Using A Game-Based Mobile App To Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition For English Language Learners

International Journal of Distance Education Technologies
Volume 18 • Issue 3 • July-September 2020
Using a Game-Based Mobile App

to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition
for English Language Learners
Fang-Chuan Ou Yang, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan
Wen-Chi Vivian Wu, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
Yi-Ju Ariel Wu, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
ABSTRACT
The Test-of-English-for-International-Communication (TOEIC) is an important proficiency test for

achieving the benchmark of future employment for English language learners worldwide. However,
game-based apps for acquiring TOEIC vocabulary have remained scarce. Therefore, an empirical
study was conducted to examine the effects of the self-developed the smartphone app Saving Alice for
optimizing the acquisition of TOEIC vocabulary and spelling among EFL learners. Multiple sources
of data were collected to investigate how Saving Alice affected vocabulary acquisition, including a
demographic survey, pre- and post-tests on TOEIC vocabulary, and semi-structured interviews. Both
the quantitative and qualitative findings showed that Saving Alice significantly enhanced the student
learning outcomes, and that frequency of using game-based mobile apps (GBMAs) correlated with
learning outcomes.
Keywords
Game-Based Language Learning, Game-Based Mobile App, Mobile-Assisted Language Learning, Toeic
Vocabulary Learning
1. INTRODUCTION
Possessing a solid lexicon foundation may not merely expedite the learning curve in later phases of
language learning but also facilitate learning the four English skills (i.e., listening, speaking, reading,
and writing). Schmitt (2000) proposed that rich vocabulary is indispensable to successful second/
foreign language learning. Furthermore, spelling, the art of correctly assembling words from their
letters, is regarded as one of the essential components of developing successful reading and writing
skills because being confident at spelling leads to subsequent confidence in all aspects of literacy
and English learning. In addition, the ability to understanding word relationships has been proven to
aid comprehension skills. The academic literature is clear that spelling is closely-linked to reading,
writing, and comprehension because spelling is essential to the process of accurately decoding the
foreign language text and retrieving its meaning (Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007).
However, in Taiwan, current vocabulary instruction often remains teacher-centered and the
educators teach with rote-learning strategies, which do not motivate learners (Lin, 2015). Due to
the inadequate teaching of vocabulary and tedious spelling practice, many English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) learners consider that acquiring a large vocabulary and spelling those vocabulary
words correctly are their most significant hurdles (Gordani, 2013).
DOI: 10.4018/IJDET.2020070101

Copyright © 2020, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

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Without a large vocabulary, language users cannot perform at high levels of language proficiency
(Li & Macgregor, 2010). The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is the most
cost-effective and readily available way of evaluating employee English skills in Asian nations today
(Prolingua Executive Language Services, 2000). In addition, TOEIC is the benchmark language
proficiency test evaluating how competitive language users will be in their future careers or educational
endeavors (TOEIC, 2016).
Practically all the colleges in Taiwan require TOEIC proficiency as an exit requirement for
graduation (Pan, 2014). Moreover, some high schools also follow this trend, encouraging students
to take TOEIC because high grades can open the door to admittance at more prestigious universities.
For vocational high school students, in particular, passing TOEIC can either benefit their future
employment or improve college enrollment opportunities (Chen & Chung, 2008). Smartphones are
particularly popular among teenagers (Işiklar, Şar, & Durmuşcelebi, 2013), using them for recreation
and socialization and are thus technology that is easily available for learning.
Taiwanese high school students use mobile phones not merely to communicate with others but
also to play Game-Based Mobile Applications (GBMA) for entertainment (Wang et al., 2017). Mobile
phones quickly become the inseparable companions of young people (Wang et al., 2014). There is
little evidence of high school students using apps for language learning.
Some studies (Shahriza, Hawa, & Hussin 2006; Woo, White, & Lai, 2016) have explored the
usage frequency of mobile devices, yet most of the studies focused mainly on the users’ behaviors
and the aspects of psychology rather than language learning. Few studies have addressed the effects
of usage frequency of mobile learning apps in the field of teaching English to speakers of other
languages (TESOL), especially in EFL contexts.
With the high penetration of mobile devices, students are accustomed to using smartphone
applications, known as “apps” (Wang et al., 2014). Several studies (Attewell, 2005; Liu, Dousse,
Wang, & Saipulla, 2008; Uğur, Ünİversİte, & Bakiş, 2015) have found that smartphone use during
class time is commonplace. Furthermore, Tsai, Yu, and Hsiao (2012), as well as Chiu, Kao, and
Reynolds (2012), recommended educational games for language instruction and found Game-Based
Language Learning (GBLL) to improve learner motivation significantly and to enhance performance.
To be more specific, Khaddage and Knezek (2011) concluded that educational GBMAs may allow
for active engagement by learners and thus provide an approach to instruction in education.
However, scant previous literature has reviewed the usage of the educational GBMAs for TOEIC
vocabulary learning and spelling among vocational high school students. While there are some
educational apps for TOEIC vocabulary acquisition, most are exam-oriented, lacking attractive gaming
functions, and would be too dreary for low-motivated and low-confident learners to learn, particularly
for vocational high students. Few GBMAs are intended for TOEIC vocabulary acquisition or spelling.
In light of the significance of TOEIC for vocational high school students who are characterized
by weak vocabulary acquisition, and the ubiquity of mobile learning, the purpose of this study was
to investigate the effects and perceptions of using a GBMA, entitled Saving Alice, for vocabulary
learning and spelling, especially for vocational high school learners and educators. To be more
specific, the effect of using Saving Alice refers to the relationship between learning outcomes and
usage frequencies of GBMAs.
The specific research questions of this study, therefore, were separated into two sections,
quantitative and qualitative questions:
Quantitative Research Questions:
Research Question 1: To what extent does Saving Alice enhance student learning outcomes for
TOEIC vocabulary?
Research Question 2: How does frequency of using GBMAs affect learning outcomes for TOEIC
vocabulary?
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Qualitative Research Question:
Research Question 3: What are the teacher and student perceptions about using Saving Alice?
1.1. Scope of the Study

