Facilitating Self-Regulation with Mobile Devices to Improve Oral Interaction

Abstract

This study aimed to demonstrate the self-regulation effect in students’ oral interaction using mobile devices. This innovation had a place in a ninth basic grade classroom with twenty-eight students at a public high school in Guayaquil, Ecuador for six weeks. The low level in students’ speaking skills and the lack of oral interaction were reasons that made it feasible to apply this innovation. This mixed-method action research gathered Quantitative data from the comparison between pre-test and post-test rubric scores. Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews applied at the end of the innovation and learning logs. Cohen’s criterion (d=1.54) determined that it had a large effect on students’ oral interaction. The results reflected that self-regulation helped students improve not only in oral interaction but in other speaking subskills such as grammar/vocabulary and pronunciation. Students became independent and respectful of their learning process. This current innovation is not only feasible for English language purposes but other academic fields teachers.