论文总字数：39187字

摘 要

List of Figures and Tables v

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Research background 1

1.2 Need for the study 2

1.3 Research purposes 2

1.4 Organization of the thesis 3

2. Literature Review 4

3. Research Methodology 7

3.1 Research questions 7

3.2 Questionnaire of the use of Apps 7

3.3 Proficiency of English ability 8

3.4 Data analysis 8

4. Results and Discussion 10

4.1 Results 10

4.2 Discussion 14

5. Conclusion 16

5.1 Major findings of the study 16

5.2 Limitations and suggestions for future research 17

References 19

Appendix I 21

Acknowledgments

Time flies like a flash. Now，it is time to graduate. In 2020, because of the epidemic, everyone’s life is not easy, but that did not stop my pace. In the case of being unable to return to school to collect materials to write a dissertation, I really want to thank those who helped and supported me when I wrote this dissertation from my heart. Without their help, I would not have been able to complete my dissertation.

First, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Mr. Bao Gui. My thesis was completed under the guidance and strict requirements of Professor Bao. From the choice of topics to the finalization of the thesis, Professor Bao has provided careful guidance and unremitting support. He helped me choose topics, collect data, and access data-processing software. Without his help and support, the work would not have been finished so quickly. It is worth mentioning that Professor Bao is rigorous in his studies. He is knowledgeable, approachable, and responsible for his students. I admire his love for learning and his focus on work, which also benefits me a lot.

Then, I would also like to thank all the teachers who taught me during college. Their excellent teaching is the basis for my completion of this thesis.

In the process of writing this dissertation, I would also like to thank my dear classmates, who provided me with reliable data, enabled my analysis to be accurately calculated, and provided the most powerful evidence for the final conclusion.

Last but not least, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my parents for their love and support for me over the years to keep me moving forward.

Abstract

The update of modern technology makes the use of mobile terminals more extensive. English education applications (Apps) are constantly developing. The Apps enrich the way learners learn. The use of smart phone Apps increases students’ interest in English learning. Mobile English learning Apps contribute a lot to English learning due to its variety and convenience and autonomy. The way learners learn has changed a lot.

Vocabulary, listening and speaking are all important parts of English learning. The English Apps that are downloaded more frequently by college students are mainly focus on vocabulary, listening and speaking. In this context, this thesis explores the effects of Apps on learners’ English learning, so as to find out which aspect of English Apps has the greatest influence on learners’ vocabulary knowledge, listening ability or speaking ability. Using research methods such as questionnaires and correlation analysis, this research mainly answers the following questions:

(1) How do learners use different Apps for different kinds of English learning?

(2) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and listening ability?

(3) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and vocabulary knowledge?

(4) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and speaking ability?

In this thesis, 30 senior English majors with similar English proficiency were selected for questionnaire survey. The subjects’ CET-6 vocabulary and listening scores as well as their TEM-4 oral performance were collected. This study used SPSS to analyze the correlation between the subjects’ proficiency and the amount of time in using vocabulary, listening and speaking Apps.

The results showed that most English learners have installed different kinds of English learning Apps, but vocabulary and listening are the main categories. Most learners have a positive attitude towards English Apps, and they can insist on using English Apps to improve their abilities. The amount of time of English learning Apps has a significant positive correlation with English learners’ vocabulary knowledge, listening ability and speaking ability. The correlation coefficient of vocabulary knowledge is higher than listening ability. The correlation coefficient of speaking ability is low.

Learners take a positive attitude towards the combination of English Apps and teaching, so teachers can promote the learning effect of English majors to the greatest extent according to different purposes.

Keywords: English Apps; vocabulary knowledge; listening ability; speaking ability

中文摘要

现代信息技术的更新和移动终端的广泛使用，英语学习应用程序（App）正在逐步发展。移动英语学习App丰富了学习方式。智能手机App的使用增加了学生对英语学习的兴趣。移动英语学习App由于其多样性，便利性和自主性，为英语学习做出了很大贡献。学习者的学习方式发生了很大变化。

词汇，听力和口语都是英语学习的重要组成部分。大学生下载频率较高的英语APP主要集中在词汇，听力和口语这三类上。在此背景下，本文探讨了App对学习者英语学习的影响，以找出英语App对学生的词汇知识，听力能力以及口语能力产生最大影响的方面。使用问卷和相关分析等研究方法，本研究主要回答以下问题：

（1）学习者如何使用不同的App进行不同类型的英语学习？

（2）使用App的时间与听力能力之间有什么关系？

（3）使用App的时间与词汇知识之间有什么关系？

（4）使用App的时间与口语能力之间有什么关系？

本论文选取了30名英语水平相近的英语专业大四学生进行问卷调查，收集30名对象的六级词汇和听力成绩以及专四口语成绩。利用SPSS对研究对象的成绩与使用词汇，听力和口语App的时间进行相关分析。

结果表明：大部分英语学习者都安装了不同种类的英语学习App，但词汇类和听力类占主要地位。大部分学习者对英语App持积极态度，能够坚持利用英语App提升自己能力。英语学习App的使用时间对英语学习者的词汇知识，听力能力和口语能力都有显著的正相关关系，其中词汇知识的相关系数高于听力能力，口语能力的相关系数较低。