It has been observed that the TOEIC test places great emphasis on how each word is used in a real
working environment but does not ask for spelling of individual words. The researchers believe,
however, that recognizing a word via its spelling is a basic component of learning vocabulary and is
part of the vocabulary “learning curve” such that spelling is central to understanding word definition,
not to mention pronunciation, making knowledge of correct spelling essential. This is why spelling
competitions known as “Spelling Bees” are held around the world, helping students connect spoken
words that they have learned with their printed representations.
Saving Alice was developed to address this component of vocabulary learning in preparation
for TOEIC, in order to help test-takers to recognize the letters on the printed page of the TOEIC
test, decode their symbolic meaning, and connect the symbolic meaning with the actual meaning.
The researchers did not intend Saving Alice to be a comprehensive study tool for TOEIC, or that no
other study would be required. The app, therefore, addressed the study component of vocabulary
recognition and comprehension.
1.2. Significance of the Study

This study is significant because, in view of the insufficiency of TOEIC-vocabulary-app learning,
it fills in the TOEIC-GBMA gap by deploying Saving Alice in vocational high schools to facilitate
TOEIC vocabulary building and spelling. The study also fills the gap in the research by scrutinizing
TOEIC-GBMA used by vocational high school students.
As a result, this study is significant for the implementation of MALL combined with GBLL,
providing a game platform as well as a learning platform where the students learn TOEIC vocabulary
via GBMA. Such a platform creates an interesting learning context for students to learn TOEIC
vocabulary.
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RESEARCH
2.1. Vocabulary Learning

Gu (2010) stressed the indispensability of Vocabulary Learning Strategy (VLS) use in acquiring a
large lexicon. Mizumoto and Takeuci (2008) found that “learners with higher TOEIC scores had goals
and attended to vocabulary learning strategies in conscious, coordinated, and structured manners” (p.
17), concluding that there is a significant correlation between VLS and TOEIC performance. Hence,
for examinees who desire to score high on TOEIC, effective use of VLSs predict success in a wide
range of language testing factors. Likewise, Huckin and Bloch (1993) elaborated that English learners
rely on vocabulary mastery as their primary resource. Specifically, not merely does a vocabulary
mastery approach support listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities, but it also challenges
ESL students in that these students often perceive the lack of vocabulary knowledge as the largest
obstacle to learning English (Nam, 2010).
Studies of VLSs have included the implementation of peripheral teaching and learning (Badri,
Badri, & Badri, 2015; Bahmani, Pazhakh, & Sharif, 2012) and storytelling (Prince, 2012; Ge, 2015)
in learning the target words in EFL contexts. A wealth of research on the effectiveness of VLS
instruction has been undertaken in recent years. Azabdaftari and Mozaheb (2012) expanded the
novel idea, proposing that “teachers in EFL contexts should consider the use of different strategies
for vocabulary learning… m-learning would be one of the best strategies in this regard” (p. 54).
Likewise, Derakhsha and Khatir (2015) said, “Mobile-assisted language learning applications can
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help learners to improve their domain of vocabulary, so it is a good area of research to find out the
effect of different mobile applications on vocabulary learning” (p. 46).
2.2. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning for Vocabulary Acquisition

The development of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) as a new conduit for English
education facilitates interaction between learners and instructors in educational institutions. Among
all the pedagogies of language areas, vocabulary has been one of the most common language areas
instructed via technology with MALL devices (Huang, Hwang, & Chang, 2010; Lu, 2008; Ma &
Kelly, 2006; Thornton & Houser, 2005).
Studies investigating the use of mobile phones for learning vocabulary have also begun to emerge
in the literature, with diverse focuses. Participants in Thornton and Houser’s (2005) study learned
English idioms with video lessons from their mobile phones during class time and completed short
multiple-choice activities about the target idioms on their mobile phones in class. The results indicated
that the participant feedback was positive, stating that the approach was both fun and useful. Brown
(2008) found gains in vocabulary building when American ninth-graders used mobile phones. In
addition, Baki (2010) found that using mobile phones as a vocabulary-learning tool was more effective
than the traditional strategies of using a flashcard VLS.
While previous studies have revealed positive effects of mobile learning on vocabulary, few
studies have employed the attractive elements of game functions. Thornton and Houser (2005) found
that the necessity of finding a website or Java program for educational simulation and games was
a limitation. Likewise, Brown (2008) suggested that students would like to see self-tests designed
in game formats with icons, photos, and animations. Similarly, Baki (2010) recommended that
vocabulary-learning programs should have visually appealing screens and multimedia features, such
as pictures and sound, within the setting of games.
2.3. Studies on TOEIC-Based Apps for Vocabulary Acquisition

