Abstract

Despite the influx of research examining various aspects of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) applications (apps) over the past two decades, there have been no head-to-head studies that have investigated the comparative effectiveness of different mobile apps. The current study addresses this gap by directly comparing two of the most well-researched and popular MALL apps: Babbel and Duolingo. In this mixed methods study, adult learners (N = 59) engaged in studying Turkish as a foreign language using either Babbel (n = 27) or Duolingo (n = 32) for eight weeks. Participants then completed two exit assessments, including (1) a posttest gauging their development of various language skills (i.e. reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammatical competence), and (2) a survey assessing their user experience (e.g. enjoyment, motivation, beliefs about effectiveness). The results of this study showed that although both the Babbel and Duolingo groups made progress, there were no statistically significant differences between their L2 learning gains. However, for the Babbel group, there was a stronger correlation between participants’ study time and their posttest scores. Finally, Babbel users also felt the app was more effective for learning grammar, speaking/pronunciation skills, and for learning about the target language culture. This study discusses the implications of these findings for researchers and MALL users more broadly.

摘要

尽管在过去二十年里大量研究移动辅助语言学习 (MALL) 应用程序 (apps) 的各个方面，但还没有进行头对头研究来调查不同移动应用程序的比较有效性。当前的研究通过直接比较两个研究最深入、最受欢迎的 MALL 应用程序来解决这一差距：Babbel 和 Duolingo。在这项混合方法研究中，成人学习者 ( N  = 59) 使用 Babbel ( n  = 27) 或 Duolingo ( n = 32) 八周。然后，参与者完成了两项退出评估，包括（1）后测，衡量他们各种语言技能的发展（即阅读、写作、口语、听力、词汇和语法能力），以及（2）评估他们的用户体验（例如享受程度）的调查、动机、关于有效性的信念）。这项研究的结果表明，虽然 Babbel 组和 Duolingo 组都取得了进步，但他们的 L2 学习收益之间没有统计学上的显着差异。然而，对于 Babbel 组来说，参与者的学习时间和后测分数之间存在更强的相关性。最后，Babbel 用户还认为该应用程序对于学习语法、口语/发音技能以及了解目标语言文化更有效。