Meta-analysis of MALL research and design

This study examined 213 recent papers about Mobile Assisted Language Learning to identify recurring themes, lessons about MALL affordances, lessons for instructional and academic research design, and MALL design best practices. The researchers used thematic analysis of the conclusions and recommendations of multiple MALL studies, a research design defined as qualitative meta-analysis. The analysis produced recurring images categorized into 18 themes, including access, motivation, curriculum, instructor role, authentic experiences, student-centered learning, gamification, induction training, and contextual learning. Several of the MALL tests were surprisingly short, as little as 40 min, not accounting for the influence of novelty on the outcomes. The most significant issues were that 1) there are significant discrepancies between how teachers and instructional designers expect MALL devices to be used and how the students actually use them; that 2) issues of access, motivation, and curriculum are overarching and often have negative impact on learning outcomes; and that 3) many of the MALL studies were of surprisingly short durations or had other obvious flaws suggesting poor research design. This paper is significant because its findings, conclusions, and recommendations are based on recent studies that themselves have already been peer-reviewed. These findings can help reveal future pathways for innovation in MALL instructional design and helping the field evolve from short-term tests, rarely integrated into the curriculum, to validated curriculum and learning tools.