Development and Evaluation of Smartphone Learning Material for Blended Language Learning

This study evaluated a newly developed smartphone-based review material application (in blended learning) that enables learners to learn continuously and intermittently by providing visualization of learning status in the smartphone application. In beginning Chinese language classes, our blended learning practice consists of both face-to-face classroom and home assignments in e-learning. For blended learning, we provided a prototype of smartphone-based learning material in 2017 but found some issues that might have prevented learning's continuance. Therefore, we developed the smartphone-based learning material application KoToToMo Plus. This version of the application enables students to learn easily in a little spare time by having achieved a user interface that provides visualization of learning status and makes it easy to resume interrupted learning and to select the next content. Since April 2018, we have practiced blended learning using and evaluating this application in actual classes. Results showed increased numbers of learning times and decreased feelings about learning as burdensome.