Evaluating ELT Materials: A Comparison between Traditional Materials and Mobile Apps

International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research

مقاله 4، دوره 5، شماره 20، خرداد 2017، صفحه 59-78   

نوع مقاله: Research Papers

نویسندگان

Saeed Taki^* ؛ Neda Amini

English Department, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran

چکیده

This study attempted to evaluate and compare language learning apps and the related traditional books on the same subject. The apps included Murphy’s English Grammar and Cambridge Discovery Readers and the traditional materials were English Grammar in Use and Developing Reading Skills. The study, thus, aimed to do a comparative analysis between traditional ELT materials and the digital versions. In doing so, it aimed to evaluate ELT mobile apps and consider their effectiveness for English language learning. The analysis was conducted based on the frameworks adapted from Hubbard (2006) and Reinders and Pegrum (2015). Based on these frameworks, the overall features and functions of the selected applications were analyzed in terms of three categories: ‘content and design’, ‘L2 approaches’ and ‘technology’. The analysis demonstrated that these ELT apps seemed to be effective in that they could provide a personal and learner-centered learning opportunity for learners as they would make them independent from any time and any place. Needless to say, by realizing mobility as a more situated, field-dependent and collaborative form of learning, the effective design and use of ELT mobile applications should continue to be studied in order to suggest the right direction to effective MALL.

کلیدواژه‌ها

ELT materials؛ educational applications؛ mobile learning (MALL)؛ mobile apps؛ evaluation of materials