Fostering vocabulary learning: mind mapping app enhances performances of EFL learners

Abstract

A number of Mobile-Assisted-Language-Learning (MALL) apps have been developed to enlarge students’ vocabulary. However, few studies have discussed the potential to learn words deeply and productively. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a mind mapping MALL app as an aid to assist northern Taiwan EFL participants in learning vocabulary. The research questions aimed to examine changes in vocabulary learning outcomes, and the perspectives the participants held regarding the app. Data were collected through tests (pretest, posttest and delayed posttest), visualized vocabulary knowledge mind mappings, and surveys. The posttest results showed the use of the mind mapping MALL app enhanced EFL vocabulary learning (t = 3.68, p<.05; Cohen’s d = 0.81, r = 0.38). In addition, based on the questionnaire responses, experimental participants agreed that not only did the MALL app provide them with a feasible way to move from receptive ways of learning to productive ways of learning, but it also bolstered word consciousness and word retention. Analytical ANCOVA results also verified that learners benefited more from the mind mapping app with respect to learning performance in their delayed posttest (t = 3.45, p<.05; Cohen’s d = 0.77, r = 0.36). The findings may be construed as an effective method towards learning foreign words and further exploring the potential of vocabulary learning and MALL.

Keywords:

• Mobile-Assisted-Language-Learning (MALL)
• mind mapping
• vocabulary knowledge
• word retention
• vocabulary learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Yi-Shan Shi is a PhD candidate in education at the University of Taipei in Taiwan. She holds an MA in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. She is also an Applied English teacher in the New Taipei Municipal New Taipei Industrial Vocational High School in Taiwan. Her academic interests include English learning and teaching, and MALL and CALL applications to the English language classroom.

Chih-Yung Tsai is a Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Taipei in Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. degree in the department of Industrial Management from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology of Taiwan in 2008 and Ph.D. degree in the department of Business Management from National Central University in 2010. He has served as the editorial boards of International Journal of Management and Administrative Sciences and Far East Journal of Psychology and Business. His research interests include education, marketing and human resource management.