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Duolingo . Gamified learning through translation
... It is the role of technology that is going to be emphasized in this paper, in particular that of Duolingo. Duolingo is a web-and app-based computer assisted language learning (CALL) platform that uses gamification to promote language learning (Munday, 2016;Munday, 2017;Savvani, 2019). The platform uses a translation-based approach, with all four skills used to promote grammar and vocabulary acquisition and utilization (Nushi & Eqbali, 2017). ...
... Programs are extensively tested before release, with periodic updates to improve learning structure (Savvani, 2019). Duolingo is also intensively gamified, with learners earning XP and "lingots" (or in-game currency) for finishing skills, achieving levels, and meeting other goals (Munday, 2017). Furthermore, classes are tailored for PASAA Vol. ...
... English vocabulary (Ajisoko, 2020) and written grammar (Syahputra, 2019), as well as promotion of independent learning (Tsai, 2016). The overall modest improvement, however, also supports the arguments of other authors that Duolingo on its own is an inadequate approach to learning (Finardi et al., 2016;Munday, 2016;Munday, 2017). ...
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the popular Duolingo App on learning English in Thailand. Parts of the Duolingo English course for Thai speakers were used in a classroom-based intervention with two sections of English for Professional Purposes courses at a Thai university (n = 128). The students were split into two groups of users (n = 70) and non-users (n = 58), and a pre-test/post-test assessment of verb tense knowledge was conducted. The results showed that the Duolingo users had a significantly higher mean improvement in verb tense knowledge. Multiple regression showed that frequency of Duolingo use, perceived achievement, and perceived enjoyment positively influenced performance among the user group. Moderation analysis also showed that prior use of Duolingo partially moderated the relationships of level completion and achievement on score improvement. The implication is that Duolingo is a potentially useful supplement to classroom learning although its effects may change over time as users become habituated.
... The concept of gamification in education is that it is assumed that the user has prior knowledge of games and as such, previous gaming concepts can be incorporated into the learning environment [19]. An example of such an application is Duolingo [20]. It is a mobile application which is designed so that students can learn a given language online while helping to translate websites and documents. ...
... It is a mobile application which is designed so that students can learn a given language online while helping to translate websites and documents. The application allows beginners to start with basic and simple sentences from the web until they progress to a level where they can receive more complex sentences [20]. For the list of the words the user has studied or already knew, each word is accompanied by a strength bar, which indicates if the word is still active in the user's memory or not, based on DuoLingo's algorithm [20]. ...
... The application allows beginners to start with basic and simple sentences from the web until they progress to a level where they can receive more complex sentences [20]. For the list of the words the user has studied or already knew, each word is accompanied by a strength bar, which indicates if the word is still active in the user's memory or not, based on DuoLingo's algorithm [20]. The application includes elements such as skill points and time bonuses when questions are answered correctly within a given time limit [21]. ...
There is a huge dropout rate among Computer Science students at the University of Namibia (UNAM). This can be attributed to the lack of engaging methods for learning both basic and advanced computational concepts. Despite gamification concepts in learning discussed in the literature, no study addresses the modules with very high failure rates among Computer Science students at UNAM using the concept of gamification. The purpose of this paper was to present the design, development, and evaluation of CS Challenger. CS Challenger is a mobile application which was developed to motivate students through interactive gaming techniques to facilitate rewards and rankings. For the first time in the Namibian context, a contextualised mobile app was developed to gamify the concepts of five modules offered to Computer Science students at UNAM. The results from the evaluation suggest that CS Challenger provides a motivating environment in which students can quickly grasp the concept of a subject. The findings of the study are expected to inform managers in education in Namibia on alternative means of providing gamified learning content to students.
... Duolingo, founded in 2011, has adopted a distinctive approach by gamifying language learning, making it accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for users of all ages (Munday, 2017). This approach has garnered attention within the field of educational technology and language acquisition (Shortt et al., 2023). ...
... Duolingo serves as a widely used computer-assisted language learning platform that combines gamification principles with adaptive learning techniques (Munday, 2017). The Duolingo learning process involves selecting a language and setting daily learning goals (Shortt et al., 2023). ...
