application were so helpful. The most interesting topics for him in Busuu were ‘different personalities’, ‘hobbies’, and ‘dream jobs’ what he wants to be in the
future. Besides he liked topics related to holiday, feelings and emotions, talents, news, opinions, and transportation. He got many new English words especially in
describing personalities. He mentioned some words such as rude, boring, aggressive, anti-social, ignored, loud, lazy, and annoying. The tasks were easy as
well so he dared himself to jump right away to the intermediate level. However, it was always quite upsetting to deal with downloading the unit resources since it
would take a very long time. GIL: “…about different personalities, about my hobbies, and
about what I want to be in the future. The thing I dislike most is ‘downloading unit resource’. It takes a very long time. I jump to
the intermediate level for the materials in the beginner level are easy for me. I just do words matchings.”
When we did reflection on his purpose of using Bussu and on both
positive things and negative things of using Busuu for learning, he tried to mention everything he got in details. His main intention was to keep him away
from feeling bored and to enrich his knowledge. For him, the positive things from learning with Busuu: first, Busuu was entertaining and second, Busuu was source
of knowledge that could help him to enrich his knowledge on English language skills such as vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, writing, and reading. He could
experience improvement especially in listening, pronunciation, and word spelling. Gilang stated that Busuu helped him to memorize words through the
repetition activities and the recording. Busuu also provided him an access to learn directly from native speakers.
R: “What’s your intention of using this application?” GIL: “…so that I will not get bored…and…to enrich my
knowledge; I will come to know the things I do not know before. GIL: …for example, there was a word ‘rude’. Previously,I still
pronounce that word as rude. Here, I was taught how to pronounce the word ‘rude’ as ru:d. Then I learn ‘dialogue’. I
listened to the dialogues one by one and then some parts of the dialogues will be left blank, then I will be asked to fill in the blank
boxes by dragging one correct words from the provided words options to the boxes. Emm… I can directly learn from native
speakers, since native speakers usually speak fast and not so clear, therefore here I am able to understand what they are
talking about little by little.” GIL: “’impossible’ … I am confused, which letter is doubled,
whether b or p, b or m?. None of them The letter ‘s‘is in fact that should be doubled.”
However, he disliked the locked materials. The requirement to unlock the materials, activities, and quizzes was one of negative points he got from playing
with Busuu. Other negative points he felt were “boros kuota” and “boros baterai”. GIL: “ eman-eman. Huhhh...annoying…for I have to pay. I am
already so far to reach this level and the tasks are unlocked. I really want to check my improvement…but..they are locked, and I
have to pay…sigh…I wish that I am given some money. I wish, and then I would unlock these. Exciting”
R: “Have you ever asked your father some money to unlock these?” P: “ laughing… No, I don’t want. ‘eman-eman’.
There are so many which are locked. All quizzes, except materials in the beginner level.”
GIL: “negative…is ‘boros kuota’ and ‘boros baterai’” Gilang considered Busuu as a facility to learn more about English. For
him, Busuu provided him space and time for him to improve his confidence to learn speaking. He realized that he needed to master English since this language
ability would be useful in the future to seek job. He argued that the work vacancy in Indonesia is limited therefore he had to prepare himself to work abroad.
Before, he could only depend to Google translate, his aunt, and his English private teacher. However, since he knew Busuu, he could feel more assistance
that facilitated him to learn and practice more. GIL“I really want to learn more about English, but
unfortunately there were no any facility to help me. I am not confident enough when for example a foreigner is asking a
question to me. If I make mistakes in how I speak, it will be so embarrassing. But here I found Busuu can become a facility for
me, so I feel of being assisted. Not only Google translator. Before, I sometimes asked my aunt, but later no more when I have already
found them.” R:”Is English learning important for you?”
GIL: “Important, for sure. If we are going to seek job in Indonesia but there is none available, we then go abroad.”
R: “I see” GIL: “Nowadays, job vacancy is limited in Indonesia.”
Outside classroom, Gilang would usually learn with his father. However, his father was not able to help Gilang learning English. Therefore, Gilang had an
English private teacher whose house was just across his house. There were times when Gilang did not know some words and he asked his English private teacher.
However, he did not get the answers so that he turned to Google translator for the answers. As the time went by, Google translator became his priority to get the
answer than his teacher. Whenever he got question, he would first go to his smart phone and search the word in Google translator. When the answer was not quite
satisfying, that time he would go to his teacher. GIL:“If it is about English, I do not study with my father. I study
with my English private teacher and Google translator. GIL:”for instance, when I do not know the meaning of some
words, my English private teacher asked me to search them in Google translator. I can be more independent anyway. But when I
ask my teacher and she does not know, I will give up.
