How Oversea University Students Use Mobile Devices to Support Their Foreign Language Learning and Their Learning Motivation

Abstract

AbstractInternational students have more difficulty than host nationals in dealing with a wide range of academic and social situations. The common challenges reported by students studying abroad encompassed the themes of language. Learning a new language is difficult for many students, who study abroad and are dependent on language to find their way around. If asked to identify the most significant influence on language learning, motivation would probably be high on most teachers’ and learners’ lists. Language teachers constantly use the term ‘motivation’ when they describe successful or unsuccessful learners. However, there is no doubt that motivation is the most complex and challenging issue faced by language learners, especially in such a digital age. A significant number of recent studies have been done on investigating the effectiveness of computer-assisted language learning, and the literature on psychology in language learning is very considerable. Relatively little work has been conducted about the psychological factor within a mobile-assisted language learning environment. Furthermore, few studies have explicitly focused on international students’ perceptions of their use of mobile devices in motivating their foreign language learning. This paper is intended as an investigation of Chinese oversea university students’ experience in Germany of using the MALL applications in motivating foreign language learning. The research investigated whether and with what tools or activities they perceive can affect their motivation of learning foreign languages in informal settings. The reasons behind the mobile devices motivating language use and specific types of motivation are also examined.KeywordsForeign language learning motivationMobile assisted learningSocial-psychological linguistic