Chujo and Genung (2004) suggested that in order to achieve optimum performance on the TOEIC test,
the key to bridging the big gap in vocabulary between English language teaching texts and English-
used-for- specific-purposes-related materials is the specialized vocabulary list because specialized
vocabulary knowledge is crucial for TOEIC examinees. Research devoted to using TOEIC vocabulary
apps has remained scant. Chu (2011) found that app functionality was the TOEIC vocabulary app
feature that most affected the satisfaction of Korean college students and most impacted their frequency
of using the technology. The results indicated that students utilized the app mostly while commuting
to and from school and the most significant effect on the student satisfaction and frequency of using
the app was the functionality itself.
Chen (2012) investigated the interface usability of a TOEIC vocabulary learning smartphone
apps and found that 90% of the users were satisfied with the app overall and 70% to 80% of the users
were satisfied with the efficiency of the app. However, the satisfaction questionnaires showed only
60% to 70% of the users were satisfied with the learnability of the app.
Even though these two studies (Chu, 2011; Chen, 2012) prioritized the smartphone application
use, there were some unexpected findings. First, the average satisfaction of the participants was not
high. Second, both studies failed to reveal the learning effects of the examined apps. Instead, they
merely elaborated on the usage of the apps. It is notable that these apps were text-oriented, lacking
game elements that might catch the attention of the learners. This idea echoed what Huy (2016, p.
43) stated, “Games can increase motivation to learn the language as students, especially the weaker
ones, feel a real sense of achievement when they manipulate a game.”
2.4. Game-Based Language Learning Study

Turning non-game contexts, such as language inputs, into games is specifically referred to as
“gamification” (Werbach & Hunter, 2014). Barendregt and Bekker (2011) noted that language
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acquisition can be facilitated and positively influenced by gamifying language inputs within GBLL.
Gamification shows the potential to appeal to players at the affective level (Tong, 2015). To this end,
educational GBLL may make education more accessible and stimulate better engagement by learners
(Khaddage & Knezek, 2011).
Several studies (Chiu, Kao, & Reynold, 2012; Tsai, Kinzer, Hung, Chen, & Hsu, 2012; Tsai, Yu,
& Hsiao, 2012; Yang & Wang, 2014) have employed GBLL with an eye to enhancing English language
acquisition. Yang and Wang (2014) explored what learning effects would result from applying GBLL
for speaking, and whether students would have diverse learning interactions through participating
in different speaking activities. The results revealed that a GBLL system is an educational aid that
could reduce learners’ language speaking anxiety.
In Keyes, Shroff, and Crow’s (2016) study, the implementation of a GBMA resulted in a significant
enhancement of the ESL student performance in language acquisition. In addition, students were
not merely developing and reinforcing their cognitive skills, but also making constant connections
among text, images, and sound, while engaging in the GBMA.
To conclude, the use of GBMA in language learning, especially English, requires considerable
additional scholarly attention. GBLL addressing preparation for TOIEC has been limited, and such
mobile app instructional designs have not based on broad educational theory about VLSs.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. Participants
The participants were 120 voluntary twelfth-graders, comprising three separate classes in a private
vocational high school in central Taiwan. They had each received about eight years of English language
learning. In addition, 14 participants and three instructors volunteered as interviewees.
The high school where the data was collected had encouraged students, especially twelfth graders,
to take the TOEIC in order to enhance their opportunities for academic and career advancement.
In light of this, the instructors in this school had made every effort to facilitate English language
learning, which made the viewpoints made by the instructors about the use of Saving Alice collected
via the teacher interview essential and valuable. In addition, the researchers of this study intended
to help participants achieve the intermediate level of English proficiency, given that the TOEIC has
recently been considered the most recognizable proficiency test.
3.2. Saving Alice

Saving Alice was specifically designed and developed by a team of professionals (i.e., the researchers
of this study who consisted of language instructors as well as ICT experts) to help EFL learners
acquire frequently-used 500 TOEIC English vocabulary items and reach mastery of the spelling of
those words as a way of enhancing word recognition and comprehension. It was not the intention
of the researchers that Saving Alive would be a comprehensive TOEIC preparation tool, but rather
one that would address specific elements, particularly vocabulary recognition and comprehension.
The design of Saving Alice was theory-based, drawing on several well-established theoretical
frameworks, in addition those cited in the literature review. They were (1) Reverse engineering of
instructional requirements from outcome goals (Dörnyei, 2014), (2) affordance-based instructional
design (Colpaert, 2012), (3) Constructivism embodied in student-centered active learning (Bruning,
Schraw & Norby, 2011), (4) Authentic learning materials and experiences interaction (Kim, Rueckert,
Kim, & Seo, 2013), (5) Incremental Learning (Yu, 2011), (6) Task-Based Instructional Design (Candlin
& Murphy, 1987), (7) Gamification (Hamari, Koivisto & Sarsa, 2014).
Saving Alice provided players with challenging stages to further advance their engagement in
the game. Saving Alice consisted of five main stages. Each main stage contained four levels and five
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Figure 1. The gameplay flow of Saving Alice
sub-levels. Each sub-level included 20 TOEIC vocabulary words. Each main stage had 100 words,
and all together there were 500 words in Saving Alice.
3.2.1. Brief Introduction of the Procedure

The steps of the use of Saving Alice are shown in the Figure 1 flow chart. They were:
1. Logging into the game.

