Phase One: Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL)
National Council for Curriculum Assessment Annual Report 2007 (pdf, 1.3mb).
Project Overview
The second year Junior Certificate students (average age of 14) participating in the pilot project were supplied with a mobile telephone for the duration of the initiative. It's imperative to note that the school chosen to participate in the trial demonstrated how the project could succeed under extreme circumstances, without the cushioning of a school well-equipped with technology.
While the school had an excellent teaching staff and management, the chosen school had no technical support staff, the students were being taught in temporary buildings that included corporate boxes in a local horseracing course. The unconventional schoolrooms meant that teaching was called to a halt each time a race was scheduled. In demonstrating that the technology can work reliably and beneficially in these circumstances, we have shown that it can succeed throughout Ireland and the rest of the world.
Project Conclusions
The report came to many of the same conclusions as the Australian MALL report; that this technology increased students' motivation, confidence, and language speaking abilities; that teachers enjoyed the ability to be more interactive with all of the students and provide more individual feedback; that the classroom experience was much more enjoyable, with more participation and energy.
What did we find out in MALL?
Students reported speaking more Irish and being more motivated to speak Irish. They remarked on their increased competency with specific references to comprehension, vocabulary, speaking and grammar. Students enjoyed the use of 'new age' technologies to learn and speak Irish and the autonomous learning facilitated by the any time/any place access to the system. The technologies employed didn't represent any barrier to learning, in fact, students reported that their use broke down barriers and that they were more comfortable and confident using them as a medium for learning than more traditional methods.
Teachers commented on students' increased motivation for learning and speaking Irish. They emphasised the positive shift from more teacher-led learning to student-led learning and the student autonomy the system facilitated. Teachers appreciated the new and more interactive way to provide feedback to students and that the system allowed them more contact time with each student, especially those who would usually be quieter in class. Teachers noted that students showed improved self-esteem and confidence in speaking Irish.
Source: NCCA FÓN Website
Whitepaper
Use of Mobile Phones for Language Learning and Assessment for Learning, a Pilot Project (5 Pages, pdf, 200kb) Co-written by Katrina Keogh, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, and Learnosity CEO Gavin Cooney. More Co-written by Katrina Keogh, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, and Learnosity CEO Gavin Cooney.
Student Comments
- I spoke more Irish in my sentences on and off the phone and I learned new words.
- I liked it because it put a lot of fun into learning Irish and I think it was beneficial to me for my Junior Cert.
- Before the mobile phone project I wasn't good at pronouncing words or speaking and this made me better.
- It gave me more practice at home and my teacher could still correct me.
- It was a new and fun way to learn Irish.
Teacher Comments
- It's nice to hear students you wouldn?t usually hear too much in class talking on the recordings.
- It's more interesting and interactive than sitting with a red pen.
Further Reading
- Read an article in the September 2007 edition of NCCA’s magazine info@ncca about the MALL project.
- Read about MALL in the Irish Independent
- National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NCCA) Annual Report 2007