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of Duolingo's game-based methodology in improving speaking proficiency within mobile language learning, while also examining the specific attributes and strategies contributing to its success and exploring implications for language education and learner optimization. Given the growing prevalence of mobile language learning platforms, the research meticulously scrutinizes the specific attributes and strategies employed by Duolingo that contribute to the refinement of oral fluency. This study employs a mixed methods design, integrating phenomenological and experimental approaches through a pre, post and attainment speaking tests with a control group design supported with metaphorical perceptions. The findings underscore the pivotal role of assimilating technological advancements and gamified pedagogical approaches within language education to expedite effective intercultural communication across multifarious linguistic landscapes. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of continuously adapting language learning methodologies to leverage emerging technologies and gamification strategies in order to foster effective communication skills in diverse linguistic contexts. The implications for prospective inquiries advocate for longitudinal investigations delving into the enduring implications of mobile game-based language learning on comprehensive linguistic acquisition, necessitating comparative inquiries to ascertain the comparative efficacy of diverse mobile applications in fostering distinct language proficiencies. Additionally, probing the influence of individual learner attributes and predilections in optimizing the utilization of mobile language learning applications could yield valuable insights for tailoring language acquisition paradigms.
... Meaningful learning and new learning anchored in the cognitive structure (not rote learning) are key elements to boost the effectiveness of these apps. Several research (Citrayasa, 2019;Malerba, 2015;Munday, 2017;Psychogyiou & Karasimos, 2019;Stockwell & Hubbard, 2013) present data from users who request apps centered on interest, with individualization of teaching and learning and supporting encouragement of critical thinking. Unfortunately, the astounding growth of new language learning apps (more than 70), glamorized by technology, amplifies the poor conceptual framework and the usual absence of identified essential elements and the 4-Square Map of distance education technology options (Gafurova 2021; Paris et al. 2021;Stock, McIsaac & Gunawardena, 2004). ...
... Duolingo enhances the learning experience by increasing access to the target language and allowing learners to work at their own time, level, and pace, thus making learning more exciting and personalized (Nushi & Eqbali, 2017). Moreover, Munday (2017) studies how the translation-based platform offers different possibilities for Spanish learners, while its gamified features provide an entertaining way for students to learn a language. Rachels and Rockinson-Szapkiw (2018) provide evidence that students learning a language with a free app like Duolingo, which applies gamification principles, exhibit equivalent learning outcomes with students being taught in a traditional face-to-face setting; their research indicates that Duolingo can have a substantial impact on foreign language learning. ...
Learning foreign languages has become a very appealing and important ability in the contemporary world. Technology, nowadays, permeates all aspects of people’s lives, and consequently it has also reached the domain of education. Oftentimes, learning a foreign language involves using language learning platforms (LLPs). There is an abundance of language learning software tools available, but we can only find a small amount of research specifically dealing with such tools and investigating their effectiveness in language learning. This paper narrows down the focus on five language learning platforms. It is a comprehensive evaluation of the popular and rapidly growing online language learning platforms, such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Memrise, LingQ and Busuu. In the process of this evaluation, the participants will present features of these platforms and underline their strengths and weak points, while addressing certain limitations and providing suggestions for further improvement of the learning platform.
... Duolingo is a popular language learning app that uses NLP technology to create language exercises and tests. By analyzing users' input, Duolingo can provide personalized learning recommendations and feedback [10]. Grammarly is a writing aid that uses NLP technology to check for grammar errors and provide expression suggestions. ...
AI has penetrated into human daily life. In light of the escalating advancements of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies, new teaching tools and methods have emerged in the field of education. Through literature review and analysis, this paper discusses the feasibility of NLP in daily English education. On the first step, this paper introduces the basic concepts of AI and NLP and their application fields in education, as well as the application of AI in different stages of education. Through case studies, the application of NLP technology in English education is demonstrated, and the assistance of NLP technology to teachers teaching and students learning is analyzed. On the second step, the paper discusses the potential advantages and challenges of NLP in English language teaching, including further optimizations on these tools and how to effectively integrate them into existing teaching frameworks. Finally, the paper concludes that the application of NLP technology in English teaching is feasible and has important potential. The paper also aims to provide a new direction for AI-integrated education and provide pedagogical thinking and direction for the compilation of future models.
