Research Proposal

Name: Yang Li

Working Title: Attitudes to iPad-assisted Learning—Case Study of a Senior Secondary

School in Shenzhen

Keywords: iPad, Foreign Language Learning, Attitudes, MALL, M-learning, Mainland

China

1. Introduction

The proposed research primarily attempts to investigate mainland students’ and

teachers’ attitudes to using iPads in English classes. Through a case study, the author seeks to

explore how they conceive(perceive?) of the usage of iPads in English class. The 21st century

witnesses a swift advancement of science and technology. Concomitant with the technology

revolution is the emergence of digital natives. Educational institutions are seeking to apply

technology to assist in offering better learning experiences (Agostini et al., 2010). The

integration of technology in the domain of SLA has become a pivotal concern due to its

profound and beneficial implications for language learning (Ferlazzo & Sypnieski, 2022).

Since the iPad’s first release in 2010, it has captured a great of attention and has been adopted

in education, particularly within the realm of language learning (Itayem, 2014; Kan & Tang,

2020; Leis, 2012; Pellerin, 2020; Tarazi & Arafat, 2021). However, studies about the

application of iPads in school teaching in mainland China are still scarce. Previous studies

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suggest that personal attitudes toward iPads need to be considered and assessed in that

attitudes may impact their acceptance and actual application of the technology (Alzaidiyeen,

2017). However, there has been little research that explores mainland Chinese students’ and

teachers’ attitudes toward using iPads in English classes. The proposed research aims to

investigate the use of iPads in English classrooms in mainland China from both teachers’ and

learners’ perspectives in Shenzhen mainland China, it is hoped to provide implications for

teaching with iPads in Shenzhen.

During the period of COVID-19, the abrupt and unparalleled shutdown of schools in

response to the pandemic thrust educators into an exceptional transformation to adapt

swiftly to an entirely new reality. (Week, 2020). Schools have implemented various online

approaches and learning strategies to support the abrupt change (Van Lancker & Parolin,

2020). Online education has been rolled out widely and unprecedentedly throughout

provinces and cities in mainland China. As the epidemic eased, students returned to campus.

Most schools resumed regular offline education as before. Hence, relevant experimental

research and practical experiences are relatively rare in China. While there is an

international high school in Shenzhen where the author has worked there for more than 6

years. As the epidemic eased, students (repetition)went back to school, the administrators of

this school claimed to integrate online and offline education to investigate educational

innovations and provide students with the best sense of classroom experience. Students and

teachers are equipped with iPads and required to use them in each class. Up to now, they

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 have implemented this practice for about 2 years and a half. Despite optimistic expectations,

the author observed many teachers and students held diverse perceptions in translating the

initiative into practice, which encouraged me to explore in depth.

This research proposal consists of four parts. Following the introduction, relevant

research literature will be reviewed thoroughly. The third part is about research design and

methods. In this part, methods, and instruments for collecting and analyzing research data

will be explained explicitly. The last part is about potential outcomes and timeline of the

research. By outlining the expected research outcome, potential contributions to the field will

be elucidated.

2. Literature review

2.1. MAAL in Education

For the past ten years, MALL has aroused continuous interest from the public, with

particular attention to facilitate various types of language skills, as well as exploring

individual viewpoints and attitudes (Duman et al., 2015). The deployment of MALL in

vocabulary learning is positioned at the forefront of the research agenda (Arvanitis &

Krystalli, 2021). Another frequently highlighted aspect in this field is the necessity for

educators to master sound methodology background and employ mobile devices easily

(Morgana, 2019). It is also mentioned that implementing MAAL in language learning fulfills

a critical responsibility during the period of COVID-19. Mobile apps allow both learners and

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teachers to promote efficiency and achieve learning objectives in online classes. Learners’

motivation can also be increased (Gael & Elmiana, 2021).

It is claimed that Japan and Taiwan have conducted the most experimental MALL

projects, and the concentration of MALL is most pronounced at the university level (Burston

& Athanasiou, 2020). While MALL is still in its early stages of employment in mainland

China, research predominantly concentrates on efficacy, theory, and the users’

viewpoints(Wang & Cui, 2016). There is a scarcity of studies regarding the level of learners’

and teachers’ attitudes and the underlying factors in the context of senior secondary schools.

2.2. iPad in Language Learning

A variety of educational scenarios have adopted this device in use after the birth of the

iPad. Albadry (2015)mentioned a few characteristics of Apple devices which often influenced

people’s choice of them. For example, the long-lasting battery, appropriate screen size like

textbook page, the lightweight, single control button. Morgana (2014) claimed that the iPad

provides various working configurations to teachers. With the implementation of iPads in the

classroom, students are easily exposed to authentic learning materials, which greatly

promotes the amalgamation of language learning and authentic communicative situations.

