O n f e r e n c e

Methodological problems and challenges 
Although as much care as possible was taken to avoid methodological problems, there 
were several that turned out to be inevitable given the language learning context. First 
and foremost, it was not possible to use a classic experimental method in that learners 
could not be selected by the researchers, but rather were pre-selected in advance 
according to the class groupings. Related to this was the fact that the two cohorts were 
in two different years, and as such did not carry out the activities at the same time. A 
pre-treatment survey showed that the technologies carried by the learners were 
comparable in both cohorts, with similar proportions of smart phones and tablets, and 
access to PCs outside of class. Both cohorts consisted of learners who were all in their 
first semester of their first year at university, and an internal proficiency test conducted 
early in the academic year revealed that the learners were of a comparable level.
One key challenge was, however, that there were some changes put in place in the 
second cohort based on the interview and survey feedback from the first cohort, in terms 
of minor changes to the system itself and to how technical training could have been more 
effective. Thus, it is very likely that the input from the control group possibly had some 
impact on the experimental group. In the context of this study, however, we believed 
that implementing such changes was of benefit to the learners, and that recognising the 
challenge of the practical value of pedagogical research (classroom-centred research) to 
influence teaching practice positively rather than only adding to the knowledge base of 
how humans interact with technology. 
References 
Hubbard, P., & Romeo, K. (2012). Diversity in learner training. In G. Stockwell (Ed.), 
Computer-assisted language learning: Diversity in research and practice (pp. 33-48). 
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 
Stockwell, G. (2010). Using mobile phones for vocabulary activities: Examining the effect of 
the platform. Language Learning & Technology, 14(2), 95-110. 

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2014 CALL Conference 
LINGUAPOLIS
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