... A review of literature on the effectiveness of Duolingo revealed trends of research, investigated languages, and methodologies adopted in the field. In addition to critical review of the app from a pedagogical perspective in some studies (Bajorek, 2017;Cunningham, 2015;Munday, 2017;Teske, 2017), researchers focused on a series of topics including learner experiences (e.g., García Botero et al., 2018;Finardi et al., 2016;Lotherington, 2018), learning outcomes (e.g., Isbell et al., 2017;Jiang et al., 2024;Loewen et al., 2019), continuance intention of learners' usage (Ünal & Güngör, 2021), learner engagement as part of the class (Brick & Cervi-Wilson, 2019;Munday, 2016), the impact of winning streak feature in the app (Huynh & Iida, 2017), and academic success and academic self-efficiency (Rachels & Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2018). While some researchers investigated the potential of the app in learning of multiple languages (e.g., García Botero et al., 2018), most of them exclusively focused on a single language such as Spanish (e.g., Rachels & Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2018), English (Ünal & Güngör, 2021), French (García Botero et al., 2019), Turkish (Isbell et al., 2017;Loewen et al., 2019), and Italian (Lotherington, 2018). ...
Digital mobile applications have impacted foreign language learning by offering accessible and engaging educational tools. This study examines the effect of digital mobile applications on emergent multilinguals’ foreign language learning experiences at the tertiary level. Twenty-nine English language teacher candidates engaged with Duolingo—a popular, free mobile application—over a month, studying various foreign languages. Data collected from pre- and post-study reflective journals, discussion board posts, and focus group interviews provided insights into the participants’ experiences with the app’s features, their perceived language development, and their views on the pedagogical integration of mobile apps in language education. The findings highlighted active student engagement and noted vocabulary improvements, while other language areas showed mixed results. Participants appreciated the app’s technical features but criticized its cultural and speech limitations. Despite recognizing digital mobile applications’ potential, teacher candidates expressed uncertainty about their classroom integration but intended future pedagogical use. The study concluded with the implications of these interactions for the integration of mobile apps into foreign language education, particularly in multilingual contexts.
... ClassDojo: A platform that allows students and teachers to share content and collaborate on learning efforts, [64]. Babbel & Duolingo: popular apps that offer structured language learning programs with a variety of activities and games, [65], [66], [67], [68]. Busuu & Rosetta Stone: companies that offer language learning platforms with a focus on audiovisual learning and the development of listening skills, [69], [70], [71], [72], [73]. ...
Recently, numerous studies have examined the use of digital applications in language teaching for both youth and adult education during and after the pandemic. Our study aims to identify the challenges faced by adults and the motivations driving them to learn foreign languages. Also, we assess their ability to utilize and benefit from modern technological advancements, especially in digital tools used in distant learning. The responses of 106 adult participants were analyzed using the SPSS statistical program, revealing various factors such as work development, personal interests, age, and individual characteristics unique to each participant. The findings indicate that there are significant gaps in adult education that warrant further exploration in future research, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to address these unique adult learning needs.
... (b) Does the existence of NPCs in this way in-dicate a stronger interest in the learning game itself? Duolingo [Munday, 2017] is a common platform for learning different languages. It supports the development of educational games, such as language learning through gamification , as well as machine learningbased approaches to performance testing. ...
This paper explores the application of state-of-the-art natural language processing (NLP) technologies to improve the user experience in games. Our motivation stems from the realization that a virtual assistant’s input during games or simulation applications can significantly assist the user in real-time problem solving, suggestion generation, and dynamic adjustments. We propose a novel framework that seamlessly integrates large-scale language models (LLMs) into game environments and enables intelligent assistants to take the form of physical 3D characters or virtual background entities within the player narrative. Our evaluation considers computational requirements, latency and quality of results using techniques such as synthetic dataset generation, fine-tuning, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and security mechanisms. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations, including real user feedback, confirm the effectiveness of our approach. The framework is implemented as an open-source plugin for the Unreal Engine and has already been successfully used in a game demo. The presented methods can be extended to simulation applications and serious games in general.
... Most of the time, mistakes come with a brief critique, and giving the right response earns learners a bonus at the lesson's conclusion and a brief form of positive feedback. Learners in both situations can visit a forum topic created just for each subject and interact with other learners (Duolingo About Us: Approach, 2021b Munday, 2017;Rachels & Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2018;Shortt et al., 2021). Loewen et al. (2019), for instance, examining the impact of digital gamified activities on language learning, found a positive impact of digital gamification on improving the learner's language achievement. ...
Background
The impact of digital gamified language learning on language achievement has been corroborated in the literature; however, its impact on language achievement, especially in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context needs further investigation. In addition, the related literature has not sufficiently confirmed the impact of digital gamified language learning on some psychological domains of EFL learning.
Objectives
This study, therefore, employed a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the effects of digital gamified language learning using a mobile application (app) affordances on EFL learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and ideal second language (L2) self.