Recently, there have been several research studies investigating the incorporation of

iPads and other technological resources in English-Medium-Instruction (EMI) classrooms,

aiming to facilitate the learning process. (Mathieu, 2021; Tai & Wei, 2021; Tai, 2023)

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Although there are several researches exploring the usage of the iPad in language learning,

these studies still focus primarily on adult learners in English, particularly colleges and

universities (Alzaidiyeen, 2017; Gimeno-Sanz et al., 2020; Kan & Tang, 2020). And they are

mainly concerned with vocabulary learning. (Wang et al., 2015; Wardak, 2020). Scant

attention has been paid to writing and grammar learning with iPads. Longitudinal and large-

scale studies are still needed. Morgana (2019) advocates exploring how specific mobile

devices are influencing learners’ language learning within the context of secondary school.

Furthermore, a literature review by Haßler et al. (2016) investigating the influence of mobile

devices like iPads to enhance learning encountered limitations in reaching conclusive results.

Thus, this field needs to be explored further.

2.3. Students and Teachers’ Attitudes

There are several researches about the application of iPads regarding students’ and

educators’ viewpoints (Alzaidiyeen, 2017; Gimeno-Sanz et al., 2020; Lin et al., 2022;

Morgana & Shrestha, 2018). One of the latest studies explored the acceptance of college EFL

instructors to MALL with a quantitative survey, which claims that whether the deployment of

MALL in language teaching is effective or not depends substantially on instructors'

acceptance (Lin et al., 2022). Another study that shares the same quantitative data collection

method focuses on college students’ attitudes toward iPads (Alzaidiyeen, 2017). Their

finding shows that participants primarily demonstrated optimistic viewpoints in terms of

utilizing the iPad in language learning. Educators showed a preference to adopt mobile

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devices for teaching as a result of ease of access, students’ motivation, and the wide range of

available mobile apps. But some of them still had concerns about the negative impact brought

by mobile devices, for example, distraction and technical problems (Gimeno-Sanz et al.,

2020).

The role of teacher and student both need to be considered in language learning. More

empirical studies are required to deepen our understanding of current students’ and teachers’

attitudes toward iPads which potentially influence their actual usage. The proposed research

seeks to integrate quantitative and qualitative data to explore teachers’ and students’ attitudes

in depth.

2.4. Research Significance

With the increasing development of technology and application of MALL in

pedagogical institutions, it is of great importance to examine how Chinese students and

teachers apply mobile devices like iPads in their English class. The findings can help

administrators and teachers in the target school to reflect and plan the subsequent teaching

and then make iPad-assisted language learning effectively embedded into the English

classroom. What’s more, a deeper understanding of employing iPads in the classroom within

the context of senior secondary school will be a stimulus for stakeholders like policymakers

and administrators to refine the implementation of MALL.

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 2.5. Research Question

As it hasn’t been long since the emergence of the iPad, empirical studies investigating

the adoption of the iPad in the field of English learning are relatively rare, especially in

Shenzhen mainland China. Hence, the need for research like the proposed study is warranted.

The following research questions are attempted to be answered:

 What are the attitudes of teachers and students to the adoption of the iPad in English

learning?

 What are the variables that contribute to the formation of the attitudes of them?

3. Research design and method

A case study will be conducted in an international school in Shenzhen. Both qualitative

and quantitative data will be gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and observations

for the suitability of the study. Before the main study, the researcher will conduct a pilot

study to ensure the effectiveness of the study.

3.1. Data Collection

3.1.1 Ethics

All surveys were completed anonymously. All participants in the data collection and

those students’ parents or guardians will be informed about the research design and purpose

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through email; A consent form needs to be signed first, which will be sent to all participants

and students’ parents to be accepted to be part of the study.

3.1.2 Participants

Overview: This study will use a questionnaire, interview, and class observation to get data.

Teachers: All English teachers (about 20 teachers) from the English department in the target

school will be invited to complete a questionnaire. Three teachers will be selected from three

grades to participate in further interviews and class observation. These three teachers should

have more than 2 years of iPad-assisted English teaching experience in the target school.

Students: 6 classes (about 150 students) from three grades will be selected by the leader of

the department of English. These students will complete an online questionnaire. 6 students

(3 boys and 3 girls) will be selected by the English teacher of the class to accept an interview.

From the 6 classes, 3 classes will be selected to join the observation part.