学习者对将英语App应用到教学中持积极态度，因此教师可以根据不同目的将英语App同正常教学相结合，从而在最大程度上提高英语专业学生学习的效果。

关键词：英语App；词汇知识；听力能力；口语能力

List of Figures and Tables

Figure 4.1 The use of Apps in English learning 11

Figure 4.2 Amount of time in Apps English learning 12

Table 4.3 Relationship between listening ability and amount of time 13

Table 4.4 Relationship between vocabulary knowledge and amount of time 13

Table 4.5 Relationship between speaking ability and amount of time 14

1. Introduction

1.1 Research background

With the development of intelligent terminal and information technology, mobile learning, as a new learning model, is gradually accepted by people. This is mobile learning which combines mobile network technology with education, and has the characteristics of portability, interactivity and personalization. At the same time, many product developers began to use Apps to develop learning resources. That is, modern education Apps. App means application software, which is the abbreviation of application. It usually refers to the third-party application of smartphone, that is, various application software installed in smartphone. As a unique resource, it has been widely concerned once it came out, and now it shows a rapid development momentum. According to the survey, almost every college student holds a mobile phone. This also shows that every college student can use mobile Apps to learn. Mobile devices and wireless technology can create vivid, massive and real learning situations for students anytime and anywhere, let them explore and think, find out problems, use mobile devices to cultivate students’ ability of information processing, problem solving, expression and communication, give full play to students’ ability of self-learning, and improve learning effect.

But now is the era of internationalization. English is inevitable in international communication Therefore, in the education Apps, English learning Apps are the most prominent, with many users, occupying the center of education Apps. With the development of mobile devices, the development of Apps has turned to a more profound and meaningful application form. As the British linguist Wilkins believed, this is helpful for students to study at anytime and anywhere and gradually strengthen their listening, speaking, reading and writing ability. For learners who are accustomed to using mobile devices and using mobile learning resources to assist learning, Apps on mobile phones have become very important English learning assistant tools, so it is very useful to take advantages of this resource.

1.2 Need for the study

Most of the students’ smart phones are equipped with more than one English learning App. Nowadays, there are various kinds of Mobile English learning software, and the most important thing in English learning is to enhance listening, speaking, reading and writing ability, so developers develop applications according to different abilities. There are “daily English listening”, “VOA and BBC” for training English listening ability; there are a large number of oral Apps for English video dubbing, training and improving English pronunciation and intonation, For example: “English interesting dubbing”, “fluent speaking”, etc.; there are “Baicizhan” and “Shanbei words” and “Bubei words” focusing on learning and memorizing English words; there are also “Shanbei reading” and “Bohe reading” presenting rich reading materials and improving reading ability. English learners can provide advice for effective use of the Apps, or for using the Apps for English teaching. Finally, we can give full play to the advantages of Apps.

1.3 Research purposes

The aims of this thesis is to investigate the use of Apps by English learners, that is to say, the relationship between amount of time in using the Apps and vocabulary knowledge, listening ability and speaking ability of English learners. A questionnaire will be conducted among the target students. The name of the questionnaire is “a survey on the current situation and effect of College Students’ use of English learning Apps”. The questionnaire investigated the frequency of students use different aspects of the Apps as well as attitude and emotional feedback. This study used Pearson correlation coefficient to analyze the relationship between the amount of time for using Apps and vocabulary knowledge, listening ability and speaking ability.

1.4 Organization of the thesis

This thesis is composed of five chapters.

Chapter one is the introduction. This chapter presents the background, purposes and significance of this study.

Chapter two is literature review. This chapter reviews the previous researches of this study so as to find out the research gap.

Chapter three is research methodology which focuses on research questions, questionnaire, proficiency of English ability and data analysis.

Chapter four is the part of results and discussion which is the most significant part. This chapter will analyze the collected data, present the results in detail, and discuss the implications of the results.

Chapter five draws conclusions and summarizes the significance of the study. At last, the limitations of the study are pointed out and suggestions for future researches are proposed.

2. Literature Review

This chapter introduces the details of previous researches and their results which are related to the Apps.

First of all, Mobile Learning (M-Learning or M-Education) is a new learning method that people can obtain education information and resources. It can enable any learner to learn independently. Nowadays, most mobile learning is realized by installing Apps in the smart phones. For mobile learning, educator Dr. Desmond Keegan (1998) thought that mobile learning is a special form of distance learning. Some researchers analyzed mobile learning from the perspective of cognition and learning. They thought that the mobility and context related characteristics of mobile learning make it a new learning method different from digital learning and online learning. The wireless Andrew project research launched by Carnegie Mellon University in 1994 has pioneered mobile education. The first mobile education research in China started with the report of “from e-learning to m-learning” made by Dr. Desmond Keegan, an international distance education expert, on the anniversary of Shanghai TV University in 2000. After that, a lot of researchers joined in the study. Such as Glenn (2007) studied the use of the prototype mobile-based intelligent vocabulary-tutor system by learners in an advanced English class. A research conducted by Hashim, Choo and Song (2009) showed that college students are satisfied with mobile learning.