Methods
To this end, 36 EFL learners were randomly divided into two groups; one group was randomly assigned to the digital class, including 19 EFL learners, and the other group was assigned to the non‐digital class, consisting of 17 EFL learners. The digital learners did the digital gamified language learning activities individually and interactively and received peer and instructor feedback, whilst the non‐digital learners did the same language learning activities in printed format and received peer and instructor feedback. A language achievement test, the FLE scale, and the ideal L2 self‐scale were used to collect the quantitative data and an individual semi‐structured interview was carried out to gather the qualitative data.
Results and Conclusions
One‐way ANCOVA, used to analyse the quantitative data, revealed that the digital and non‐digital classes improved the EFL learners' language achievement, FLE, and ideal L2 self; however, the digital learners outperformed their non‐digital counterparts in all the measures. Thematic analysis, utilised to analyse the qualitative data, uncovered some themes about the digital learners' positive and negative attitudes and perceptions towards the digital gamified language learning activities, clarifying the quantitative findings.
Implications
Pedagogical implications are discussed.
... The app personalizes the learning experience for each user, based on their individual strengths and weaknesses. The app uses points, badges, and leaderboards to motivate users to keep learning (Munday, 2017). The app is free to use, which makes it accessible to people all over the world. ...
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly relying on technology integration to drive growth and competitiveness. This paper proposes a comparative review of how SMEs in two contrasting economies, the United States and Nigeria, are navigating the digital transformation journey. The core objective is to explore the dynamics, challenges, and prospects of technology adoption in these distinct economic contexts, offering valuable insights into the global patterns of SME digitalization. The United States, representing a developed and technologically advanced economy, presents a scenario where SMEs are leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance operational efficiency, market reach, and customer engagement. This review will explore the range of technologies being adopted, from cloud computing and AI-driven analytics to sophisticated e-commerce solutions. It will also delve into the challenges faced by US SMEs, such as cybersecurity threats and a competitive landscape dominated by tech giants. Furthermore, the review will assess the impact of supportive government policies and the digital skills landscape on SME technology integration. Contrastingly, in Nigeria, an emerging economy with distinct challenges and opportunities, SMEs are also embracing technology, albeit in different forms and scales. The review will examine the uptake of mobile technology, fintech, and digital platforms, particularly focusing on how these technologies enable Nigerian SMEs to overcome infrastructural limitations and access broader markets. Additionally, it will address the challenges unique to the Nigerian context, including erratic power supply, limited access to funding, and regulatory hurdles. The role of government initiatives in promoting technology adoption among Nigerian SMEs will also be a focal point. By drawing parallels and highlighting contrasts between these two economies, the paper aims to shed light on the multifaceted nature of SME technology integration. It will underscore how contextual factors like economic development, infrastructure, and policy environments shape the technology adoption pathways for SMEs. The review will also prognosticate future trends, identifying potential technological innovations that could revolutionize SME operations in both developed and developing economies. This comparative review is pivotal in understanding the global digital SME landscape. It offers practical insights for policymakers, business leaders, and technology developers, guiding them in creating tailored strategies and solutions that foster SME growth and resilience in an increasingly digital world. Keywords: Technology, SMEs, USA, Nigeria, Technology Integration, Digital Landscape, Economy.
... Такими сервисами являются Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Babbel [5]. P. Munday [6], Р. Н. Абитов [7] и G. Lord [8] независимо друг от друга утверждают, что приложения этого типа сочетают в себе сильные стороны вышеперечисленных категорий, но и перенимают ряд слабых. Одной из таких слабых сторон является недостаток звукового взаимодействия: дефицит заданий на отработку восприятия слов на слух и их произношения. ...
The primary composition and the further enhancement of the vocabulary of a foreign language are essential constituents of learning techniques. This segment of language learning is quantitatively and qualitatively underrepresented by electronic services, thus, the development of a new contemporary vocabulary enhancement service is reasonable. The article aims to elaborate and describe a new architectural model of such an application, which will solve present issues and introduce several novel techniques.
To create the model, a comparative analysis of existing applications, their classification, and the study of the main pedagogical concepts applied in their construction were carried out. The model is based on the peculiarities of human approaches to memorizing linguistic constructions of foreign languages. An application based on the model was implemented.
The software product can be utilized in the process of teaching the discipline “Foreign Language” at all levels of general and professional education. To analyze the effectiveness of the new service, compliance with the requirements of a user-centered vocabulary app and assess the usability of the interface, a survey was conducted. Based on its results, it can be concluded that the built application provides a simple and effective tool to fill one of the gaps in the skills of foreign language learners.
