no-mean negligible snags at present. During the interview， teachers claim to be bullish on them despite some defects. It is imperative that platforms offer more learning content and students persist in utilizing platforms. Students should improve their discerning ability and prudently pick suitable learning materials as well.

For English major teachers， they view these platforms helpful tools in diversified teaching methods， particularly in conveniently releasing homework and timely feedback with various channels. A wealth of extracurricular knowledge provided by platforms can broaden students horizon. As for their merits， WeChat learning platforms remain advantageous to the sharing of information. App ones are deemed as trackers of students' learning progress， going against teacher-student ties. Online course platforms， available for the public， is the driving factors for popularization of education and the sharing of resources through repeated viewing of their video clips. Moderate time span and appropriate difficulty of learning tasks can help students flexibly control their learning time to fulfill them， which embodies a pro of mobile learning. Interviewees underlining premium but free learning resources for facilitating learners enthusiasm. Also， government and schools are advocated to popularize the platform-assisted English teaching. All in all， platform-assist English teaching is and will be enormously potential if knotty problems are settled.

5.3 Interview with Students

An in-depth investigation has been carried out by interviewing four student representatives，involving Two English majors and two non-English majors.

For English majors， mobile learning platforms are remarkably successful in English learning， specifically helping learners consolidate knowledge and improve English capacity. A clean interface and the satisfaction of learners demand are two dominant factors for users choices. Interviewees contend that motivation and supervision mechanism play pivotal roles in kindling their learning interest. Based on modules chosen by users， these platforms provide personalized service. Both interviewees are unanimous that mobile learning platforms will be the mainstream of learning with a potential prospect.

On the other hand， for non-English majors， mobile learning platforms can make them learn effectively in their fragmented time. Similarly， a clean interface， free learning materials as well as the suitability between learning materials and users demands contribute to the platforms they choose. Individualized and targeted learning can enable learners to overcome all the obstructions. It is advisable for these platforms to update their learning materials according to the current affairs. However， interviewees complained that advertisements are detrimental to their concentration on learning. Based on existed problems， momentous improvement measures have been purposed by interviewees. To arouse learners interest， platforms can present knowledge enjoyably by capitalize fully on photos， videos and so on. Meanwhile， a sound supervision system is a crux to enhancing users stickiness. The cooperation with colleges can be organized by holding competitions and activities to accumulate sheer user base. Mobile learning platforms tackle drawbacks of traditional teaching， thereby turning into an irresistible trend in the future with a potential prospect.

Chapter Six Analysis of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

6.1 Advantages of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

6.1.1 Advantages of WeChat Learning Platforms on English Teaching

Amidst those in use of WeChat learning platforms， most favor them due to their ease of operation without additional download or update required. Users neither need to update nor log on the websites， which can free themselves from tedious process. Furthermore， they are permitted to forward learning materials directly without across-platform sharing.

Created by teachers， WeChat groups can opens up channels to realize the sharing of learning materials. Taking Rain Classroom as an example， students can learn from what teachers render on that platform， while teachers can master students' real-time learning progress and timely make adjustments to teaching plans.

6.1.2  Advantages  of App Learning Platforms on English Teaching

Free from any third-party platforms and capable of independent operation， App learning platforms boast refined modules and functions， making users accessible to targeted learning. Taking Fun dubbing， designed for students oral English as an example， students are requested to finish dubbing practice on it and then share to WeChat groups while teachers will make comments and give scores. Some also present a fondness for the function of offline learning. Eudic is a perfect manifestation where students can look up new words without network provided that they download a offline dictionary. In this way， students can smash the fetters of network on mobile learning.

6.1.3 Advantages of Online Course Learning Platforms on English Teaching

Favored by learners in recent years， online course platforms are injected fresh vitality due to the outbreak of epidemic， rendering students massive courses and resources as well as personalized service and specific learning plans. Students find it easier to acquire open courses and resources like BBC Documentary and TED talks，. And on MOOC platforms， many courses consist largely of 10-20 minute videos. Course tutors encourage students' multiform interaction such as voice and bullet screen during learning （“Bullet screen” is a feature which allows viewers to send real-time comments that travel across the screen）. It not only strengthens real-time teacher-student interaction， but also prompts students to timely ponder questions. Meanwhile， MOOC can be made like an interesting online game. They can set different game levels. Only when students answer correctly all the questions released by teachers， can they unlock the next level. In doing so， students initiative can be allowed full play to.

6.2 Disadvantages of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

The platforms most prominent problems are the lack of a sophisticated incentive mechanism and the incapability of stirring students passions and adhesiveness. Additionally， an effective supervision mechanism can be a booster to fuel their self-control and fulfill tasks independently.

Other flaws contain excessive advertisements， miscellaneous notifications and induced consumption. Overabundant advertisements and notifications can impede students' learning and incur their resistance. Furthermore， the inability to construct cohesive knowledge framework is also considered as a major deficit. For instance， users cannot acquire completed and accurate learning materials from WeChat learning platforms whose content pushed is always limited. Thus they're hard to establish connections between new and old knowledge， adverse to a coherent knowledge system.