R: “Do you still ask some help to your English teacher at your school when you have problem in learning English?”
GIL: “well ya..but sometimes I am quite scared of my teacher.” Busuu then became an additional assistance that helped Gilang to learn
English outside school. For him there are no similar applications as Busuu. He preferred to use Busuu because of the offered features such as animation,
interesting interface and appearance, interesting materials and types of activities, and the reward “berries”. For around five months he used Busuu, he had already
got 10.000 berries. Even he stated that he preferred to learn from Busuu than to learn from books. For him, books were more expensive and less interesting.
R: “Have you ever tried to find other English learning applications in Play Store?”
GIL: “Never.” R: “Why?”
GIL: “I do not know other applications and I am not interested for that. I am interested in playing Busuu. I do not find any other
application which is similar with it. Its interface is interesting and its animations are good. If the interface is not interesting enough,
I have no desire to learn and no excitement to play with it. The materials are also good featured with animations, like doodles. I
can get berries” R: “How do you feel when you have already got 10.000
berries?” GIL: “I do not realize I’ve been this so far. It is so fast, isn’t it?
But somehow, I get bored since I found this is getting easier as the time goes by. Moreover, I have got help from Google translator.”
R: “Why don’t you read books?” GIL: “The problem is, I don’t have money to buy books…Long
time ago, I had ever got many books but no more now. It is because my uncle who used to afford me buying books does not
stay in Jogja anymore. He is now in Surabaya. R: “So, books are the last option? How about free articles and
books that you can get from the internet?” GIL: “Never. Even, I had ever got an anatomy book written in
English…but everything looks so complicated and I do not understand the meaning
GIL: “Busuu has pictures. It is clear and it provides ways to pronounce the words.
Busuu helped Gilang to learn English outside classroom where he could get more knowledge and spaces to practice English. The interesting pictures,
animation, interfaces, various types of learning activities that he got from this application motivated him to learn English in his spare time and when he was
getting bored of doing nothing. He wished that he could unlock the materials in every level. Not by money, he had an imagination which he considered as well as
a suggestion to the company, that every learner could unlock the materials by exchanging or paying with the berries he or she has got. He also hoped that there
would be more virtual games embedded in this application.
2. Pewa’s Story
Dewa is a junior high school student grade 7
th
and he is 13
th
years old. The first time he used smart phone was when he was still at grade 5
th
of elementary school. It was in around 2011. He got his personal smart phone that
he used mainly to communicate with his father and mother. It would ease him to call and to text his father or mother anytime, especially whenever the school hour
had finished. He mentioned that its brand was Samsung but he forgot which type or series that time. Besides to contact his parents, he used his smart phone for
Facebook and other social media, and also games. When he started his study in junior high school, he asked for a new smart
phone. His parents then bought him a new smart phone. Its brand was Samsung Grand Prime. He asked for a new phone since he needed to more things with his
phone, especially he wanted to download more gaming applications and social media. Related to the question whether he downloaded some education or
learning application, he answered that he got Busuu. It was the only education or learning application he had in his smart phone. He had ever downloaded a
dictionary application but it was error application, therefore he decided to uninstall it.
“In my old smart phone, the games were so limited, they are only ????. In my new phone, we can play games which are
downloaded and purchased from Play Store or the other applications.”
R : “So the first thing you did when you got a new phone was downloading gaming application?”
DEW: “I downloaded social media applications first, and then I downloaded games.”
R: “Could you mention the example?” DEW: “Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, and Line, later I
downloaded games. Just some common games such as Game Pou and Subway Surf.”
He learnt English since he was in kindergarten. Besides, his parents brought him to some private courses, and one of them was English course. He
enjoyed learning English and English became his favorite lesson since then. He had ever stopped joining English course for a while when he was at 1
st
grade of elementary school but he joined the course again when he was at 2
nd
grade up to he was at junior high school. Outside school time, he learnt English by using
some resources such as books and notes. He got his own English private teacher that helped to learn English through quizzes, activities, and games. Besides,
Dewa made use products of technology around him to learn such as laptop and smart phone.
R: “What do you use to learn English?” DEW: “From books. I study from the materials in the books and
from the notes I got in school. My English private teacher gives me quizzes and games which are related to the lesson. I am given
blank paper, and then I have to write the names he mentioned in the back of the paper.”
R: “Do you use other resources or not?” DEW: “I usually use laptop and smart phone. I search other
learning materials with my laptop, and for sure it is to translate. Sometimes I do not know the meaning of some words, then I will
open Google translator. R: “I see. How about using your smart phone?”
