Abstract:

This paper describes and reports on the findings of the Enactment Phase of a longitudinal Design Based Research (DBR) study aiming to develop effective design principles for learning materials for English for Special Purpose (ESP) students, enabled by means of mobile devices. The process of data collection and analysis over an eighteen-month period, resulted in a conceptual model and design principles for a mobile-enabled language learning (MELL) solution. The study also generated a broader understanding of the context-embedded nature of ESP learning using mobile devices, specifically the role of aspects of the whole learning environment, ultimately contributing to real-life praxis of the Ecological Constructivist framework and the complementary approach of DBR methodology. This paper focuses on the intervention design and development completed during the Enactment phase (Phase 2). The key outcome of this phase, namely the prototype of the Mobile-Enabled Language Learning Eco-System (MELLES), encompassed eight ESP tasks accessible through a mobile-web portal which served as a gateway to the MELLES network. The design of the MELLES intervention and its constituent tasks are presented.

Author: Debra Hoven, Agnieszka Palalas