Opening the “Black Box”: How Out-of-Class Use of Duolingo Impacts Chinese Junior High School Students’ Intrinsic Motivation for English

Oct 15, 2026

Study examines how out-of-class use of Duolingo, a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) app, affects Chinese junior high school students’ intrinsic motivation for learning English. Using self-determination theory, the study proposes “motivational transfer” as the underlying mechanism from app-specific activity motivation and psychological needs (autonomy and competence) to more global L2 intrinsic motivation. A six-week case study with 20 Year 8 students evaluates the model with questionnaires and group interviews.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Design/Approach/Methods

Findings

Introduction

Mobile-assisted language learning and motivation

Duolingo and research gaps

Literature review

MALL and gamification

Opening the “Black Box”: How Out-of-Class Use of Duolingo Impacts Chinese Junior High School Students’ Intrinsic Motivation for English Cheng Zeng (曾成) and Linda Fisher University of Cambridge ECNU Review of Education 2024, Vol. 7(2) 283–307 © The Author(s) 2023 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/20965311231171606](DOI: 10.1177/20965311231171606)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/20965311231171606)[journals.sagepub.com/home/roe](journals.sagepub.com/home/roe) Abstract Purpose: Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) apps such as Duolingo have great potential for promoting learners’ motivation to learn a second language (L2). However, little research has investigated how this motivational impact takes place. Additionally, despite the ﬂexibility of mobile learning, most existing studies are conducted in classroom settings, with less attention paid to out-of-school technology usage. Design/Approach/Methods: To address these gaps, we present a model based on self-determination theory and propose the idea of “motivational transfer” to explain the psychological mechanism underpinning the impact of technology. To examine the model, we conducted a case study with 20 Year 8 Chinese junior school students who used Duolingo to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) after school for 6 weeks. Findings: Questionnaire and group interview data support our hypothesized mechanism: learners’ activity-speciﬁc intrinsic motivation (IM) for using Duolingo and their underlying psychological need for autonomy and competence can be transferred to a more general level, thereby enhancing learners’ global IM for L2. Corresponding author: Cheng Zeng, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 8PQ, UK. Email: [cz352@cantab.ac.uk](cz352@cantab.ac.uk) Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as speciﬁed on the SAGE and Open Access page ([https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage](https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage)). Originality/Value: The proposed theoretical model expands our understanding of how digital technology stimulates learners’ L2 motivation; it can help L2 educators design better technological affordances to promote learners’ motivation both in and outside the classroom. Keywords Digital game-based learning, L2 motivation, MALL, self-determination theory Date received: 28 February 2022; revised: 19 September 2022; accepted: 1 March 2023 Introduction The rapid advancement in digital technology has been transforming the way we learn a second language (L2) . With the explosion in the use of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has become increasingly popular around the world. Regarding the effects of this new way of learning, Ushioda (2013) has pointed out that “the potential value of mobile technologies may lie instead in motivating and facilitating frequent (rather than deep) engagement in language learning or language use opportunities”(p. 3) . Many prior studies have investigated the question of what the motivational inﬂuence of technology is and have found a positive impact of MALL on L2 motivation. Despite this, the question of how this motivational impact takes place has not yet been answered. Only by knowing why the use of technology can stimulate learners’ motivation can L2 educators design better MALL activities and manipulate the speciﬁc features to promote L2 motivation. Thus, there is a warrant for investigation into the“black box” of the digital technology and L2 motivation interface. In addition

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study about Duolingo’s effects?

To examine how Duolingo use influences learners’ L2 motivation and to explain the psychological mechanism behind this impact.

What theoretical model and idea guide the study?

The study uses self-determination theory and proposes “motivational transfer” to explain how motivational effects occur.

How was the evidence collected, and what did the results support?

A six-week case study with 20 Year 8 Chinese junior school students used Duolingo after school; questionnaire and group interview data support that app-specific intrinsic motivation and needs for autonomy and competence can transfer to global L2 intrinsic motivation.

Oct 15, 2026

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