As a kind of mobile learning, English Apps learning has attracted many scholars’ attention. There have been many studies on the impact of English learning Apps on students’ improvement of performance. Researchers have studied Apps from vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and other aspects.

Vocabulary is the basis of English learning and a necessary prerequisite for language learning. Many scholars have done researches on vocabulary learning from vocabulary Apps. Lu (2008) results showed that mobile phones are used to remember more words than paper. Feng (2004) put forward that multimedia network technology can help learners expand their vocabulary from two aspects: the influence of the application of vocabulary learning software on vocabulary teaching methods and its application in vocabulary teaching practice. Lucas and Hom (2020) of Hong Kong Polytechnic University found that most students support the use of applications in second language vocabulary learning by studying students’ cognition of vocabulary learning applications, and students are generally satisfied with the applications. Chen, Chen and Yang (2018) improved learners’ learning performance and motivation in mobile learning environment by developing an English vocabulary learning application with self-regulated learning mechanism (EVlAPP-SRLM) and the achievement of learners were improved significantly. The research done by Chen and Chung (2008) showed that flexible and effective English vocabulary learning applications can significantly improve learners’ academic performance and interest. Zheng (2007) discussed that multimedia computer-aided English vocabulary teaching can effectively mobilize students’ participation and enthusiasm. Chen (2012) compared the effect of two kinds of vocabulary software in senior high school students’ vocabulary learning, and then pointed out that vocabulary software is more effective than traditional vocabulary learning methods. Zhu (2018) proved the efficiency of using App in memorizing the words through experiments.

The researches of English Apps for learners’ oral English showed the effectiveness of Apps. Liu and Xiao (2017) pointed out that “English interest dubbing” App helps to improve students’ oral expression ability. (Zhao, 2018) studied the use of English application to explore and change conventional teaching methods of business English oral skills. Qu (2016) analyzed the application in word memory, listening training, oral training and reading training, and concluded that the application can help learners improve their ability. Chen (2019) pointed out in the study of “tomato English” App that the emergence of App learning made up for the shortcomings of traditional oral English teaching, increased the interest of English, and stimulated students’ interest in learning.

Listening is indispensable in learning, so it is necessary to study English listening Apps. By analyzing the impact of smart phone applications on junior high school students’ English listening improvement, the study found that mobile phone applications will bring new experience to English listening teaching (Ren, 2019). Fan (2019) found that the students’ English listening scores have been improved satisfactorily through the use of Shanbei listening App. The research of Si (2017) pointed out that listening App provides learners with interesting and personalized learning resources, and students have a higher interest in learning. Valérie and Kukulska (2010) proved that the use of mobile devices can support the practice of listening and speaking skills effectively.

Through literature review, it can be found that almost scholars only study the single function of Apps. Although it is concluded that Apps can effectively help learners improve their vocabulary knowledge, listening ability and speaking ability, we can’t know which of the three abilities is the most effective, that is, which ability is the most affected by Apps.

The development of Apps has aroused researchers’ interest in the combination of mobile Apps and teaching. Kiernan and Aizawa (2004) tested college students and concluded that cell phones are a language learning resource worthy of further investigation. Zhu (2018) proved that word App, as a learning tool for teaching and learning, has great potential. Blanka (2018) found that smartphone applications have a positive impact on foreign language learning, especially the development of learners’ vocabulary and motivation.

3. Research Methodology

In this chapter, the research questions are put forward. Then it briefly introduces the content of the questionnaire and proficiency of English ability. Finally, the data were analyzed by questionnaire and SPSS.

3.1 Research questions

Through investigation, this study aims to solve the following questions:

(1) How do learners use different Apps for different kinds of English learning?

(2) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and listening ability?

(3) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and vocabulary knowledge?

(4) What is the relationship between the amount of time in using Apps and speaking ability?

3.2 Questionnaire of the use of Apps

A questionnaire survey on the use of Apps was conducted on 30 students. The aims of the questionnaire survey are to investigate the frequency and attitude of learners using Apps.

Questions about the frequency of using the Apps are: How many English Apps are there on the mobile phone? What Apps do learners often use? Which aspect of Apps is mainly used for learning? How often do learners use Apps? In order to make the results more accurate, the questionnaire collects the specific time spent by the learners on listening ability, vocabulary knowledge and speaking ability each week.

The questions to investigate learners’ attitudes towards Apps are: What is the attitude of learners towards learning English using mobile Apps? Is it positive or negative, or neutral? What advantages do learners think of English Apps? What is the main purpose of learners using mobile Apps to learn English? Is it to improve vocabulary knowledge, or to enhance listening ability, or improve speaking ability? Which type of English learning Apps can help English learners more effectively? For more information of the questionnaire, see Appendix I. The data and results in the questionnaire are real and effective.

3.3 Proficiency of English ability

In order to make the research more accurate and effective, first of all, in terms of vocabulary, this study chose the authoritative test CET-6. Since reading, translation and writing are all related to vocabulary, the total score of reading, translation and writing of CET-6 is used to measure the correlation analysis between vocabulary performance and the total time of using vocabulary Apps.

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