Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App

Siamak Mirzaei; Brett Wilkinson; Mirella Wyra

doi:10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141

Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App

Siamak Mirzaei, Brett Wilkinson, Mirella Wyra

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Learning new vocabulary is one of the challenges in language learning yet crucial for mastering another language. It is also essential in any discipline or professional field where mastering new terminology is indispensable. This paper presents an evaluation of efficacy and usability of a custom-built, targeted and learnable tablet-based app for teaching an extensively researched vocabulary learning strategy, the keyword method, and for facilitating learning of new vocabulary with the aid of this method. In the experimental study reported here, participants learned to use the keyword method, applied it in learning new vocabulary and tested the recall of this newly learned vocabulary within the designed app. The effectiveness of the use of the keyword method taught within the app environment was compared to the effectiveness of the use of the traditional keyword method. Results suggest that the mobile app was a preferred and an effective tool in learning new vocabulary.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018
Editors	Mark J.W. Lee, Sasha Nikolic, Gary K.W. Wong, Jun Shen, Montserrat Ros, Leon C. U. Lei, Neelakantam Venkatarayalu
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	685-689
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	9781538665220
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141
Publication status	Published - 16 Jan 2019
Event	2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018 - Wollongong, Australia Duration: 4 Dec 2018 → 7 Dec 2018

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018

Conference

Conference	2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Wollongong
Period	4/12/18 → 7/12/18

Keywords

explicit strategy instruction
mobile and ubiquitous learning
mobile assisted language learning
the keyword method
usability testing
vocabulary learning and teaching

Access to Document

10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

Mirzaei, S., Wilkinson, B., & Wyra, M. (2019). Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App. In M. J. W. Lee, S. Nikolic, G. K. W. Wong, J. Shen, M. Ros, L. C. U. Lei, & N. Venkatarayalu (Eds.), Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018 (pp. 685-689). Article 8615141 (Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141

Mirzaei, Siamak ; Wilkinson, Brett ; Wyra, Mirella. / Usability Testing of VLASTA : A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App. Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018. editor / Mark J.W. Lee ; Sasha Nikolic ; Gary K.W. Wong ; Jun Shen ; Montserrat Ros ; Leon C. U. Lei ; Neelakantam Venkatarayalu. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2019. pp. 685-689 (Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018).

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title = "Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App",

abstract = "Learning new vocabulary is one of the challenges in language learning yet crucial for mastering another language. It is also essential in any discipline or professional field where mastering new terminology is indispensable. This paper presents an evaluation of efficacy and usability of a custom-built, targeted and learnable tablet-based app for teaching an extensively researched vocabulary learning strategy, the keyword method, and for facilitating learning of new vocabulary with the aid of this method. In the experimental study reported here, participants learned to use the keyword method, applied it in learning new vocabulary and tested the recall of this newly learned vocabulary within the designed app. The effectiveness of the use of the keyword method taught within the app environment was compared to the effectiveness of the use of the traditional keyword method. Results suggest that the mobile app was a preferred and an effective tool in learning new vocabulary.",

keywords = "explicit strategy instruction, mobile and ubiquitous learning, mobile assisted language learning, the keyword method, usability testing, vocabulary learning and teaching",

author = "Siamak Mirzaei and Brett Wilkinson and Mirella Wyra",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018",

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pages = "685--689",

editor = "Lee, {Mark J.W.} and Sasha Nikolic and Wong, {Gary K.W.} and Jun Shen and Montserrat Ros and Lei, {Leon C. U.} and Neelakantam Venkatarayalu",

booktitle = "Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018",

note = "2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018 ; Conference date: 04-12-2018 Through 07-12-2018",

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Mirzaei, S, Wilkinson, B & Wyra, M 2019, Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App. in MJW Lee, S Nikolic, GKW Wong, J Shen, M Ros, LCU Lei & N Venkatarayalu (eds), Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018., 8615141, Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 685-689, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018, Wollongong, Australia, 4/12/18. https://doi.org/10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141

Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App. / Mirzaei, Siamak; Wilkinson, Brett; Wyra, Mirella.
Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018. ed. / Mark J.W. Lee; Sasha Nikolic; Gary K.W. Wong; Jun Shen; Montserrat Ros; Leon C. U. Lei; Neelakantam Venkatarayalu. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2019. p. 685-689 8615141 (Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Usability Testing of VLASTA

T2 - 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018

AU - Mirzaei, Siamak

AU - Wilkinson, Brett

AU - Wyra, Mirella

PY - 2019/1/16

Y1 - 2019/1/16

N2 - Learning new vocabulary is one of the challenges in language learning yet crucial for mastering another language. It is also essential in any discipline or professional field where mastering new terminology is indispensable. This paper presents an evaluation of efficacy and usability of a custom-built, targeted and learnable tablet-based app for teaching an extensively researched vocabulary learning strategy, the keyword method, and for facilitating learning of new vocabulary with the aid of this method. In the experimental study reported here, participants learned to use the keyword method, applied it in learning new vocabulary and tested the recall of this newly learned vocabulary within the designed app. The effectiveness of the use of the keyword method taught within the app environment was compared to the effectiveness of the use of the traditional keyword method. Results suggest that the mobile app was a preferred and an effective tool in learning new vocabulary.

AB - Learning new vocabulary is one of the challenges in language learning yet crucial for mastering another language. It is also essential in any discipline or professional field where mastering new terminology is indispensable. This paper presents an evaluation of efficacy and usability of a custom-built, targeted and learnable tablet-based app for teaching an extensively researched vocabulary learning strategy, the keyword method, and for facilitating learning of new vocabulary with the aid of this method. In the experimental study reported here, participants learned to use the keyword method, applied it in learning new vocabulary and tested the recall of this newly learned vocabulary within the designed app. The effectiveness of the use of the keyword method taught within the app environment was compared to the effectiveness of the use of the traditional keyword method. Results suggest that the mobile app was a preferred and an effective tool in learning new vocabulary.

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KW - mobile assisted language learning

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M3 - Conference contribution

T3 - Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018

SP - 685

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BT - Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018

A2 - Lee, Mark J.W.

A2 - Nikolic, Sasha

A2 - Wong, Gary K.W.

A2 - Shen, Jun

A2 - Ros, Montserrat

A2 - Lei, Leon C. U.

A2 - Venkatarayalu, Neelakantam

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

Y2 - 4 December 2018 through 7 December 2018

ER -

Mirzaei S, Wilkinson B, Wyra M. Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App. In Lee MJW, Nikolic S, Wong GKW, Shen J, Ros M, Lei LCU, Venkatarayalu N, editors, Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2019. p. 685-689. 8615141. (Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering, TALE 2018). doi: 10.1109/TALE.2018.8615141

Usability Testing of VLASTA: A Vocabulary Learning and Strategy Teaching App

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