DEW: “I usually use it to translate as well.” R: “Which one you mostly use?”
DEW: “Smart Phone.” Dewa interacted with his smart phone daily to connect with others
through Facebook and Instagram. When he did not have things to do, he would usually chat with his friends and uploaded some photos to his social media
accounts. It would take longer time when he had to reply chat and comments in his time line. Until one day, he knew about Busuu. Same with Gilang, he got
information about that application from his English teacher at school. He did not know about any application for learning besides dictionary before. After being
told about this, he downloaded, installed this application, and used it daily. For him, Busuu was quite interesting. He could enrich his English vocabulary and he
could practice more how to pronounce the words. R: “Did you know any English learning application like Busuu
before?” DEW: “Not yet. I just know Busuu when I am in junior high
school.” R: “What did you do after being told about this application?”
DEW: “I downloaded it, and I used it. I logged in with my email, so then I could get access to play and it was quite exciting.”
R: “How exciting is it?” DEW:”At the beginning, I was taught of the vocabulary. After
that I would do the quizzes. They are all provided there. I have never experienced this before. I can enrich my knowledge and I
can enrich my vocabulary too. Moreover, when I am at school, there are tasks and I have to use the dictionary. Then, I have to
search them one by one, word by word. If we use a translator, I can directly get the meaning. Through Busuu, we can know how
to pronounce and to write words. When Dewa used Busuu, he found out that there were many materials in
Busuu which were similar with what he was learning at his school. He liked the topics in Busuu which were related to daily life such as family members, public
places and jobs. He considered that learning with Busuu could assist him to learn deeper about the topics which were related to what were being taught at school.
He observed his improvement in his test score that he got better score after he used Busuu.
DEW: “In Busuu, I learn about things which are related to daily life, like family tree, public places.”
R: “Which topics do you like most?” DEW:”Family tree.”
R: “Why?” DEW: “I got the similar material at school. I learnt about
relations in family that time but actually I did not too understand. Then I get this in Busuu, so I get chance to learn about it again.
Later, I understand this quite better than before, my test score result was satisfying.”
R: “Is there any other interesting topic?” DEW: “About job. Usually people only mention doctor, police
when they are talking about profession. But here, I can get something more than that, broader. I found a job like farmer or
other jobs which are commonly taken for granted. For us, those jobs are also important.”
Besides in English vocabulary enrichment, listening and pronunciation
practices, Dewa found that Busuu helped him to memorize words. Things which were unclear before became easier to be understood in Busuu. He was helped to
understand the materials through the dialogs which were provided in every topic in Busuu.
R: “Are there other things else that you get to learn besides vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation?”
DEW: “Memorizing. So I have to memorize properly.” DEW: “I only knew little before and some were not so clear for
me. And here in Busuu, it helps me to learn deeper and finally I can really understand. Busuu has dialogues, and finally we can
understand of what it means or what is being talked about.” Dewa had already reached intermediate level and he got 1,300 berries so
far. He used Busuu almost every day when he went home after school and when he had already done his homework. He played his Busuu in his spare time as
well. Before he got to know Busuu, he usually played computer and played games in his phone. Being asked of which one he preferred, he liked both
activities; playing games in phone and playing Busuu, yet he realized the importance of learning as a priority for he could learn many things which were
related to what he was learning at his school. He felt that many materials in Busuu were similar and were related to the school’s materials and Busuu assisted
him to get deeper understanding. DEW: “Every day,,,I open it when I am doing nothing. Usually
after school, after I have finished my homework and I have my free time.
R: “What did you usually do before you use Busuu?” DEW: “Play with my computer or I play games in my phone.”
R: “Which one do you like more, playing games or playing with Busuu?”
DEW: “Actually, I like both of them. But, if it is related to study, learning with Busuu is more important. I enjoy learning with
Busuu than playing games.” Most of the time, he would study by himself at home. His parents would
assist him learning sometimes only. He felt fine with that and he felt comfortable and independent enough to study alone. So did the learning with Busuu. He
enjoyed being with his Busuu by himself at his room. There were also times when he enjoyed playing Busuu with his friends at school. His friends and Dewa
played together after school hours in school yard since they were not allowed to bring phone to school during school hours. He felt more excitement when he
played Busuu together with his friend for he could sense the excitement of competing with his friends.
DEW: “One day, after school, I played Busuu with my friends. All of us opened the same topic and the same materials together.
Then we competed to finish the quizzes as fast as we could. R: “How did you feel that time?”
