The impact of social media and gamification of a mobile vocabulary learning app: Self-regulation and learning persistence

Scholars indicated that learners who are strategic with their language learning (e.g., self-regulated learning (SRL), cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies) tend to be more efficient, resourceful, and flexible, and thus have better language learning outcomes (Oxford, 2016; Heo et al., 2012; Plonsky, 2011). Besides focusing on knowledge, language learners, as L2 teachers already do, need to prepare themselves with self-regulated learning skills, so they can achieve the target language learning outcomes. This study selected Shanbay Danci (SBDC), a popular mobile vocabulary application (Wang, 2020, Su & Su, 2015), as the intervention. SBDC allows learners to share not only information about their goals but also badges (a gamification feature) demonstrating their learning outcomes. To explore the impacts of the badge-sharing feature on learners’ perceived self-regulation level, vocabulary learning persistence, and self-regulated learning experiences, a total of 77 undergraduates, who were enrolled in College English courses at a Chinese institution, participated in the study. Results showed participants in the badge-sharing group (experimental) tended to have significantly higher SRL levels (e.g., better management of time and the learning environment, being more strategic in completing tasks, selecting an appropriate learning environment, setting learning goals, and self-evaluating their learning progress) than those in the control group who were not enrolled in any badge sharing group. Moreover, those in the badge-sharing group demonstrated higher persistence in learning vocabulary, with a completion rate of 70%, versus 56% in the control group. Qualitative results indicated that badge sharing enhanced learners’ self and shared regulation capacity in the process of learning vocabulary.