Learning Mandarin Stroke Writing Among Non-Chinese Learners: Mobile Learning Versus Traditional Learning

Abstract

Mobile assisted learning is said to compensate and facilitate numerous learning difficulties among language learners especially in learning a language which embraced a totally different set of metalinguistics with their first language. This preliminary study was aimed to compare the impact of mobile assisted learning and traditional learning on Mandarin stroke writing among non-Chinese learners in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia. All 100 Level 2 Mandarin undergraduates were requested to sit for a Pre-test before they were divided equally into treatment group (TG) and control group (CG). Students in TG were asked to practice their stroke writing via three predetermined Mobile Applications (MA) while students in CG were requested to practice their stroke writing via traditional rote learning method. Both groups practiced their assigned method for three weeks before their Post-test. Later, the scores of both pre and post tests were compared and interviews were conducted to cross check their views on both methods used. Results suggested positive impacts on both methods used improved stroke writing. However, the differences of improvement rate among these two methods were significant but small, 4.2 %. The findings suggested a need to further study participants’ preferences in the learning of writing in order to cater individual needs in the learning of a new language effectively.