Speakers
Description
As language learning increasingly extends beyond classroom instruction, mobile applications offer new possibilities for learner autonomy and independent practice. However, access to learning apps alone does not guarantee effective self-regulated learning. This presentation reports a mixed-methods study of university students’ self-regulated learning strategies in mobile-assisted foreign language learning, using Japanese language learning in a Thai EFL university context as an empirical case. Data were collected from 42 questionnaire respondents and 10 interview participants. The findings show that students engaged strongly with cognitive and motivational strategies, particularly in vocabulary learning, where spaced repetition, flashcards, self-testing, daily streaks, and progress tracking helped sustain regular practice. However, students reported challenges in listening development because app-based listening tasks did not transfer well to authentic spoken language. They also experienced difficulty using performance data to plan their next learning actions, revealing a gap between metacognitive monitoring and metacognitive control. The contribution of this study lies in showing that mobile applications support self-regulated language learning unevenly. While they can sustain routine practice, visible progress, and motivation, they do not automatically develop strategic learners. The presentation argues that mobile-assisted language learning needs stronger metacognitive scaffolding, clearer next-step guidance, and more authentic input to support deeper autonomous learning beyond classroom-based instruction.strong text
Biography
Kitikarn Ratanapitak is an English and Japanese Lecturer at the School of Liberal Arts, Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. She holds a Master's degree in Language and Culture from Meiou University, Japan (2003) and a Bachelor's degree in Teaching English from Chiang Mai University (2001). With over 15 years of experience in foreign language education, her research interests include learner autonomy, self-regulated learning, mobile-assisted language learning, and Japanese language pedagogy. Her published work spans vocabulary acquisition, kanji learning strategies through image-association activities, and shadowing techniques for developing Japanese listening and speaking skills. She has collaborated on research with Nagoya University, Japan, examining Thai university students' perceptions and behaviors as language learners and tourists. Her work has been published in both Thai and international journals, including the Trends of Humanities and Social Sciences Research and the Journal of Managerial Research, Nagoya University.
Piyathida Buaprasertying is an English Lecturer at the School of Liberal Arts, Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand, where she has been teaching for over 13 years. She holds a Master of Education in Teaching English (2012) and a Bachelor of Education in English (2000), both from Chiang Mai University. Her research interests include learner autonomy, self-regulated learning, English language teaching, and English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). Her current work examines the strategies Thai university students employ in English language learning and the extent to which these strategies support deeper independent learning.
Together, Kitikarn and Piyathida have collaborated on a mixed-methods study investigating self-regulated learning strategies in mobile-assisted foreign language learning among Thai university students. Their research highlights both the potential and the limitations of mobile applications in fostering genuine learner autonomy beyond the classroom, with particular attention to metacognitive development and the need for stronger scaffolding in app-based language learning environments.
| Affiliate type | University |
|---|