Mobile-Assisted Language Learning in L2 Korean Using WeChat: A Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v16i01.24007Keywords:
Korean as a foreign language, Korean language learning, mobile-assisted language learning, WeChatAbstract
Abstract—Learners studying Korean as a foreign language have a long-standing problem in language learning: less exposure to the target language and a lack of communicative learning opportunities. This study attempts to explore how these challenges can be solved by incorporating mobile technologies—especially WeChat—into Korean language learning. By examining the implementation of the WeChat Project’s five components, this study reports on the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile technologies for students who learn an intermediate Korean language course at a liberal arts college in China. A total of 16 students participated in a one-semester study, and they were asked to complete an end-of-semester questionnaire and attend a follow-up interview. The questionnaire’s results revealed that students generally welcomed the WeChat Project and that they positively perceived the usefulness of the five components of the WeChat Project. In the interviews, the students reported four major benefits of using WeChat in their Korean learning: increased learning time, an acquisition of linguistic knowledge, the Korean language community, and the convenience of using WeChat. The disadvantages and suggestions for improvements are discussed.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Arum Kim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The submitting author warrants that the submission is original and that she/he is the author of the submission together with the named co-authors; to the extend the submission incorporates text passages, figures, data or other material from the work of others, the submitting author has obtained any necessary permission.
Articles in this journal are published under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC-BY What does this mean?). This is to get more legal certainty about what readers can do with published articles, and thus a wider dissemination and archiving, which in turn makes publishing with this journal more valuable for you, the authors.
By submitting an article the author grants to this journal the non-exclusive right to publish it. The author retains the copyright and the publishing rights for his article without any restrictions.
This journal has been awarded the SPARC Europe Seal for Open Access Journals (What's this?)