Heuristic And Think Aloud Method To Evaluate The Low Fidelity Prototype Of Game-Based Language Learning Application

Mobile augmented reality (AR) games offer a novel and unexplored context for situated language learning. In these games, players engage in authentic communication influenced by game mechanics, community norms, and shared objectives. This study employs Engeström’s (1987) Activity Theory (AT) framework to analyze language production and learning within the Pokémon Go gaming community. By conducting content analysis of a gameplay vlog and first-person observations of the game application, the study investigates how the six components of the activity system—subject, object, mediating artifacts, rules, community, and division of labor—interact to create conditions for language use and learning. The analysis reveals that language functions as both a mediating artifact and an outcome of participation. Game-specific lexical items emerge from and reinforce the activity system’s structure, while contradictions between components, particularly between game-imposed rules and community-driven knowledge-sharing practices, generate opportunities for language development. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on game-based language learning and extend the application of Activity Theory to mobile AR gaming environments.

Learning and teaching languages in technology-mediated environments : why modes and meaning making matter

It is a common belief that engagement and motivation are crucial factors in learning and especially in language learning. In particular, increasing motivation can lead to the mobilization of students’ personal, cognitive, emotional and behavioral resources and, consequently to better learning results. As digital technology has become more sophisticated, its tools and applications can be used in and outside the classroom, in both formal and informal settings, in order to increase students’ motivation. Amongst the various factors -tools, methods or strategies- that can lead to increased motivation, this paper examines the role of technology as a motivational factor in foreign language learning. The relationship between the use of technological means such as web tools and services, digital games, mobile apps or communication tools and motivation in language learning context, has been studied extensively, with a wide variety of approaches, and within the framework of several language learning applications. In order to determine the real impact of technology on learners' motivation, an extensive literature review focusing on studies that have examined the impact of technology use in language learning and teaching on motivation to learn, has been carried out. Furthermore, this paper discusses the concept of motivation in learning context and the relationship between technology and language learning, summarizes some of the numerous studies and researches on this subject, presents a synthesis of the studies examined, and formulates conclusions and perspectives for effective integration of technology as a motivational tool / factor in language learning context.

Despite the rapid growth of integrating language learning applications into educational settings, limited studies have reported students' continuance intention to use mobile English learning applications in the mobile‐assisted language learning (MALL) context. This study extended the expectation confirmation model (ECM) with mobile self‐efficacy and perceived enjoyment. Data were collected from 251 university students through an online questionnaire and analysed using SPSS and AMOS. The findings revealed that: (1) satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and mobile self‐efficacy significantly affected students' continuance intention, with satisfaction acting as the key influencing factor; (2) mobile self‐efficacy had a positive influence on perceived enjoyment; (3) perceived enjoyment did not significantly influence perceived usefulness and failed to predict students' continuance intention. The findings of this study provide practical insights for educators and application developers to improve teaching effectiveness and user experience in educational settings.

The act of note-taking offloads cognitive pressure and note-taking applications could be used as an important tool for foreign language acquisition. Its use, importance, and efficacy in a foreign language learning context could be justifiably debated. However, existing computer-assisted language learning literature is almost silent on the topic. This article reports on a controlled experiment introducing usability of note-taking applications (namely, Evernote, Memonic, SpringPad, Ubernote, and Keeppy) in English as foreign language (EFL) learning context. For pilot testing, 25 students had to complete five scenarios (text editing, entering persuasive content, sharing content, searching, and organizing) using Twitter as a tool similar to note-taking applications. Results suggest that the majority were comfortable with the tasks, although they could not complete all the tasks in the stipulated time, and certain tasks and features in Twitter caused difficulty for some students. The actual testing involved the 10 best candidates (based on their performance, when using Twitter) completing tasks (five scenarios similar to pilot analysis) with any two assigned note-taking applications, from a set of five. Participants were observed, video-recorded, and interviewed concurrently and retrospectively. They also completed perception-based questionnaires on the usability of the software. Data suggested that participants were comfortable opening accounts, typing in text, with general navigation, choosing photos, etc. A few features, such as web clipping and file uploading, caused problems for some participants. Most participants reported having no prior experience with any note-taking applications and that resulted in longer task completion time and errors. This study examines how technically oriented students reflect on using note-taking applications in an EFL learning context.

