Gamified Enough ? : Student Reaction to the Duolingo Language Learning App in a University Setting

The language learning app Duolingo has a classroom learning platform, Duolingo for Schools. This paper shares the results of a pilot study conducted with lower level English classes in a university setting. A total of twenty-two students participated, with all but one being Japanese L1 speakers. The chief reason for choosing the app is that it heavily utilizes grammar translation methodology, which is easily accessible to low level Japanese learners of English at ti is similar to the instruction many receive in junior and senior high school. Another reason for using this platform is the lack of level appropriate material s for the students. Based on departmental placement testing, the students are pre-A1 or A1 within the CEFR levels, which makes finding materials that are both level and age appropriate challenging. The app itself has gamified elements, which are designed to maintain the users' attention and increase motivation. The author and his teaching partner tracked student use of the app and asked students their opinions of the app. Students showed some enthusiasm at first, though that enthusiasm waned as the semester progressed. However, initial findings show that the app, while potentially useful in a higher education setting, would require careful planning and deployment to fully utilize its strengths.