2. The system displayed a story-based animation informing players that Alice and her friends were
captured, asking for the help (Figure 2).
3. Playing stage 1-1 (Figure 2).
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Figure 2. The story-based animation of the game
4. Advancing through levels and sub-levels in each stage (Figure 3).

5. Before playing Stage 1-1, players first learned 20 TOEIC vocabulary words and then gradually
went through each trial from level 1 to level 4, including word selection, spelling, dictation, and
word choice from reading sentences (see the left of Figure 3).
6. After completing each level, the system provided scores, summary feedback, and a leaderboard.
If players were not satisfied with their grades or rankings, they could learn the vocabulary words
again and go through the level again to score higher (Figure 4).
7. The summary feedback of each play gave one to three stars based on the duration and the accuracy
of the player’s answers. To reach the boss challenge level, players had to acquire at least two
stars. A score of two stars or more meant that the player had clearly understood and mastered
the words in a given unit. The game requirement of “defeating the boss to unlock the next stage”
encouraged players to be motivated to get at least two stars at each level. It also ensured that their
vocabulary skills reached a certain level of proficiency. When players failed the level (received
less than two stars), they could use the “Vocabulary Book” (Figure 5) function to review the
unit’s words, and challenge the level again.
8. After achieving success (getting two or more stars at each level), players could challenge the
“boss” and save the hostage. They could go to the next main stage after passing the boss level.
9. Players would go through the same mode (four levels within five sub-stages) until the end of the
fifth stage.
3.2.2. The Gameplay of Level 1 to Level 4

Players needed to click the correct answer in a limited time when choosing four Levels. The four
Levels (Level 1 to Level 4) included, in order: selection, spelling, dictation, and multiple choice.
• Selection: Players were supposed to select the correct answer from four multiple-choice answers
according to the given Mandarin meaning (Figure 6).
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Figure 3. Selecting levels and sub-stages
Figure 4. The summary feedback of each play
• Spelling: Players were supposed to pick correct alphabet letters from eight holes, according to
the given Mandarin meaning (Figure 7).
• Dictation: Players were supposed to pick correct alphabet letters from eight holes, based on the
pronunciation (Figure 8).
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Figure 5. Meanings, pronunciations, examples, and other information of vocabulary book
• Multiple Choice: Players were supposed to choose the correct answer from four given answers
according to the given question (Figure 9).
The game design also featured the following elements:
• Wisdom Book: The function of the Wisdom Book was to inspect the learning situation within
every vocabulary, by the players themselves, such as the misspelled words. In this way, they
could review vocabulary items more efficiently by searching for the accuracy rate of each word
during the challenge of four levels (Figure 10).
• Unlocking Stages: In order to make players keep challenging missions and stages to obtain
achievement, as well as to learn target vocabulary items, players were supposed to defeat the
Boss to unlock subsequent stages.
• Immediate Information Feedback: During the game, when choosing the correct or incorrect
answers, players received sound and animation as digital feedback, such as hit, miss, and combo.
The mechanism of Combo showed the number of successive beatings when players continuously
answered correctly. The more the players had Combos, the more rewards (e.g., money, grades,
and achievement) they could obtain.
3.3. Instrumentation
3.3.1. Quantitative Instrumentation
The background information questionnaire provided the researchers with demographic data about the
participants and it was divided into three parts. The questionnaire was administered in Chinese, the
native language of the high school students. The first part recorded the major, grade level, gender, and
age of the participant. To gain a better understanding of the English proficiencies of the participants,
the researcher developed the second part to obtain testing grades and level in GEPT or TOEIC of the
participant as well as the typical tools or platforms the individual student was accustomed to using to
reinforce their English proficiency. The third part of the survey investigated the game experience of
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Figure 6. Level 1 selection
Figure 7. Level 2 spelling
the participants such as their GBMA usage frequencies and favorite category of GBMAs as well as
attitude towards using GBMAs to learn English. In this study, the term frequency was operationally
defined as how many times the GBMA was used or played. For the convenience of the statistical
analysis, three levels of the frequency were defined as “seldom,” “often,” and “always.” “Seldom”
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Figure 8. Level 3 dictation
Figure 9. Level 4 multiple choice
stood for using GBMAs once or twice a week; “Often” referred to three to six times a week and
“Always” meant using it every day.
To quantify student outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary learning, the researcher developed a
vocabulary pre- and post-test examining understanding of the vocabulary taught via Saving Alice.
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Figure 10. The design of wisdom book
The testing items of the pre-test were identical to that of the post-test. The test was divided into four
sections:
1. Translation (English-Mandarin): Translate English vocabulary into Mandarin terms. There

were six items in this section and each item was worth 2.5%, for 15% all told.
2. Translation (Mandarin-English): Translate Mandarin terms into English vocabulary. There
were eight items in this section and each item is worth 2.5%, for 20% all told.
3. Dictation: Listen to what the teacher says and write down the corresponding vocabulary. There
were five items in this section and each item was worth 4%, for 20% all told.
4. Multiple Choice: Read the statement for each testing item and choose the appropriate answer.
There were 15 items in this section and each item was worth 3%, for 45% all told.
All of the testing items were based on 500 frequently-used TOEIC vocabulary items, found in
every stage and level within Saving Alice including meaning, exemplified sentences, and spelling of
vocabulary. In this way, the researcher raised the face validity in that “the test is measuring what it
is supposed to measure” (“Professional Testing Inc.”, 2006, p. 2). Moreover, two English instructors
reviewed the testing items to gain the expert validity of this assessment instrument.
3.3.2. Qualitative Interview Protocol