... A common platform for teaching different languages is Duolingo. With its support, various learning games, e.g., language learning through gamification [Munday, 2017], and machine learning-based methods for performance testing are developed. Using the platform itself and NLP methods, the authors proposed the use of automatically generated language tests that can be graded and psychometrically analyzed without human effort or supervision. ...
Natural language processing (NLP) applications are becoming increasingly popular today, largely due to recent advances in theory (machine learning and knowledge representation) and the computational power required to train and store large language models and data. Since NLP applications such as Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana, Siri, and chatGPT are widely used today, we assume that video games and simulation applications can successfully integrate NLP components into various use cases. The main goal of this paper is to show that natural language processing solutions can be used to improve user experience and make simulation more enjoyable. In this paper, we propose a set of methods along with a proven implemented framework that uses a hierarchical NLP model to create virtual characters (visible or invisible) in the environment that respond to and collaborate with the user to improve their experience. Our motivation stems from the observation that in many situations, feedback from a human user during the simulation can be used efficiently to help the user solve puzzles in real time, make suggestions, and adjust things like difficulty or even performance-related settings. Our implementation is open source, reusable, and built as a plugin in a publicly available game engine, the Unreal Engine. Our evaluation and demos, as well as feedback from industry partners, suggest that the proposed methods could be useful to the game development industry.
... The team looked at a variety of apps and products that sought to create positive behaviours. Successful examples include: Fitbits, which encourages people to be more physically active (Kerner & Goodyear, 2017); and Duolingo, which engages people in learning languages (Munday, 2017). In cases such as these, there are points and achievements that encourage habit formation, but these rewards generally do not have utility outside the app. ...
In the world of community currencies Bristol Pound was a success. Yet in the realm of behavioural change, it failed to bring about the great transition. In the face of the enviroclypse we need a new approach. By using countable tokens to encourage positive flows in social capital and environmental capital, rather than financial capital, Bristol Pay CIC is designing a new complementary system. This paper contains a historical review of the Bristol Pound with the lessons learned: the unintended barriers to entry for the majority of the population, the lack of value propositions to engage people; the technical shortcomings. It then outlines the hypotheses behind Bristol Pay, from behaviour change to gamification, and from multi-capital accounting to social economics.
... Feedback is given for each stage completed and a good 'communication relationship' is established between the user and the company, informing the user that they have successfully progressed and won the stage. Customers don't feel overtly persuaded by the business in this marketing process and is motivated to complete the task with good feedback like satisfaction and achievement [8]. ...
This paper investigates and analyses the current gamified marketing industry from three aspects: industry development, typical companies and future customer groups. The data is obtained from online data and original surveys, both quantitative and qualitative analysis are used, and the DMC model is applied to analyses the data. This paper summarizes the current development status of the industry and puts forward the view that the industry has a large development space and good development prospects. It also analyses the customer loyalty of Duolingo, a representative company in the industry. Finally, an online questionnaire survey was conducted on consumers of gamified marketing, and ways to attract more consumers to online credit services were proposed.
... 11 The team looked at a variety of apps and products that sought to create positive behaviours. Successful examples include: Fitbits, which encourages people to be more physically active (Kerner & Goodyear, 2017); and Duolingo, which engages people in learning languages (Munday, 2017). In cases such as these, there are points and achievements that encourage habit formation, but these rewards generally do not have utility outside the app. ...
Every community, no matter how money poor, has a wealth of abilities and capability to
stimulate the local economy. From this point, the idea of community currency (CC) emerged. This new
type of currency was proposed as a tool to achieve sustainable development in the local economy. We
learned that creating a CC was not enough to energize the local economy without addressing the
stagnation problem. Thus, in the current research, we proposed a new framework or sequence of steps
to build a “customized community” where the needs of members were met with the offered market to
solve the stagnation problem. In this study we used real data recorded by a CC-based platform called
C.C.Wallet to better estimate the degree of satisfaction of the members of the community to be used
thereafter as a bridge to build “customized community”. Considering this, the backbone of the proposed
framework is estimating the degree of satisfaction of the members of the community by utilizing a Neural
Network (NN) and this degree of satisfaction was used as an index to determine the members who
would be given thereafter a “preference” in terms of bonus premium points to be added to their initial
purchase of the CC with legal tender. The proposed index was created based on the number of
purchases of the same products and services as well as by analysing C.C.Wallet users' messages (textbased comments and impressions) regarding the offered products and services after completing the
transactions in the Japanese language. Thus, to analyse the comment text recorded in C.C.Wallet, it
was necessary to use the technology of Natural Language Processing (NLP) where those comments
were tokenized into tokens by using a python language-based module. In the current study, the
engagement of the members with the provided market was monitored by computing a visual map of
Shannon Entropy (SE). Our main findings suggest that the proposed framework should be considered
as a tool to construct the concept of a “customized community” where the circulation of CCs is
accelerated with the result of further boosting the local economy.