3.1.3 Questionnaire

Since the project covers a short period, online questionnaires will be selected to collect

quantitative data both from teachers and students. A free online tool named SurveyMonkey

will be used to deliver the survey. All surveys will be completed anonymously. Individual

emails with the link to the questionnaire will be sent to participants. They will have two days

to complete it. 30 questionnaire items will be carefully designed and modified by referring to

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previous studies, such as (Alzaidiyeen, 2017; Leis, 2014; Wang et al., 2015). A five-point

Likert-style scale will be employed to categorize the participants’ responses. The

questionnaire survey consists of two sections: one is general information, and another is

about attitudes to the utilization of iPads in English learning. Demographic information like

gender, age, class type, and academic year will be provided in the first section. In the second

section, 30 items will be listed to explore participants’ attitudes. The Likert-based

measurement instrument will be composed of the following 5 options: “Strongly Disagree’,

‘Disagree’, ‘Neutral, ‘Agree’, and ‘Strongly Agree’. To assess the internal consistency and

reliability of the questionnaire, a pilot study will be added. The Cronbach’s reliability

analysis will also be utilized to examine the internal consistency of the variables.

3.1.4 Interview

Before class observation, structured interviews will be conducted with 6 students (3

boys and 3 girls) and 3 teachers to understand their attitudes toward utilizing iPads in English

classrooms. These 6 students will be selected by their English teachers for the sake of a

typical sample which can indicate the primary features of the whole class. Three teachers

who have at least 2 years of iPad-assisted teaching experience will be recommended by the

director of the English department. The interviews will be conducted in Chinese and audio

will be recorded. 15 questions will be carefully designed to provide a comprehensive picture

of teachers’ and students’ experiences of utilizing iPads for language teaching and learning in

the target school. There are some examples of the interview questions as follows:

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  Is the iPad useful for learning English? Why?

 Are you familiar with English learning apps?

 Are there any drawbacks of the iPad in teaching/learning?

 What do you usually do with your iPad in your free time?

3.1.5 Observation

Classroom observation is an extensively adopted method to gather authentic and

firsthand data from real classroom settings(Borg, 2015; Curdt-Christiansen, 2019). Three

English Lessons will be selected by the director of the Department of English to be observed.

Real iPad-assisted English classroom practice will be observed at the participants’

convenience. It is expected to be video recorded with all participants’ permission. Then

detailed notes will be recorded about the iPad-assisted learning and teaching activities or

tasks. In particular, the classroom observation will focus on targeting iPad functions (apps)

used in class and specific English skills.

3.2. Data analysis

3.2.1 Questionnaire

Initial data cleaning will be performed to eliminate duplicate and dubious responses.

Then the data collected through questionnaires will be analyzed by SPSS. Descriptive

statistics, Sample t-tests, and ANOVA will be used. Demographic variables from the survey

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 instrument will be summarized in several tables to show the “Means”, “Std. Deviations”, and

“Percentages”. EFL students’ and teachers’ characteristics will be presented regarding

demographic information, such as academic year, class type, gender, and age. For the pilot

study, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient will be expected higher than 0.80 to ensure internal

consistency and reliability.

3.2.2 Interview & Observation

The qualitative data analysis will adhere to the following procedure advocated by

Radnor(Radnor, 2001), including (1)organizing topics, (2)establishing categories, (3)reading

content, (4) accomplishing coding, (5) formulating transcriptions, (6) data analysis. All

coding units will be processed by a qualitative data analysis software named Taguette. Data

collected through classroom observation, such as lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoint

slides, etc. will also be carefully reviewed to identify the participants’ attitudes via observing

their classroom practices.

4. Potential Outcomes and Timeline

4.1. Potential Outcomes

Expectantly, research findings will be consistent with Davis’ Technology Acceptance

Model (TAM)(Greenwald et al., 1989). The research results are hoped to reveal teachers’ and

students’ general attitudes to the adoption of iPads in English learning and reveal differences

via variables; The outcome may include positive viewpoints, favorable attitudes, or negative

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reactions. It is expected to reveal teachers’ teaching strategies and students’ learning

experiences with iPads. Possible results could encompass augmented student motivation and

enhanced learning processes, coupled with innovative teaching practices or evaluations of

pedagogical effectiveness for teachers.

4.2. Research Schedule:

This study is planned to be finished within 7-8 months (12/2023-7/2024):

12/2023-01/2024 To search literature, design online questionnaires and interview

questions.

[Pilot study]

10/02/2024 To conduct the initial questionnaire with two classes.

13/02/2024 To interview one student and one teacher with the initial interview

formwork.

18/02/2024 To analyze the pilot data and revise the research instruments if needed.

[Main study]

20/02/2024 To administer the questionnaire to students and teachers.

30/03/2024 To recruit 6 local students and 3 teachers.

10/03/2024 To interview the 9 interviewees recruited.

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15/03/2024 Class-observation.

[Data Analysis]

20/03/2024 To undertake data analysis and write-up.

30/04/2024 Literature review and methodology chapters done.

30/05/2024 Main chapters done.

30/06/2024 Introduction and conclusion done.

10/07/2024 First draft (FULL) must be ready.

05/08/2024 The Final draft (FULL) must be ready for submission.

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