A comparative research on the effectiveness of two mobile applications for vocabulary learning: BaiCiZhan and Bubeidanci

In recent years, with the development of science and technology, more and more language teachers and researchers pay attention to the application of mobile devices in language learning. However, few studies have explored the effectiveness of specific vocabulary learning applications in the Chinese context and made suggestions for students’ choices. This research involves 16 participants using two popular Apps named BaiCiZhan and Bubeidanci respectively. They were required to do a pre-test, two immediate post-tests and a delayed post-test, to compare the difference in the effect of vocabulary retention of the two apps. The results showed that although both apps significantly improved the retention effect immediately after learning and one week after learning, there was no difference between the two apps. In addition, interviews were conducted to investigate the participants’ experience of using the two apps and combining the vocabulary learning strategies used in two apps. This study concluded that the learning style preference of learners could be seen as a factor, and the two most important vocabulary learning strategies respectively used by the two apps which are using pictures and using various context sentences both have their own advantages and disadvantages, which makes no difference in the final result of word retention between the two apps.