The student interview protocol included learning strategies and usage of Saving Alice. The instructor
interview protocol consisted of three sections, including their perceptions of (1) quantitative outcomes,
(2) student acceptance, and (3) suggestions. All question items of both interview protocols were
validated by the experts. The interviews were conducted in Chinese. It was considered that the modest
English proficiency of the high school students might not allow them to fully express themselves.
Both sets of answers were analyzed in Chinese, by Chinese-speaking researchers, but selected quotes
were translated into English. Two English experts reviewed the level of precision of the translation
and revisions were made.
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3.4. Data Collection

3.4.1. Quantitative Data Collection
On the first day of the study, the researchers gave an oral presentation for the English instructors of
the participants. The presentation covered the purpose of the study and an introduction to Saving
Alice. In addition, the researcher asked instructors to have the participants complete the demographic
survey and the vocabulary pre-test. The instructors informed the participants how to download the
game app, and then the participants embarked on playing Saving Alice for about four weeks. At the
conclusion of data collection, the researcher asked the instructors to administer the vocabulary post-
test to the participants.
3.4.2. Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative data collection took place after the conclusion of the study, with participants recruited for
voluntary interviews. Fourteen participants were interviewed. In addition, based on the results of the
statistical data and other suggestions from instructors about the use of Saving Alice for vocabulary
learning, the researcher also interviewed the instructors. All three instructors consented to partake in
the interview procedure. After the interviews were transcribed, the researcher and a scholar underwent
a peer debriefing and compared the results. The researcher then organized the themes and began the
description and analysis. Figure 11 illustrates the quantitative and qualitative data collection process
practiced in the current study.
3.5. Data Analysis

3.5.1. Quantitative Data Analysis
To answer Research Question 1, about the extent to which Saving Alice enhanced student learning
outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary, a paired-samples t-test determined the significance level of the
difference between the scores of pre- and post-tests. Research Question 2 examined how three degrees
of GBMAs usage frequencies differed in affecting the learning outcomes for vocabulary. A dependent-
samples one-way ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant differences among the
three degrees. If there were significant differences at the .05 level or better, Tukey’s HSD (Honestly
Significant Difference) post-hoc test would be administered to determine where the differences existed.
An iterative analytical process outlined by Creswell (2011) was the foundation of the qualitative
data analysis. Creswell’s methodology has researchers going back and forth reputedly among data
sources and analysis in order to fully comprehend the data, in this case the qualitative interview
records. In keeping with Creswell, the researchers first structured the data into preliminary open
categories and in subsequent iterations of analysis, refined the categories in order to be able to answer
the research question and specific representative quotes.
4. FINDINGS
4.1. To What Extent Does Saving Alice Enhance Student

Learning Outcomes for TOEIC Vocabulary?
A paired samples t-test indicated the statistical difference between pre-test scores and post-test scores
was found (Table 1). The mean score in post-test (M=49.36, SD=14.14) was higher than that of the
pre-test (M=33.10, SD=18.09). In a paired samples t-test, it was found that the difference between
the pre-test and post-test scores was significant (p = .000), which showed that after using Saving
Alice, the vocabulary knowledge of participants improved significantly. The answer to Research
Question 1, therefore, is that using Saving Alice did improve the user’s vocabulary at a significant
level. (Please refer to Table 1)
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Figure 11. Data collection of the study
4.2. Does Frequency of Using GBMAs Affect Learning

Outcomes for TOEIC Vocabulary?
Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics of the usage frequencies and learning progression. Among
all the 120 participants, 31 participants were identified as always players with a mean score of 65.29,
38 participants were often players with a mean score 51.17, and 51 participants were considered as
seldom players with a relatively low score of 38.33.
An independent-sample one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assesse
the effectiveness of the independent variable of the three levels of GBMAs usage (seldom, often,
and always) on the dependent variable (learning outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary). The analysis of
ANOVA reveals a statistically significant result, F (2, 117) = 394.06, p = .000, indicating that the
frequency of GBMAs usage did make a difference on the learning outcomes. For the main effect of
usage frequencies of GBMAs on learning outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary knowledge, there were
significant differences among the three frequencies, between “always” and “often,” between the and
between “always” and “seldom,” or “often” and “seldom.”
The follow-up procedure using Tukey’s HSD was calculated to determine which dimensions
differed from each other. Table 3 indicates the results of multiple pair comparisons. The quantitative
data showed a direct correlation between frequency of use learning outcomes, such that the more
frequent use produced better outcomes.
4.3. What are the Teacher and Student Perceptions About Using Saving Alice?
To answer the qualitative Research Question 3, the researchers performed theme analysis on the
interview data about the learner and instructor perceptions of using Saving Alice for TOEIC vocabulary
acquisition. Two themes were identified – vocabulary learning strategies and usage of Saving Alice.
4.3.1. Learner Interview Findings
4.3.1.1. Vocabulary Learning Strategies
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Table 1. Paired samples t-test of the results of pre- and post- test
N Mean S.D. t
Pre-test 120 33.10 18.09 12.71***
Post-test 120 49.36 14.14
***p< .001
Table 2. Descriptive data of usage frequencies and learning progression
Frequencies N Mean S.D.

