Asignaturas - Master 240901

PRESENTATION

Mobile Assisted Language Learning is an intersection between Mobile Learning and Computer Assisted Language Learning. It is also the name of an optional 5 ECTS subject that is studied during the first semester of this master.  This subject is offered to provide the students with an opportunity to learn about the perspectives and results of the work undertaken by the research community in the domain of Mobile Assisted Language Learning, and in other neighbouring fields such as incidental learning, gamification, and social learning, to name a few. The subject also has a practical side whereby the functionality of the mobile device for the specific purpose of language learning and the apps that can be stored and used therein are tried out and reflected upon in an interrelated way.  

After decades of massive use of mobile devices by the general public and their increasing use for educational and training purposes and, particularly, for learning languages, this specialized subject focuses on mobile technological innovation and second language learning. It deals with the advantages and disadvantages that networked mobile devices and their various applications and related conceptual frameworks can entail for students, and the associated challenges for language teachers.

CONTEXT

It is not necessary anymore to make a case for the use of mobile devices in any type of linguistic education/training because they are already being extensively used! All parties involved in the learning process are convinced of their value, and teachers - and particularly students - can be seen walking to and from their classes with just a laptop, tablet PC, or any other mobile device in hand. The affordances of computer- and mobile-assisted language learning are decisive and their use is likely to coexist with conventional methods (and, in some cases, substitute them) now and in the foreseeable future. 

The adoption and integration of mobile learning technology – and the associated pedagogy - is rapidly progressing and not something just limited to the more affluent students (currently there are five times more low cost Android devices connected to the Internet than more expensive Apple iOS ones). Furthermore, modern students are typically already digitally proficient – often more so than their teachers – and confidently expect them to come up with learning activities that are both linguistically and digitally challenging.

PREVIOUS REQUIREMENTS

MALL is an specialized subject. As such, the student is expected to have introductory knowledge and certain experience in CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning). If the student has not had the opportunity to experiment with CALL systems/tools in the past, s/he is encouraged to study the introductory subject on CALL which forms part of the syllabus of this master too (in Spanish: Introducción a la ELAO). It is also expected that the student will have access to a mobile device (preferably a smartphone) and have average usage skills.

Also, this subject will be taught and learnt in English. The course reading materials and study guides will be all in this language, which will also be used in the forums and the rest of the communication tools. Unless explicitly agreed with the teachers, all the learning activities and assignments will also take place in English. Therefore, it is fundamental that students have a B2 level for reading and writing in this language. It must be emphasized, however, that the English competence level will not be subject of evaluation or count neither positively nor negatively.

Student tutoring will take place mainly on the virtual course of this subject, where peers can benefit from the queries. However, should the student wish to interact with the teachers individually, s/he may do so by emailing, writing or phoning them. The contact details are included below:

Timothy Read
Departamento de Lenguajes y Sistemas Informáticos
ETSII
UNED
C/ Juan de Rosales, 16
28040 Madrid
Telephone support: Mondays, 10.00 – 14.00
Tel.: (+)91 3988261
E-mail: tread@lsi.uned.es

Elena Bárcena
Departamento de Filologías Extranjeras y sus Lingüísticas
Facultad de Filología
UNED
Pº Senda del Rey, 7
28040 Madrid
Telephone support: Wednesdays, 10.00 – 14.00
Tel.: (+)91 3986841
E-mail: mbarcena@flog.uned.es

Competencias Básicas:

CB6 - Poseer y comprender conocimientos que aporten una base u oportunidad de ser originales en el desarrollo y/o aplicación de ideas, a menudo en un contexto de investigación

CB7 - Que los estudiantes sepan aplicar los conocimientos adquiridos y su capacidad de resolución de problemas en entornos nuevos o poco conocidos dentro de contextos más amplios (o multidisciplinares) relacionados con su área de estudio

CB8 - Que los estudiantes sean capaces de integrar conocimientos y enfrentarse a la complejidad de formular juicios a partir de una información que, siendo incompleta o limitada, incluya reflexiones sobre las responsabilidades sociales y éticas vinculadas a la aplicación de sus conocimientos y juicios

CB9 - Que los estudiantes sepan comunicar sus conclusiones y los conocimientos y razones últimas que las sustentan a públicos especializados y no especializados de un modo claro y sin ambigüedades

CB10 - Que los estudiantes posean las habilidades de aprendizaje que les permitan continuar estudiando de un modo que habrá de ser en gran medida autodirigido o autónomo.

Competencias Generales:

CG01 - Adquirir iniciativa y motivación

CG04 - Adquirir competencias cognitivas superiores en análisis y síntesis

CG07 - Desarrollar razonamiento crítico

CG09 - Desarrollar capacidad de comunicación y expresión escrita

CG11 - Desarrollar capacidad de comunicación y expresión científica y tecnológica

CG13 - Desarrollar competencias en la búsqueda, procesamiento y difusión de información y conocimiento

CG16 - Desarrollar habilidades para coordinarse con el trabajo de otros

Competencias Específicas:

CE02 - Evaluar herramientas digitales para el proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje de idiomas.