... In other words, the aim of gamification is to generate psychological outcomes similar to those in games and support value-creating change, such as influencing behavior. During the last decade, gamification has been applied in various contexts [21], including education [29], health, sports, logistics, or crowdsourcing [28] -to name a few. Gamification has also found its way into companies and has, for example, been used to support employee training, foster employees' creativity and innovation, engage the use of corporate intranet applications or increase the performance of employees in specific activities [21]. ...
Society's increasing demand to protect the climate puts enormous pressure on companies of all sectors to reduce their CO 2 footprint. Besides strategic investments in more sustainable value creation, it is also essential that employees adapt their mindset, motivation, and behavior. However, measures to engage employees to change their behavior are rare. In recent years, gamification has gained popularity as an effective approach to influencing human motivation and driving behavior change. This paper provides an overview of existing research on the use of gamification to engage sustainable behavior and empirical results from an experiment with a gamified app to promote sustainable behavior in a mid-sized company. Data is collected from users of the app and extended with information about their personality traits according to the HEXACO and NEP scales. The results indicate that gamification does indeed appear to be a suitable approach to support sustainable behavior at work.
... One of the applications is Duolingo. It can also provide learners with new vocabulary absorption and structure [8]. So, this application becomes an option in foreign language learning. ...
Arabic communication skills for non-Arabs are faced with serious problems; therefore, the use of technology-based platforms is considered following students' wishes in the era of digital technology. Various technological devices have been widely used by educators for multiple levels of education but have not obtained maximum results. e novelty of this research is the use of Duolingo as a platform for teaching Arabic language skills. is study describes that Duolingo is very relevant to be used as a medium for learning Arabic for beginners because the teaching material begins with the new alphabet and vocabulary equipped with pictures. However, Duolingo still needs to make an essential revolution for learning Arabic speaking skills, especially for andragogy learners who have expert Arabic skills. Based on the findings, some implications are put forward.
... In addition to self-directed learners, classroom teachers have used Duolingo to their advantage and benefited their students (Munday, 2016(Munday, , 2017, suggesting that the app is also a useful tool to complement other types of language instruction. For instance, if vocabulary and grammar practice can be largely done by students as homework using apps such as Duolingo, more class time can be directed toward the teaching of culture and other communicative skills. ...
Duolingo is a commercial language-teaching platform that offers free courses on the web and on mobile apps. This study reports the ACTFL listening and reading proficiency levels of adult Duolingo learners who had completed beginning-level courses in Spanish or French. The participants (n = 225) were learners residing in the United States, had little to no prior proficiency in the target language, and used Duolingo as their only learning tool. The Duolingo learners reached Intermediate Low in reading and Novice High in listening. No other skills were assessed. Their reading and listening scores were comparable with those of university students at the end of the fourth semester of study. The findings of the study suggest that Duolingo can be an effective tool for foreign language learning.
... We have observed that knowledge workers have engaged in playful behavior and developed relationship with some of the elements, e.g. the Mystical Egg award and Krunky Badges. It is not uncommon to see that users attribute personification characteristics to, relationship developed and engage in playful behavior with gamification elements, most often with avatars (McGonigal, 2011) and mascots (Macleod, 2017;Munday, 2017). Reportedly, these relationships moved the users to engage in an activity or become more connected with the system. ...
The increasingly popular trend of gamification has proved powerful in many areas, such as education and marketing, and has started making its way to the corporate environment. This exploratory study is focused on a particular part of corporate applications – using gamification to empower knowledge workers and to help them to interact with each other. Based on a review of the extant literature and an exploratory case study, we conceptualise different ways in which gamification supports knowledge workers and influences the dynamics of their interactions. The case study we present is that of online retailer Zappos who have been pioneers in this field. This paper is intended as the beginning of a journey towards utilising gamification in various aspects of knowledge work. Through studying the Zappos case, we draw out key learning points that can be used by other organisations in their journey to use gamification to empower knowledge workers. The paper also identifies areas for further research relevant to expert and intelligent systems, including the potential for synergies between gamification and intelligent systems, and the use of gamification in intelligent systems implementation.