Always 31 65.29 13.78
Often 38 51.17 15.43
Seldom 51 38.33 13.32
The most common vocabulary learning strategy used by learners in this study, they reported, was
the traditional memorization approach, consisting of writing down the target vocabulary words, and
pronouncing them repeatedly. However, two of the interviewees advanced beyond the traditional
memorization strategy. Student 4 indicated that he was able to split the syllables after hearing the
word properly pronounced. In this way, he could efficiently memorize words. In addition, Student
Table 3. Summary of Tukey’s HSD test for mean differences between learning progression
Always Often Seldom

Always -- 14.12*** 26.96***
Often -- 12.84***
Seldom --
***p < .001
11 memorized words by self-designing testing items related to the target words after writing down
the words several times.
Surprisingly, Student 12 said, “I got to know how to memorize words, finding that I can separate
the vocabulary after knowing how to pronounce it.” He indicated that he originally memorized
vocabulary in a rote way; nevertheless, he discovered a more efficient vocabulary learning strategy
after breaking through each of the stages of Saving Alice. Moreover, Student 3 found a new way, to his
amazement, of memorizing vocabulary by repeatedly spelling words. This was because of the spelling
function embedded in Saving Alice, causing this student to develop the new vocabulary strategy.
4.3.1.2. Usage of Saving Alice
All of the student interviewees pointed out the benefits of using Saving Alice. They all discussed the
advantages of Saving Alice, whereas some also mentioned disadvantages of Saving Alice. The most
common advantages given for using Saving Alice related to the design of the game, their feelings
while playing it, and the way vocabulary was incorporated into the game.
Some learners felt Saving Alice was novel (Student 1), interesting (Students 3 and Student 10),
attractive (Students 7 and 12), and challenging (Students 8 and 9). Some students mentioned specific
elements of the design of the game, such as the example sentences in each game level (Students 2
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and 4), the wisdom book in Saving Alice (Student 2), and the combo design (Student 11). Moreover,
Students 13 and 14 said that Saving Alice made them willing to memorize vocabulary. Finally, yet
importantly, Student 12 indicated that Saving Alice was good for individual learning.
Nine students addressed the disadvantages of Saving Alice. Five experienced technical problems,
two were unhappy with the design of the game. Two complained about how long it took to complete
a level, and three felt that the game vocabulary was not practical, even though it had been based on
TOEIC vocabulary.
With regard to the game design, Student 2 complained about use of the same modes in each level
of play. In addition, Student 4 suggested that Saving Alice should offer more variety of characters
that students can play, and Student 10 disliked the images on the screen, finding them to be too cute
and somewhat childish.
Student 2 and Student 11 indicated that it had taken them a long time to complete one level,
as well as to fight the Boss. Furthermore, Student 3, Student 6, and Student 14 brought up the
practicality of the target vocabulary. They preferred using a GBMA intended for the Technological
& Vocational Education (TVE) joint college entrance examinations, which was their priority, rather
than a TOEIC-based GBMA.
Of the five who complained about technical problems while using Saving Alice, issues included
system bugs (Student 2, 3, 5, and 8), weak network connections (Student 4), and the occurrence of
lag or buffering (freezing of the display) (Student 4).
4.3.2. Instructor Interview Findings
4.3.2.1. Acceptance
The acceptance rates of instructors using English learning apps, like Saving Alice, was coded as a
theme named “acceptance.” All of the teachers found the use of English learning apps to facilitate
the English language development of students to be acceptable. Teacher 1 preferred vocabulary to
be the focus of English learning apps because his students were vocational high school students and,
unlike general high school students, they might not accept other types of English learning apps. He
said, “The students in our school were not good at English. They would not have that enthusiasm in
the beginning if you design a grammar-based or reading style app. They easily limit themselves. For
instance, they give up reading easily once they see a long article.”
Teacher 3 thought that an app for English listening proficiency could be helpful for students. On
the other hand, Teacher 2 stated that she finds all kinds of apps for English learning to be acceptable,
as long as her students are willing to cooperate actively with her. Moreover, Teacher 3 said that if an
app was to be suitable and useful for her students, she would make her best effort to force them to
learn through the app during the class. “I asked students to do this project but maybe they could not
get enough time to do it at home,” she said. “Therefore, we sometimes gave them ten minutes in class
for playing Saving Alice, hoping they would continue using the app during the break time. However, I
had to crash my teaching schedule so I could not have them play it for the whole class.” She said that
students might not use the app at home, so the only thing teachers could do was provide some time
for student to practice in class. Nevertheless, owing to the tight teaching schedule, the opportunity
for students to practice in class was slim, she said.
4.3.2.2 Suggestion
All of the teachers offered suggestions for improvement. Teacher 2 insisted on the improvement of
the wording of the feedback.
It is about feedback words. Students received the scores and feedback words after finishing a level.
However, sometimes they felt upset when they saw feedbacks like “You should study now!” It might
16
assume a jocular tone but some students are sensitive and said that “I don’t want to challenge it more
because this app looked down on me.”
She felt that the nature of the feedback was the key for the usage frequencies of Saving Alice
for learning.
On the other hand, Teacher 1 suggested an alternative way of the evaluation of student learning
outcomes. Instead of the paper-based pre- and post- tests, he said:
I suggest that you can design an online vocabulary competition. Students type the words instead of
handwriting because they always feel bored when having a paper test. Children nowadays are not
used to do handwriting, so I think that they would enjoy the online vocabulary competition and get
more interested in learning vocabulary.
On the other hand, Teacher 3 suggested a more active game-based form of evaluation.
For example, all of the students in the class can challenge with the game together and then
teachers can ask the student who is the first that finished the game to raise hand. Thus, students will
be much more concentrated on it since they think that it is interesting. Even if the students who are
not good at English will desire to have a try because everyone does the project together, and maybe
they will be so lucky that they win the games.
Furthermore, Teacher 3 suggested that if this project was administered in a school of literature
and language or general high school, the results would be more significant. “Of course, the quality
of learners’ English ability would be different,” she said.
The answer to Research Question 3, therefore, is that students say benefits in using Saving Alice,
but also experienced technical problems or voiced issues with the game design or flow of game
elements that could help guide future iterations of the app.
5. DISCUSSION
The most significant findings of this study were that students improved in their vocabulary knowledge,
in preparation for TOEIC, at a significant level; learners developed Vocabulary Learning Strategies;
usage frequency of the Saving Alice app correlated with post-test scores; and the level of sophistication
of the app design and functionality was also a notable factor in the level of acceptance and engagement
of the students. Each of these significant findings is discussed in the following sections.
5.1. The Effects of GBMA