CE04 - Analizar de forma crítica y reflexiva las opciones metodológicas que se presentan en diversos contextos de investigación lingüística, así como fundamentar las propias decisiones.

CE23 - Analizar el futuro inmediato de la ELAO a la vista de los avances tecnológicos y la realidad formativa y social.

LEARNING RESULTS

This subject is structured so that the student obtains an understanding of MALL from two different and complementary perspectives: a theoretical one, reflecting the state of the art of the discipline, and a practical one, illustrating the currently available range of apps and functionalities of mobile devices. By the end of the semester the student will have obtained the following results:

• At a theoretical level: the student will have a general knowledge of the history of this field from the beginning and the theoretical models that underpin the application of MALL both within and outside the language classroom. The results obtained from these different approaches will also be understood by the student in terms of the development of communicative and linguistic competences and the characteristics of the underlying mobile devices.
• At a practical level: the student will have gained experience of installing and experimenting with a representative sample of mobile apps and tools for learning languages together with their didactic potential in a formal and/or non-formal learning environment. Furthermore, a range of apps will be used that reflect the different ways in which mobile technology can be used: individually, accessing both local and online resources; collaboratively, sharing information artefacts online; and socially, where groups of people network around common themes.

METHODOLOGY

The learning activities presented in the Contents section of this guide are structured around the state of the art in each of the themes that make up MALL. The methodological aspects related to these activities are as follows:

1. Synthesis of the state of the issue with academic articles and other contents, exercises, etc. -> methodology: Reading the key literature and carrying out a short essay or presentation individually or in pairs. If the essay is written between two students, both of them must upload it to the platform and indicate the name of the other coauthor.
2. Individual tutorials -> methodology: Resolution of doubts, queries and follow up of works by email and/or in the forum.
3. Individual work -> methodology: Autonomous work on the part of the student.

This course on Mobile Assisted Language Learning (henceforth, MALL) requires a continuous study throughout the semester, where the theoretical and practical concepts related to the state of the art of the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning languages can be assimilated. To help students use their time wisely and effectively in this subject, a fortnightly plan will be provided, together with suggested activities, since it will be very difficult to assimilate the subject if the work is left to the end of the term!

This subject on MALL corresponds to 5 ECTS (European credits). One credit is equivalent to 25 hours of study, which implies about 125 hours of study in total over the 12 weeks generally available for the course. 

La bibliografía básica de la asignatura consiste en un libro de referencia internacional al que se puede acceder en el curso virtual:

The International Handbook of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning. 
Agnieszka Palalas y Mohamed Ally. 
2016. 
China Central Radio & TV University Press.

El estudiante interesado en leer más sobre el aprendizaje de lenguas asistido por dispositivos móviles (MALL), puede encontrar información en la siguiente guía sobre pedagogía móvil sobre las diferentes formas en que puede llevarse a cabo el aprendizaje de lenguas mediante dispositivos móviles. También está incluido en el curso virtual:

Mobile pedagogy for English language teaching: a guide for teachers
Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Lucy Norris y Jim Donohue
2015.
British Council

MALL existe como especialización académica y profesional desde principios de la década de los 90. Por lo tanto, existe un número creciente de organizaciones dedicadas a MALL alrededor del mundo, conferencias nacionales e internacionales  especializadas y un elevado número de revistas académicas, como las que se citan a continuación: 

SIG de MALL en EUROCALL y SIG de MALL en IamLearn. Tanto la asociación europea de CALL como la asociación internacional de aprendizaje móvil tienen sendos 'special interest groups' en MALL que organizan reuniones anuales, simposios, seminarios, publicaciones conjuntas, etc.

LLT. Language Learning and Technology Journal. Fundamentalmente una revista de teoría e investigación, aunque también incluye reseñas, etc. Se trata de una fuente gratuita de gran interés. Los artículos completos están disponibles en línea. 

CALL-EJ Online. CALL Electronic Journal Online. Otra fuente gratuita, más orientada hacia la práctica que la anterior. 

CALICO Journal. Revista del Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium: existe solo una versión impresa de ella, pero existe material relacionado disponible en línea.

CALL Journal. Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Se trata de una revista internacional en formato impreso, pero también existe un versión electrónica para las instituciones que se suscriban. 

ReCALL. La revista de la organización professional EuroCALL; la publica Cambridge University Press.

SUPPORT RESOURCES

In addition to the student’s own mobile device and related set of apps and learning and communication tools, the institutional learning platform will provide a way to enable the interaction between the learner, his/her peers and teachers. It allows students to receive training, manage and share documents, create and participate in thematic communities, as well as carry out projects online. This platform will be used by the teaching team to provide students with the bibliography, tools and resources necessary to undertake all the individual work and collaborative learning proposed in the subject.

The teaching team will share their own publications, presentations and videos on this field, such as the following:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQH4wWchOaU (Timothy Read --> “Comparison of the individual and social versions of ANT”)

They will also provide the students with recordings on the methodology of this subject, such as the following:

https://canal.uned.es/mmobj/index/id/53398 (Elena Barcena --> “MALL: An introduction to the subject”)

https://canal.uned.es/mmobj/index/id/53335 (Elena Barcena --> " Methodological and technological innovation in distance language learning: mobile, open and social learning")