Despite the significance of grit and motivational regulation strategies (MRS) to language learning, limited research has been conducted on their longitudinal interplay. The present study explores the relationship between these two constructs in an English as a second language (L2) learning context through a longitudinal design. This study utilizes repeated measures of L2 grit and MRS at two time points (T1 and T2) to investigate the direction of influence between them and proposes and evaluates four models: an autoregressive model, two unidirectional models, and a bidirectional model. Using questionnaire data from 205 Chinese university students to evaluate the models, results from model assessment revealed that L2 grit at T1 positively predicted L2 grit at T2 and that MRS at T1 positively predicted MRS at T2. While L2 grit showed stability, MRS developed over time. The unidirectional model with L2 grit at T1 as a predictor of MRS at T2 was identified as the model of best fit, indicating that L2 grit at an earlier time unidirectionally influenced MRS at a later time. Based on these findings, we conclude that there is a unidirectional influence between L2 grit and MRS: the former plays an influential role in shaping MRS in L2 learning over time. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics between the two constructs, which in turn impacts language learning persistence and success, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers striving to optimize language learning environments and interventions.

Heuristic evaluation is a quick and inexpensive way of doing an expert UX evaluation. This chapter gives some detail on what heuristic UX evaluation is and how to apply it to games. It includes a survey of the various lists of heuristics that are currently available for evaluation of games, including some pros and cons of those different lists. The chapter covers advantages and disadvantages of heuristic evaluation, as well as guidance on how to implement heuristic UX evaluation in the real world of game design and development. Lastly, it gives some perspective on how heuristic UX evaluation of games fits in with the larger set of UX methodologies that should be used in games.

Understanding the Design of Mobile Social Networking

* Peirce's central concern in her TESOL Quarterly article (Vol. 29, No. 1) is to contribute to an overcoming of the artificial distinctions [drawn] between the language learner and the language learning context (p. 10) and the arbitrary mapping of particular factors on either the individual or the (p. 11). Her central argument is that SLA theorists have not developed a comprehensive theory of social identity that integrates the language learner and the language learning context. Furthermore, they have not questioned how relations of power in the social world affect social interaction between second language learners and target language speakers (p. 12). I believe Peirce advances our understanding of the way in which power relations have a direct effect on language use and learning, and her attempt to deal with challenges raised by poststructural thought for language learning is gratifying. However, I wish to raise several questions concerning her theorising of social identity, whether it actually does overcome the dichotomy she addresses and make consequent comments on agency, power, and practice in the application of poststructural thinking to SLA.

Progress in the field of positive psychology has stimulated an increasing body of work that examines the role of various emotions and their influence on English learning attainment in the second and foreign language (L2/FL) learning context. The present study contributes to this new wave of research by investigating the complex relationship between two emotions, foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language learning boredom (FLLB), and English language achievement (ELA), and how L2 learners’ demographic factors affect learners’ FLE, FLLB, and ELA in a less-featured context of ethnic minority learners in China. Employing the pearson correlations analysis, t-test, and regression analysis, the current study analyzed the responses of 783 middle and high school students from western China. The results indicate that FLE and FLLB co-exist as twins with adverse natures regarding students’ language learning, with a high level of FLE and a low level of FLLB. Furthermore, that gender and educational background influence learners’ emotional perception and ELA. In addition, FLE significantly and negatively correlates with FLLB, and FLE and FLLB influence students’ ELA. However, of the two, FLE has the more substantial predictive power. Pedagogical implications are suggested to support learners’ achievements from a positive psychology perspective.

Mirroring prevailing monolingual ideologies in foreign language pedagogic practices, the majority of language learning games reflect a monolingual perspective on language and language learning. This article attempts to delineate alternatives to this monolingual habitus in game-based language learning (GBLL). In order to do so, it introduces two Erasmus+ projects that set out to develop multilingual language learning games which go beyond vocabulary drills or match-the-translation activities by encompassing a plurilingual perspective on languages and language learning: MElang-E (Multilingual Exploration of Languages in Europe) and EU·DO·IT (European Digital Online-Game for Intercultural Learning and Translanguaging). The authors will discuss how in projects of this type, the need for sociolinguistic realism and the overarching plurilingual pedagogy have to be actively balanced with the expectations, preferences and needs of learners and teachers. Preliminary survey data on stakeholders’ perspectives on such products shows that there is a widespread scepticism regarding the inclusion of some types of non-target language material in a language learning game. Consequences for the design of multilingual games will be drawn.

