Despite the hundreds of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) publications over the past twenty years, statistically reliable measures of learning outcomes are few and far between. In part, this is due to the fact that well over half of all MALL-related studies report no objectively quantifiable learning outcomes, either because they did not involve MALL implementation projects, or if they did, learning gains were only based on subjective teacher assessments and/or student self-evaluations. Even more so, the paucity of statistically reliable learning outcome data stems from the short duration of projects and small numbers of students involved. Of the 291 distinct studies examined in this review only 35 meet minimal conditions of duration and sample size, i.e., ten experimental subjects over a period of at least a month. Sixteen of these suffer from serious design shortcomings, leaving only nineteen MALL studies that can reliably serve as a basis for determining the learning outcomes of mobile-based language applications. Of these studies, fifteen can be considered to report unequivocal positive results, with those focusing on reading, listening and speaking without exception evidencing a MALL application advantage. Four studies, all focusing on vocabulary, reported no significant differences.

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The dubbing of muted video clips offers an excellent opportunity to develop the skills of foreign language learners at all linguistic levels. In addition to its motivational value, soundtrack dubbing provides a rich source of activities in all language skill areas: listening, reading, writing, speaking. With advanced students, it also lends itself to creative collaborative scenario production. Video dubbing thus offers essentially the same pedagogical benefits of full video production, but without completely taking over the curriculum or bogging students down in the technical logistics of movie making. The production of dubbed videos raises numerous practical issues--pedagogical as well as technical. Pedagogically, successful projects require considerable in-class as well as out-of-class preparation. Technologically, they require both instructors and students to learn basic video editing skills. The management of a video dubbing project involves several stages: video selection, scene cropping and muting, initial class presentation of the target video, group listening comprehension (or scenario creation) activities, individual practice, group rehearsal and, finally, soundtrack dubbing.

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This paper deals with the assessment of the effects of instructional technology (IT) on the foreign language curriculum. It is intended to serve two purposes. First, it offers a general background to the evaluation of IT, which is essential knowledge for anyone involved in the integration of IT into their courses. Second, it seeks to provide a clearer understanding of the evaluation parameters that need to be taken into consideration when establishing the infrastructure for the on-going assessment of IT. While giving due consideration to evaluating the effectiveness of CALL on learning outcomes, it is proposed that we need to take a broader view of the assessment of IT, one which goes beyond its defensive justification and promotion. In particular, it is argued that we need to move away from a technocentric assessment of IT to one which focuses on how IT contributes to realizing our pedagogical goals and objectives.

The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate quantitative experimental mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) studies published between 1994 and 2019 that meet minimal conditions of research design and statistical analysis. Starting with a bibliographical database of 1,144 references to experimental MALL implementations, of which there were 700 objectively substantiated by quantitative experimental language learning outcomes, only 84 experimental MALL studies met the inclusion requirements. Their analysis addresses two critical sets of research questions. First, what are the general characteristics of the selected studies and, second, what are their language learning outcomes in terms of measured effect size. Nine general characteristics are considered: publication source, chronological distribution, country of origin, institutional environment, sample size, intervention duration, targeted language, language learner competence level, and learning focus. Effect size was calculated separately for between-group (independent, experimental) and within-group (quasi-experimental) treatment studies. In both cases, the overall results were quite large: 0.72 for the former and 1.16 for the latter. An analysis of four critical moderator variables (language learner competence level, language area focus, institutional environment, and intervention duration) revealed similarly large effect sizes. Notwithstanding, analysis of the data also confirmed obvious publication bias and a very high level of heterogeneity that frequently approached 100%. The relevance of positive language learning outcome conclusions thus needs to be tempered by these shortcomings.

Despite the large number of published articles dealing with Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) applications over the past two decades, very few relate to the curricular integration of mobile technologies beyond initial projects. This situation raises a primary research question as to whether or not MALL implementation publications reflect the actual extent to which MALL has been incorporated into the curriculum. In order to determine the actual state of curricular integration, an online survey of published MALL practitioners was conducted. The survey established that nearly 60% of initial MALL projects had subsequently led to curricular integration. The factors that most facilitated the integration of MALL into the curriculum are all directly related to the success of the initial project. Institutional factors likewise played an important part in the subsequent incorporation of MALL into the curriculum, with the encouragement of the administration, financial support and technological infrastructure being the most positive in this regard. On the other hand, the lack of financial and technological support was deemed to constitute a substantial negative factor. Likewise, when it existed, curricular flexibility played a major positive role in making MALL integration possible, whereas the absence of curricular flexibility was considered a significant negative impediment. So, too, overall the willingness of colleagues to engage with MALL, their pedagogical training and technological expertise were all viewed as contributing positively to MALL integration, though not without a notable level of negative influence.