Shawn Loewen
Professor; Associate Chair for Graduate Studies Michigan State University
- East Lansing MI
Shawn Loewen's research includes instructed second language acquisition, second language interaction and quantitative research methodology.
Media
Biography
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Fulbright Scholar
2019
Education
Temple University
M.A.
University of Auckland
Ph.D.
Affiliations
- The Modern Language Journal : Associate Editor
News
Use Of Language-Learning Apps Spiked During The Pandemic. Will It Last?
Texas Public Radio - The Source radio
2021-07-07
Guests:
Cindy Blanco, Ph.D., senior learning scientist for Duolingo and former college instructor of Spanish and linguistics
John Grundy, Ph.D., assistant professor of cognitive neuroscience at Iowa State specializing in bilingualism and the brain
Shawn Loewen, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages and Cultures and director of the Second Language Studies program at Michigan State University
Duolingo introduces true crime to its bilingual podcast
Marketplace online
2020-10-22
pay for it — but said there’s so much good free content on the internet already.
Shawn Loewen, professor of second language acquisition at Michigan State University, said language programs tend to overpromise, whether you’re paying or not, but the long-form narrative might work.
“Any exposure to the target language is good,” he said. “If you understand the larger sense of things because part of it has been told to you in English, and then you hear something in Spanish, you’re more likely to understand that because you’re able to kind of fill in with some of your other background knowledge.”
Can you actually learn a new language through an app?
WHYY online
2020-07-24
I started with Shawn Loewen, a professor at Michigan State University and head of the Second Language Studies Program, and asked him if language apps really work.
“Sort of?” he replied.
There hasn’t been a ton of research done, in part, Loewen said, because academics view apps as “gimmicky.” He’s done two small studies on the efficacy of language learning apps, one about Duolingo and another about Babbel.
How effective are language learning apps?
MSU Today online
2020-04-23
“Millions of people are studying languages on these apps, and as teachers and researchers of second language acquisition, we have no idea what’s really happening learning-wise,” Loewen said. “I wanted to find out and to gather some data.”
Journal Articles
How to present L2 Chinese words effectively for learning: Exploring learning outcomes and learner perceptions
Studies in Second Language Acquisition2023
Second language (L2) research on input manipulation has focused mainly on increasing the salience of target structures, but presentation formats of L2 input can be another important aspect for manipulation. This study compared the horizontal, vertical, and adjacent formats for presenting the characters, pinyin, and English meaning of L2 Chinese vocabulary, by recruiting 69 English native speakers to study 30 Chinese words in these formats. Learning outcomes were indexed with vocabulary gain scores from pretest to posttest. Learner perceptions of the learning process were recorded with ratings and reasons for preference among these formats. The quantitative results showed the adjacent format generally led to higher gain scores than the other two formats and that L2 proficiency also contributed positively.
Potential test-learning effects of an oral elicited imitation test: Methodological considerations for form-focused instruction studies
Research Methods in Applied Linguistics2023
In this methodological study, 60 Japanese university students took an Oral Elicited Imitation Test (OEIT) three times over the course of three weeks to investigate the potential test-learning effect of the OEIT in relation to two moderating factors: the number of test items (more or fewer), and the types of grammatical features targeted in the test (syntactic or morphological). The study was conducted because a strong test-learning effect of the OEIT has been potentially problematic for the internal validity of previous form-focused instruction studies. Results revealed that engaging in the OEIT three times led to improvement in participants’ test performance from Time 1 to Times 2 and 3, on both the syntactic and morphological forms. Furthermore, conducting the OEIT with more test items had stronger test-learning effects than with fewer test items.
Synchronous VCMC with TalkAbroad: Exploring noticing, transcription, and learner perceptions in Spanish foreign-language pedagogy
Language Teaching Research2023
This mixed-methods study investigates the use of synchronous video computer-mediated communication (SVCMC) in a U.S. university’s Spanish-as-a-foreign-language curriculum. Using the SVCMC platform TalkAbroad, the university’s Spanish program required second-year students to participate in five, 30-minute, SVCMC conversations with Spanish first language (L1) speakers. Students then reflected on their SVCMC conversations by replaying the recorded audio from those sessions and transcribing passages of their conversations. Using an interactionist perspective, this research explores the utility of: (1) the SVCMC conversations, and (2) the subsequent listening/transcription activity by examining students’ reported noticing of linguistic items (e.g. L1 speaker vocabulary, grammar, etc.). Additionally, we report students’ general perceptions of engaging in SVCMC with TalkAbroad.
Classroom 1 Research Methods
Current Approaches in Second Language Acquisition Research: A Practical Guide2023
This chapter focuses on research methods for investigating the nature and effectiveness of instruction on second language (L2) learning. Instructed second language acquisition (ISLA)“aims to understand how the systematic manipulation of the mechanisms of learning and/or the conditions under which they occur enable or facilitate the development and acquisition of an additional language”(Loewen, 2020, pp. 2–3). Instruction often happens within the four walls of the classroom; however, it is also possible for online instruction to occur within a structured, institutional setting. Consequently, this chapter views the classroom as any location—physical or virtual—in which individuals are attempting to teach or learn an L2. In terms of classroom research methods, it is important to point out that there is no single ISLA research methodology; instead, ISLA research draws on different methodologies to help answer specific questions related to the effects of L2 instruction.
Mobile-assisted language learning with Babbel and Duolingo: comparing L2 learning gains and user experience
Computer Assisted Language Learning2023
Despite the influx of research examining various aspects of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) applications (apps) over the past two decades, there have been no head-to-head studies that have investigated the comparative effectiveness of different mobile apps. The current study addresses this gap by directly comparing two of the most well-researched and popular MALL apps: Babbel and Duolingo. In this mixed methods study, adult learners (N = 59) engaged in studying Turkish as a foreign language using either Babbel (n = 27) or Duolingo (n = 32) for eight weeks. Participants then completed two exit assessments, including (1) a posttest gauging their development of various language skills (i.e. reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammatical competence), and (2) a survey assessing their user experience (e.g. enjoyment, motivation, beliefs about effectiveness).