Prototyping involves the evolution of an idea into various stages of design until it reaches a certain level of maturity. These design stages include low, medium and high fidelity prototypes. Workload analysis of prototyping using NASA-TLX showed an increase in workload specifically in frustration, temporal demand, effort, and decline in performance as the participants progressed from low to high fidelity. Upon reviewing numerous commercial and academic tools that directly or indirectly support software prototyping in one aspect or another, we identified a need for a comprehensive solution to support the entire software prototyping process. In this paper, we introduce Eve, a prototyping workbench that enables the users to sketch their concept as low fidelity prototype. It generates the consequent medium and high fidelity prototypes by means of UI element detection and code generation. We evaluated Eve using SUS with 15 UI/UX designers; the results depict good usability and high learnability (Usability score: 78.5). In future, we aim to study the impact of Eve on subjective workload experienced by users during software prototyping.

Investigating to which extent language learning context affect Iranian EFL students’ critical thinking, this study was conducted to clarify the relationship between the variables. To achieve this purpose 90 EFL students in upper intermediate level of Payamnoor University selected, and equally divided to two groups of 45 person, the experimental group (n=45) with modern context of language learning by a web 2.0 environment on the internet and control group (n=45) with traditional context of language learning in regular classes. Sandra Lee M.C. Kay’s Researching Second Language Classroom book, published in 2008, was given to the both groups during 10 session of 120 minutes of study as a material. Pretest/posttest assessments and statistical package of social science (SPSS) t-test analyzed procedures clarified that experimental group’s language learner have a stronger critical thinking ability than control group ones. Confirming positive relation between language learning context and critical thinking ability of EFL learners, the results also show a strong willing of students to use modern, technological, more accessible, and new ways of learning.

BackgroundMobile device–based tools to help adolescents practice skills outside of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions for treating an anxiety disorder may lead to greater treatment gains.ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop, design, and test the acceptability, learnability, heuristics, and usability of MindClimb, a smartphone-based app for adolescents with anxiety to use between CBT sessions to plan and complete exposure activities using skills (cognitive, relaxation, exposure practice, and reward) learned in treatment.MethodsThis 3-phase study took place from August 2015 to December 2018. In phase 1, the app was designed and developed in consultation with young people and CBT therapists to identify desired functions and content. Feedback was subjected to thematic analysis using a general inductive approach. In phase 2, we conducted 2 high-fidelity testing sessions using the think-aloud approach (acceptability, learnability, usability) and 10-item System Usability Scale with 10 adolescents receiving CBT. The high-fidelity MindClimb app was evaluated by 5 app developers based on Nielsen’s usability heuristics and 5-point severity ranking scale. In phase 3, a total of 8 adolescents and 3 therapists assessed the usability of MindClimb during CBT sessions by recording the frequency of skills practice, use of MindClimb features, satisfaction with the app, and barriers and facilitators to app use during treatment.ResultsFeedback from phase 1 consultations indicated that the app should (1) be responsive to user needs and preferences, (2) be easy to use and navigate, (3) have relevant content to the practice of CBT for anxiety, and (4) be aesthetically appealing. Using this feedback as a guide, a fully functional app prototype for usability testing and heuristic evaluation was developed. In phase 2, think-aloud and usability data resulted in minor revisions to the app, including refinement of exposure activities. The average system usability score was 77 in both testing cycles, indicating acceptable usability. The heuristic evaluation by app developers identified only minor errors (eg, loading speed of app content, with a score of 1 on the severity ranking scale). In phase 3, adolescents considered app features for completing exposure (6.2/10) and relaxation (6.4/10) modestly helpful. Both adolescents (average score 11.3/15, SD 1.6) and therapists (average score 10.0/12, 2.6 SD) reported being satisfied with the app.ConclusionsThe user-centered approach to developing and testing MindClimb resulted in a mobile health app that can be used by adolescents during CBT for anxiety. Evaluation of the use of this app in a clinical practice setting demonstrated that adolescents and therapists generally felt it was helpful for CBT practice outside of therapy sessions. Implementation studies with larger youth samples are necessary to evaluate how to optimize the use of technology in clinical care and examine the impact of the app plus CBT on clinical care processes and patient outcomes.

In many English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, learning is often limited to decontextualized classroom learning, and students suffer from lack of interaction and authentic opportunities for language learning. One of the recent emerging technologies, context-aware augmented reality (AR) technology can mitigate this problem for EFL classrooms. In the present study, 40 college students created scenes of gamified digital stories on a location-based AR app and shared them with other students. This study investigated how the students used the physical context and properties in their scenes and how the technology facilitated language learning. Data were collected from student learning outcomes, post-surveys, and reflection papers. The results showed that the students employed context in three different ways, a real place, a fictional setting and a blended reality, and then integrated it with their content and transformed it into a co-constructed meaning-making site. The study also discovered that the technology supported the students’ language learning in the affective, cognitive, and social domains. All elements found in the three domains were interrelated and ultimately contributed to student learning.