Motivational and affective engagement in learning Spanish with a mobile application

The purpose of this study was to determine whether any changes occurred in students’ motivational and affective engagement in L2 after participating in game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application in Spanish courses. The motivational and affective engagement of a total of 82 U.S. students was examined. Paired-samples t-tests showed that students improved significantly in intrinsic goal orientation, beliefs about controlling their learning, and self-efficacy for learning after participating in game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application. Students’ enjoyment of learning in Spanish courses also increased; furthermore, students positively evaluated the game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application. Interview data reveal features of the activities with a mobile application that facilitate university students’ engagement. A discussion of motivational and affective engagement and the use of a grammar-focused mobile application in the classroom is included.