Worse still， the way to share learning content compulsorily like sharing them in Moments bring about users antipathy. Accordingly， a large proportion of respondents manifest that compulsory or unreasonable charging mechanism can undoubtedly affect their choice. However， some platforms need charge for superior resources， which discourage learners from using them and turn to their competitors. Once learners are loath to pay for learning， there will be a knowledge gap.

6.3 Solutions to Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

To address the problems identified by the survey， other countermeasures can be proposed for mobile learning platforms to assist English teaching as below.

（1） Platforms should appropriately reduce the frequency of advertisements and pick ads and content wisely.

Superabundant and miscellaneous advertisements （even including game advertisements unrelated to learning） might cause learners' distraction. To overcome adverse effects caused by uneven quality of advertising and content， it is high time that platforms strengthened the screening of advertisements and learning materials and build a perfect mechanism， which shield learners from advertising interruptions.

（2） Learners should be advocated to share their learning conditions proactively instead of compulsorily.

Currently mobile learning platforms are prone to foist the sharing of learning content to Moments on learners for larger user base. Nevertheless， it may turn out to be repulsive to learns， unbeneficial to their consequent learning. Therefore， its advisable to activate learners to share learning conditions voluntarily instead of forcefully. For instance， learners can gain more resources or points to exchange gifts and courses once they forward their links to their friends. In this manner， platforms can not only enlarge their user base， but also provide learners more learning materials.

（3） Platforms should nurture learners capacity to connect knowledge through helping build bridges between new and old knowledge.

To establish connections between knowledge， platforms enable students to gain new insights without forgetting to review old materials. However， due to their limitation， a complete body of knowledge can not be delivered to learners through a specific article. As a result， more learning materials can be edited in the attachment at the end of texts for learners to download. In doing so， an overall picture of knowledge and a perfect knowledge framework is easier to be within learners reach.

（4） Platforms should reduce the frequency of pushing notifications and sift through premium ones.

According to the questionnaire， current frequency of pushing notifications still assails 42.35 percent of users. Hence， it should be decreased to 2-3 times daily. In allusion to users current learning situations， platforms can recommend learning materials needed by learners rather than irrelevant ones， thus optimizing users' experience.

6.4 Prospect of Mobile Learning Platforms on English Teaching

Despite certain people holding less optimistic attitude， mobile learning platforms are incontestably viewed as useful tools to assist English learning for mediocre effect. With their discernible implications， they have a bright prospect and probably to be a trend.

In the future， the combination of these platforms and traditional teaching can be commonplace. Keeping highlighting students subjective role in learning and teachers instructive role in class， theyre sure to be a booster of students learning passion. Platforms can give a free rein to big data analysis for tailor-made plans， bettering users experience and English competence. With these platforms， English teaching can be carried out more efficaciously and their quality and efficiency elevated to new heights.

Chapter Seven Conclusion

The paper is intended for the influence of mobile learning platforms （involving WeChat learning platforms， App learning platforms and online course platforms） on English teaching and their prospect through investigating their current situations， thus purposing doable countermeasures. These platforms have brought resounding change to traditional teaching， advancing students enthusiasm for their bountiful extracurricular. Integrating platforms and English teaching can remedy the limitations of conventional teaching， turning into the engine for the quality of efficiency of English teaching.

The influential Behaviorism， Situated Cognition and Connectivism are chosen to be the theoretical frameworks in this paper. By right of their convenience， diversity and multifarious information， mobile learning platforms are applied to assist English teaching. Nevertheless， their deficiencies， involving imperfect incentive and supervision mechanisms and so on ， await for further perfection. In allusion to the demerits， concrete measures can be implemented. Platforms ought to enhance the screening of advertising， built excellent incentive and supervision systems and so on. But they pursue a promising prospect， which will intensify a boom in English teaching.

通訊作者：陈晓莹

Reference

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[2] Huitt，W.& Hummel，J.（2006）.An overview of the behavioral perspective.Educational Psychology Interactive.Valdosta，GA：Valdosta State University.

[3] John B. Watson. Behaviorism[M].Taylor and Francis， 2017：19-24.

[4] Griffiths，David.Environmental Challenges：Making a Difference in the classroom[J].Proceedings of CAL，1997，97：95-99.

[5] Skinner，B.Verbal Behavior[M].AppletonCenturyCrofts，1957.

[6] B.F. Skinner. About Behaviorism[M].Vintage， 2011：107-121.

[7] Lollie Garay et al. ASPIRE： Teachers and researchers working together to enhance student learning[J]. Elem Sci Anth， 2014， 3.

Introduction of Authors

Peihua Wu：1998.08， Zhaoqing， Guangdong， Student， English Teaching.

Xiaoying Chen：：1999.10，Foshan，Guangdong，Student， English Teaching.

Chuoying Wu：1999.05， Foshan， Guangdong， Student， English Teaching.

Yongxin Pan：2000.02， Foshan， Guangdong， Student， English Teaching.