Use of a game-like application on a mobile device to improve accuracy in conjugating Spanish verbs

ABSTRACT

Interest in using mobile applications to enhance students’ learning in Spanish classrooms runs high; however, little empirical research about their effects has been conducted. Using intentionally designed classroom activities to promote meaningful learning with a mobile application, we investigated the extent to which students of Spanish as a second language (L2) could improve accuracy in conjugating verbs. Pre- and posttest results show that these activities helped students improve not only accuracy but also confidence in conjugating Spanish verbs. The 80 students who participated in this study for four consecutive semesters reported an overall positive experience with the verb-conjugating activities but noted some limitations. Results of this empirical study enhance the learning of Spanish with a mobile application in the classroom.

KEYWORDS:

• Game-like application
• gamification
• mobile technology
• learning verb conjugations

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our anonymous reviewers for their useful feedback, and the editor of this journal for his valuable help. Our sincere gratitude to our colleagues Jessie Carduner and Frances Novack for their comments on earlier versions of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniel A. Castañeda

Daniel A. Castañeda is an associate professor of Spanish at Kent State University, Stark Campus. His primary research interests include the effects of instruction involving technology on second-language learning, as well as discourse analysis of students’ use of tense and aspect in written narratives.

Moon-Heum Cho

Moon-Heum Cho is an associate professor in the Department of Education at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. His primary research interests include technology integration in teaching and learning practices, self-regulated learning in technology-mediated learning environments, and online learning.