... Duolingo (Munday, 2017), Babbel (Parejalora et al., 2016), and Busuu (Álvarez Valencia, 2016) are similar applications. They have as primary objective to enable users to learn a foreign language interactively and apply game-play trend that has been gaining strength in recent years. ...
The new orthographic agreement introduces some changes in the vocabulary of the Portuguese language. Although these changes have modified a small percentage of the vocabulary words, people are struggling to adapt to some of the new orthographic rules. Aiming to mitigate this problem using a ludic approach, we developed Orthographic Educational Game (JOE). JOE focuses predominantly on the rules of accents and hyphens. The game is divided into two modes: training and playing. In the playing mode, the current level of knowledge of the player in orthography is checked and measured. In the training mode, each word comes with a hint related to the rule that is being practiced at the moment. The game was evaluated through an experiment with both undergraduates and high school students. The results indicated that more than 80% of students enjoyed learning orthography through the game-based approach of JOE.
It is undeniable, that the world of education is affected by technological advances this study discusses the process of using an already developed language learning online software, Duolingo, to supplement learning basic English reading for senior high school EFL students. A mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative data collection is followed in this research paper. The learners that consist of 10 students had used the software online for about 30 days, either on their smartphone or on their personal computer. Based on the questionnaire result survey, the students usually enjoy the learning process because of several factors; such as easiness of its accessibility, its game-based aspect, could discussion of the problem with other players, and interactive features and illustrations. The result of the assessment also conducted by http://efset.org shows that the Duolingo online language learning platform could help the students achieve more from the expected result of the basic English reading target needs to be based on the CEFR assessment standard result, in another fun and also still on the appropriate way for teaching English, especially in English reading. Based on the result, it is essential to consider that using online applications could be one of the appropriate ways and beneficial ways for students to achieve better results in learning, especially in learning the English language.
The EMS physician needs a foundational understanding of the role of the physician in both initial and continuing EMS education. This includes theories of adult learning, the language of learning, and the evolution of EMS curricula and accreditation standards for EMS practitioners. Initial and ongoing education have changed significantly in format and content over the past 45 years. Released in 2000, the EMS Education Agenda created a system of education with an appropriate education development process. This has initiated significant initial practitioner education changes and is a key resource document as it relates to accreditation.
This article explores the idea of using an already existing language learning app, Duolingo, to complement traditional university level courses of Spanish as second language. These types of apps use adaptive learning technologies, which are able to tailor the tasks to the level of each student. In the case of this study, Duolingo was used as part of the program of studies in two Spanish university courses, one a beginner’s Spanish course (level A1) and the other one an advanced intermediate course (B2). The students used the app online, either in its mobile version or in their web browser. The functionality of Duolingo, the kind of activities that can be undertaken, and how learning is achieved are described. Preliminary results suggest that Duolingo is an easy-to-use app, which is useful, and has learning potential, although its main modules are not based on communicative competence. It is usually enjoyed by students because of several features, such as its ease of access on a mobile device, its gamified aspect, and the variety of tasks available. Possible ways to incorporate Duolingo into foreign language courses are discussed, always considering it as a complement to the curriculum, but also considering its value to reinforce vocabulary and grammar acquisition through spaced repetition, interleaving of different skills and a variety of activities.
The study compares the effectiveness of Focus on Form (FonF) and Focus on FormS (FonFs) approaches in learning new L2 words by 158 high-school learners of English as L2. In phase 1 of the study, the FonF group read a text containing the target words, discussed it in small groups, and answered comprehension questions. The FonFs group studied the target words as discrete items with their meanings and examples of usage. In phase 2 of the study, all learners received the target words with their meanings and studied them for 15 minutes for a quiz. They were tested immediately after each phase, and two weeks later.
Results revealed significantly higher scores for FonFs group after phase 1, but the difference disappeared after phase 2. As learners cannot be expected to study all vocabulary for tests, form-focused instruction - and particularly FonFs - is claimed to be indispensable for L2 vocabulary learning.
