Beyond the Ratings: Exploring Duolingo's Perceived Usefulness Among Language Learners

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Razi University

Abstract

Despite the surge in popularity of language learning apps like Duolingo, a significant research gap exists in understanding their pedagogical effectiveness from the user’s viewpoint. This study addresses this gap by employing a two-phased qualitative method to investigate how learners perceive Duolingo’s pedagogical effectiveness. The first phase involved thematic analysis of 268 user comments collected systematically from app stores to identify recurring themes. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Iranian EFL learners who used Duolingo as a supplementary tool for eight weeks to gain in-depth contextualized insights. MAXQDA software was used for thematic analysis to uncover patterns and insights from the data. The results reveal that while Duolingo is appreciated for its engaging gamified approach, it is criticized for its excessive focus on gamification, insufficient explicit grammar instruction, and unrealistic language content. The study further suggests that Duolingo is best used as a supplementary tool to traditional learning methods, underlining the need for additional resources to support comprehensive language learning. The findings emphasize the importance of critically evaluating language learning apps to ensure they meet educational needs, offering valuable guidance for learners, educators, and app developers

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Technology Assisted Language Education
Volume 2, Issue 1
March 2024
Pages 57-70

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