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Towards Mobile Assisted Language Learning Based on Computational Thinking

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Advances in Web-Based Learning – ICWL 2016 (ICWL 2016)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 10013))

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Abstract

In mobile assisted language learning, devices are mostly used to provide digital, captivating versions of traditional exercises to teach the four language skills foreseen by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The goal of this paper is to introduce an innovative and novel approach to German learning, which goes beyond learning with the assistance of mobile devices. The idea is to create a mobile app, which includes exercises that require computational thinking to be applied. This allows us to reach two goals. First, learners can discover the grammatical structures and become able to apply them in other contexts, which shows competence acquisition. Second, the assessment of these exercises allows us to measure competencies (also partial ones), beside knowledge. Such a diagnostic assessment can be helpful both for learners (to understand where improvement is needed) and for teachers (to check the effectiveness of their activities). In this paper, we show sample applications to illustrate concretely the potentials of our approach.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The exercise is designed for students at A2 level (according to CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) that, with these skills, are still unable to solve these exercises intuitively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Domenicani, 3, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

    Ilenia Fronza & Daniel Gallo

  2. Liceo G. Pascoli, via G. Deledda 4, 39100, Bolzano, Italy

    Daniel Gallo

Authors
  1. Ilenia Fronza
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  2. Daniel Gallo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ilenia Fronza .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Dickson K.W. Chiu

  2. Leibniz University of Hanover, Hannover, Germany

    Ivana Marenzi

  3. Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Umberto Nanni

  4. University of Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France

    Marc Spaniol

  5. Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Marco Temperini

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Fronza, I., Gallo, D. (2016). Towards Mobile Assisted Language Learning Based on Computational Thinking. In: Chiu, D., Marenzi, I., Nanni, U., Spaniol, M., Temperini, M. (eds) Advances in Web-Based Learning – ICWL 2016. ICWL 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10013. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47440-3_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47440-3_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47439-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47440-3

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