The GBMA in this study employed a VLS involving MALL combined with GBLL. Specifically, GBLL
facilitated TOEIC vocabulary acquisition by gamifying non-game contents, the frequently-used 500
TOEIC vocabulary. This strategy resulted in significance in learning outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary,
indicating that Saving Alice provided not only a game platform but also a learning platform where the
students learn TOEIC vocabulary with GBMA. The platform created an interesting learning content
for learners to learn TOEIC vocabulary. The results are in line with the previous studies of Keyes
et al. (2016) and Hasegawa, Koshino, and Ban (2015), supporting the use of GBMA to enhance
vocabulary acquisition.
5.2. Vocabulary Learning Strategies

In addition, Saving Alice led learners to advance beyond the traditional memorization strategy and
develop their own new VLSs. This finding echoes the studies of Azabdaftari and Mozaheb (2012),
and Derakhsha and Khatir (2015) proposing the effectiveness of MALL as a VLS. It also aligns with
what Mizumoto and Takeuci (2008) found, that “learners with higher TOEIC scores had goals and
17
attended to vocabulary learning strategies” (p. 17). The emphasis on spelling in Saving Alice was a
VLS tied to the students recognizing and decoding the English text, to ensure that they were assigning
correct meaning to the word. VLSs associated with using Saving Alice, therefore, not only triggered
learners to develop their own vocabulary learning strategies but to also achieve significant learning
outcomes for TOEIC vocabulary, aligning with Tan, Lin, and Ting’s (2007) results.
5.3. Usage Frequencies of GBMAs Positively Affected

Learning Outcomes for TOEIC Vocabulary
Usage frequencies of Saving Alice referred to how often the GBMA was played during the study. The
finding revealed that greater usage frequencies were associated with better learning. Some literature
has questioned the correlation between frequency of use grades (Teri, Acai, Griffith, Mahmoud, Ma,
& Newton, 2014), however the current findings match the common wisdom that more time spent on
quality learning activities results in better learning.
According to the interview responses, the experiences of the students in using GBMAs have a
direct impact on their usage frequencies. Teacher 2 indicated that app design that optimizes learning
satisfaction is the key to promoting use frequency.
The other side of that coin is that problems experienced by GBMA users, such as technical
and game design problems, can reduce the frequency of use. The results in this study are consistent
with those of Red, Domingo, Santos, and Banaag (2013), indicating the design principles of design
functionality, the ease of use, and the learning content are vital to the success of an app, and to
beneficial student outcomes.
5.4 The Acceptance of Teachers and the Reality of Current Teaching

The teachers in this study unanimously found that the use of English learning apps to facilitate the
English language development of students is acceptable, under three conditions – “Suitability of the
apps”, “Requirements of learners”, and “Cooperation between learners and instructors.” “Suitability
of the apps” refers to the content types such as vocabulary, grammar, phrases, idioms, and the four
skills of language learning, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. “Requirements of learners”
addresses the levels and difficulties of the apps correspond with learners. Lastly, paralleling to the
observation of Ren (2016), learners and instructors are supposed to cooperate efficiently to continue
learning English.
The teachers further voiced concern that the practical realities of teaching hinder the use of
English learning apps in the classroom, due to tight teaching schedules resulting in insufficient time
for student app use during class time. These findings resemble the results of Lu (2008). Restated,
teacher perceptions about using GBMAs are their concerns about the feasibility of the proposed
app including the suitability of GBMAs and the learner requirement, echoing the results of Saleh,
Prakash, and Manton (2014).
6. CONCLUSION
This section provides instructional design implications, limitations of the study, and recommendations
for further research.
6.1. Instructional Design

The academic literature shows that when teachers test MALL technology, most often they first select
the technology, and then plan how to incorporate it into the coursework (Marek, 2014). Dörnyei
(2014), however, advocated that technology should be selected late in the instructional design process.
He said that learning objectives should be identified first, then instructional activities that can allow
students to achieve the desired outcomes. Finally, according to Dörnyei, technology should be chosen
18
that can facilitate the instructional activities. In some cases, this may be an existing game app that is
adapted to educational use, or it may be a custom-designed game.
Much has been written about gamification of learning, including questions about whether the
games should be played during regular class meetings or as homework (Hamari, Koivisto, & Sarsa,
2014). The teachers interviewed for this study indicated that classroom time is so limited that GBMA
use for homework may be the more practical alternative. This still leads to questions about whether
GBMAs should be used for introduction of new knowledge, or for repetition and mastery of knowledge
previously learned, which is beyond the scope of this study.
In any case, the technology must address learning outcome requirements specific to the class,
and also comply with the following requirements identified by the findings of this study:
1. The app must be free of technical bugs.

