Engaging in Mobile Phone-Based Activities for Learning Vocabulary - An Investigation in Japan and Taiwan

Oct 15, 2026

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Studies investigating mobile technologies for vocabulary learning remain uncommon, especially when learners have alternative options. This research replicates Stockwell (2010) by examining perceptions and willingness to engage, using learners who predominantly owned smartphones. The same mobile system was implemented in Japan and also in a Taiwanese university. Data from server logs, post-use surveys, and semi-structured interviews analyzed engagement patterns and the effect of the mobile platform on completion time across the semester, compared with the 2010 results.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

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Abstract

Introduction

The impact of smart phones on mobile learning

calico (online) issn 2056–9017 Article Engaging in mobile phone-based activities for learning vocabulary: An investigation in Japan and Taiwan Glenn Stockwell and Yi Chun Liu Abstract Studies investigating the use of mobile technologies when other options are available are still relatively rare in the literature, with the majority of studies requiring that learners use a particular technology, either using their own devices or devices provided by the institution. One exception to this was a study by Stockwell (2010) that examined how learners in Japan perceived the use of mobile phones for language learning and how willing they were to engage in the activities. This study, however, was conducted prior to the spread of smart phones and it focused exclusively on learners in Japan. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to replicate this study, but differed in two ways. First, although it was run in essentially the same environment as the original study, in the current study the majority of learners owned smartphones. Second, the same system was used not only in Japan but also with learners studying at a university in Taiwan. Data were collected through server logs, posttreatment surveys and semi-structured interviews. The results are discussed in terms of the ways in which learners engaged in the activities on their mobile phones, and the effect of the mobile platform on the time taken to complete the activities over the course of the semester. These results were correlated with those from the original 2010 study to identify the potential effect of the smartphone. Keywords: learner differences; mobile phone; replication Affiliation Waseda University, Japan. [email: gstock@waseda.jp](email: gstock@waseda.jp) (corresponding author) calico vol 32.2 2015 299–322 ©2015, equinox publishing doi : 10.1558/cj.v32i2.25000 300 Engaging in mobile phone-based activities Introduction The potential of mobile devices to carry out activities for learning both inside and outside of the classroom has been widely cited as a way of making learning more accessible and to allow for more consistent learning opportunities (e.g., Pegrum, 2014). Despite the apparent enthusiasm shown for mobile learning by both teachers and learners, an ongoing problem with mobile learning has been that learners often are reluctant to engage in activities with mobile phones when there are other alternatives, such as a desktop computer. Abdous, Camerena and Facer (2009), for example, found that although learners indicated that they thought listening to podcasts for learning on their mobile devices would be potentially very useful, the majority either chose not to listen to the podcasts at all, or rather downloaded them onto their computers rather than their mobile devices. Stockwell’s (2010) study revealed that learners who could complete vocabulary activities on either mobile phones or desktop computers overwhelmingly opted for the latter, despite indicating in a pre-survey that they were interested in completing the activities on their mobile phones. While there were several learners that never attempted to engage in the activities on their mobile phones at all, those that did took longer to complete them on their mobile phones when compared to completing the same activities on a desktop computer. Kim, Rueckert, Kim, and Seo (2013) provided similar results, with learners opting to complete activities on desktop or laptop computers rather than their mobile devices, eventhough the materials were optimized for a range of mobile devices. The reasons cited by the learners included issues such as the screen size and the drain on the battery, although the study was limited by the fact that the relationship between the type of mobile device and learner engagement were not measured. It is still debatable whether the widespread use of smart phones could play a role in alleviating this problem, but a look at their affordances may shed some light on th

FAQs

Why is this study considered a replication of an earlier investigation?

It replicates Stockwell (2010) but adjusts key conditions: learners in the current study largely own smartphones and the system is used not only in Japan but also with learners in Taiwan.

How were data collected in the study?

Data were gathered through server logs, posttreatment/post-use surveys, and semi-structured interviews.

What factors are discussed as limitations of mobile phones for learning?

The introduction and related section highlight limitations such as screen size and input methods, including how text input changes from keypad/joystick devices to smartphone touch screens.

Oct 15, 2026

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