This article reports on the process of design and development of two language courses for university students at beginning levels of competence. Following a preliminary experience in a low-tech environment for distance language learning and teaching, and a thorough review of the available literature, we identified two major challenges that would need to be addressed in our design: (1) a necessity to build sufficient flexibility into the materials to cater to a variety of learners' styles, interests and skill levels, therefore sustaining learners' motivation; and (2) a need to design materials that would present the necessary requisites of authenticity and interactivity identified in the examined literature, in spite of the reduced opportunities for face-to-face communication. In response to these considerations, we designed and developed learning materials and tasks to be distributed on CD-ROM, complemented by a WebCT component for added interactivity and task authenticity. Although only part of the original design was implemented, and further research is needed to assess the impact of our environment on learning outcomes, the results of preliminary evaluations are encouraging.
The purpose of the present paper is twofold; first, we present an empirical study evaluating the effectiveness of a novel CALL tool for foreign language vocabulary instruction based on spaced repetition of target vocabulary items. The study demonstrates that by spending an average of three minutes each day on automatically generated vocabulary activities, EFL students increased their long-term vocabulary retention rate three fold. Second, we demonstrate that the double-blind experiment design, which has become standard research practice in such extremely high-stakes fields as pharmacology and healthcare, has the potential of being successfully implemented in CALL research.
The study investigates the effect of explicit contrastive analysis and translation activities on the incidental acquisition of single words and collocations. We compared three high school groups of learners of the same L1 and comparable L2 (English) proficiency. Each group represented one instructional condition: meaning focused instruction (MFI), non-contrastive form-focused instruction (FFI), and contrastive analysis and translation (CAT). The target items consisted of ten unfamiliar words and ten collocations in L2English. The MFI group performed content-oriented tasks which did not require attention to the target items. The FFI group performed text-based vocabulary tasks which focused on the target items. The CAT group was assigned text-based translation tasks: from L2 into L1, and from L1 into L2. During the correction stage, the teacher provided a contrastive analysis of the target items and their L1 translation options. Time-on-task was kept constant in the three groups. After completing the tasks, the three groups were tested on the retention of the target items by two tests: active recall and passive recall. A week later, the participants received the same tests. The CAT (contrastive analysis and translation) group significantly outperformed the other two groups on all the tests. These superior results are discussed in light of the 'noticing' hypothesis, 'pushed output', 'task-induced involvement load', and the influence that L1 exerts on the acquisition of L2 vocabulary.
There is an increase use of wireless technologies in education all over the world. In fact, wireless technologies such as laptop computers, palmtop computers and mobile phones are revolutionising education and transforming the traditional classroom-based learning and teaching into anytime and anywhere education. This paper investigates the use of wireless technologies in education with particular reference to the potential of learning new technical English language words using Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging. The system, developed by the authors, called mobile learning tool (MOLT), has been tested with 45 1st-year undergraduate students. The knowledge of students before and after the experiment has been measured. Our results show that students enjoyed and learned new words with the help of their mobile phones. We believe that using the MOLT system as an educational tool will contribute to the success of students.
Mastery Learning: Theory and PracticemLearning: An Experiment in Using SMS to Support Learning New English Language Words
- J H Block
- P W Airasian
Block, J. H. and P. W. Airasian. 1971. Mastery Learning: Theory and Practice. New York: Holt Rinehart & Winston.
Cavus, N. and D. Ibrahim. 2009. "mLearning: An Experiment in Using SMS to Support Learning New English Language
Words." British Journal of Educational Technology 40 (1): 78-91.
Modeling Language Proficiency Using Implicit Feedback
- C Hokamp
- R Mihalcea
- P Schuelke
Hokamp, C., R. Mihalcea, and P. Schuelke. 2014. "Modeling Language Proficiency Using Implicit Feedback." In Proceedings
of the Ninth International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluations (LREC 2014), eds. N. Calzolari et al., 39833986. Reykjavik: European Language Resources Association (ELRA).
Alternatives to Spontaneous Speech: Elicited Translation and Imitation as Indicators of Second Language Competence
- M Swain
- G Dumas
- N Naiman
Swain, M., G. Dumas, and N. Naiman. 1974. "Alternatives to Spontaneous Speech: Elicited Translation and Imitation as
Indicators of Second Language Competence." Working Papers on Bilingualism 3: 68-79.
Better Vocabulary Study Strategies for Long-Term Learning
- R Thomson
- J Mehring
Thomson, R. and J. Mehring. 2016. "Better Vocabulary Study Strategies for Long-Term Learning." Kwansei Gakuin
University Humanities Review 20: 133-141.