2. It must function acceptably with available bandwidth and mobile device resources.
3. It should have multiple levels of increasing complexity and different learning activities for
different levels.
4. Graphics should be appropriate the age of the learners, e.g. not too cute or childish for high-
school-level learners.
5. Feedback to players should be encouraging and motivating.
6. Game stages and levels should not be too long or too short, but players should be able to pause
the game to allow for different lengths of free time.
7. The game should allow competition among fellow students.
8. The game should allow the teacher to see player statistics and other assessment details.
9. The game should be interesting and fun for students to play, to increase the likely frequency of
use.
10. Use of the game should be incorporated into the overall class lesson plan and be graded, or
students should otherwise be held accountable for their use and achievements in the game.
11. Game play may work better as homework, as opposed to in-classroom play.
6.2. Limitations of the Study

First, owing to the fact that this was the last academic year of the participants in their vocational high
school, the researchers had difficulty in further tracking their final TOEIC grades to prove whether
Saving Alice actually made their TOEIC scores higher. Second, due to the fact that the participants
were all twelfth graders, the findings cannot be generalized to all students at the vocational high
school level.
In addition, students in academic high schools, as opposed to technical high schools in this study,
may experience different results. Furthermore, the duration of treatment and data collection was
limited to one month. Hence, a longer implementation might produce different outcomes.
6.3. Recommendations for Further Research
1. Participants: Due to the fact that the twelfth graders in this study would soon graduate from
the vocational high school, it was hard for the researchers to track them further. In addition,
twelfth graders might prefer preparing for the TVE joint college entrance examinations rather
than TOEIC. Hence, it would be suitable for first-year students to be the participants in future
research. In order to explore the perceptions of learners who are at different proficiency levels,
the researchers suggest dividing interviewees into lower achievers, middle achievers, and higher
achievers based on their language proficiencies.
2. Longer-term correlations with actual TOEIC scores, or tests of long term retention of the
vocabulary following the app use would be beneficial.
19
3. App Design: Future researchers could create their own custom TOEIC vocabulary app, addressing
the perceptions of shortcomings of the students and teachers in this study. This would allow more
flexibility, such as embedding speaking and writing skills into the app.
20
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research expertise includes CALL, corpus linguistics, L2 writing, English for Specific Purposes, and discourse
analysis.
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International Journal of Distance Education Technologies

Volume 18 • Issue 3 • July-September 2020

Using a Game-Based Mobile App

The Test-of-English-for-International-Communication (TOEIC) is an important proficiency test for

Qualitative Research Question:

1.1. Scope of the Study

1.2. Significance of the Study

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RESEARCH

2.1. Vocabulary Learning

2.2. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning for Vocabulary Acquisition

2.3. Studies on TOEIC-Based Apps for Vocabulary Acquisition

2.4. Game-Based Language Learning Study

3.2. Saving Alice

Figure 1. The gameplay flow of Saving Alice

3.2.1. Brief Introduction of the Procedure

1. Logging into the game.

Figure 2. The story-based animation of the game

4. Advancing through levels and sub-levels in each stage (Figure 3).

3.2.2. The Gameplay of Level 1 to Level 4

Figure 3. Selecting levels and sub-stages

Figure 4. The summary feedback of each play

Figure 5. Meanings, pronunciations, examples, and other information of vocabulary book

The game design also featured the following elements:

Figure 6. Level 1 selection

Figure 7. Level 2 spelling

Figure 8. Level 3 dictation

Figure 9. Level 4 multiple choice

Figure 10. The design of wisdom book

1. Translation (English-Mandarin): Translate English vocabulary into Mandarin terms. There

3.3.2. Qualitative Interview Protocol

3.4. Data Collection

3.4.2. Qualitative Data Collection

3.5. Data Analysis

4.1. To What Extent Does Saving Alice Enhance Student

Figure 11. Data collection of the study

4.2. Does Frequency of Using GBMAs Affect Learning

4.3.1. Learner Interview Findings

4.3.1.1. Vocabulary Learning Strategies

Table 2. Descriptive data of usage frequencies and learning progression

Frequencies N Mean S.D.

Always Often Seldom

4.3.2. Instructor Interview Findings

5.1. The Effects of GBMA

5.2. Vocabulary Learning Strategies

5.3. Usage Frequencies of GBMAs Positively Affected

5.4 The Acceptance of Teachers and the Reality of Current Teaching

6.1. Instructional Design

1. The app must be free of technical bugs.

6.2. Limitations of the Study

6.3. Recommendations for Further Research

Yang, Y. T. (2010). 數位遊戲式英語教學之學習成效與滿意度研究—以國小二年級學生為例。 [The effect

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