DEW: “It was surely more exciting than playing alone.” Reflecting on the positive things that Dewa got from learning English
with Busuu, he mentioned some points. He could enrich his knowledge and English vocabulary by learning with Busuu. There were many new vocabulary
that he got and he could understand the materials more. Busuu helped Dewa to be more focus on learning. For him focus was an important for as long as he was
focused on what he was learning, it would be easier for him to understand. He felt that Busuu had motivated him much to learn through the various materials
provided there such as quizzes. There were times when he failed to complete the tasks and he gave wrong answers. However, he did not give up that time. He kept
trying to pass the quizzes instead. DEW: “I can broader my knowledge and I can enrich my
vocabulary. Besides, Busuu helps me to be more focus on learning. If we do not focus when we are learning something, we
are getting more difficult in understanding the materials.” R: “So Busuu has helped you to be more focus?”
DEW: “Yes.” DEW: “I get more spirits to learn…Learning at school and
learning with your English teacher at school are sometimes
boring…the quizzes in Busuu challenges me to not easily give up. Sometimes, I gave wrong answers so that I had to repeat from the
beginning. It encourages me to do better. Finally, I kept trying until I pass the quizzes with the right answers.”
The other things that motivated Dewa to learn with Busuu were the various activities or tasks which were provided in Busuu. What he could learn
was not only English vocabulary but also reading and listening. For him, this application offered things which were different and this appealed him. Another
thing which was appealing and interesting was the “berries”. He considered that learning with Busuu could be like playing games as he was rewarded many
berries after he could finish the tasks or quizzes. Based on berries he got, he felt happy to see how far he had learnt using Busuu and he was excited to get more
berries. DEW: “In Busuu, I do not only read, but I can practice my
listening and pronunciation. This is different from others.” R: “Any other else which is interesting for you?”
DEW: “The moment when I collect the berries. Sometimes, I feel that learning is just like to read. But here, learning can be like
games. So here I have to get as many berries as I can. Later, when I get many berries, this can be a sign showing that I have learnt
many materials.” R: “How many berries do you get so far?”
DEW: “1,300.” R: “How do you feel?”
DEW: “Surely happy. It makes me realize that I have learnt many things and I want to get more berries, as many as I can.
Dewa did not find any negative effect or impact of learning English with Busuu. During the time he learnt with Busuu, he did not find any significant
difficulty. There were some moments when he felt difficult to understand the materials since he never learnt it before. That time, he went to his English private
teacher to ask some explanations. He felt that his teacher’s explanation and guides helped him to understand the materials he got in Busuu.
Related to the unlocked materials and quizzes, Dewa still felt fine with that. He knew that he had to subscribe by paying some money using credit cards.
He did not want to unlock the materials before he finished other free materials and he knew that it would be impossible to ask his parents since his parents
would be angry. R: “What do you think about the locked materials?”
DEW: “I think we have to become a member or we have to subscribe so then we will be able to unlock the materials.
Perhaps, we have to pay every month or every year.” R: “Did you subscribe?”
DEW: “No.” R: “Why?”
DEW: “That time, there were still many materials that I have not finished and understood yet. Better I finish them all first
before paying some money to unlock the materials. R: “What did you feel when you knew that you had to pay to
unlock the materials?” DEW: “I felt nothing. I knew already I couldn’t pay because I
did not have my own credit card. My parents have but I would be scolded if I asked my parents for it.”
Dewa realized that there was a change in his daily life after he knew and
played Busuu. Before, he used his spare or free time to play. After he downloaded and used Busuu, he used his spare time to use Busuu and he realized
that it was a learning time for him. He got more time and space to learn more instead of playing games. He enjoyed the learning process with Busuu for it
could be like a game. By learning with Busuu, he came to realize that English was getting easier to learn. He did not agree with what his friends’ opinions that
English is not enjoyable lesson to learn and English is difficult to learn. Busuu
helped him a lot to prove that their opinions were wrong. What he experienced about learning English was the other way around.
DEW: “For sure there is a change in my daily schedule. Before I knew Busuu, I usually played game in my spare time. It was only
about playing. Learning with Busuu is like learning with games. I can both learn and play games. It is neither learning only nor
playing games only.” R: “What else?”
DEW:”A change of mindset. Many friends of mine told me that English is not an enjoyable lesson, English is difficult. But, after I
tried it myself, their opinions were all wrong. In fact, English is fun and easy. The lesson materials are easy to be understood. This
application is so helpful.” He felt so grateful that there is an English learning application like Busuu
for it helped him a lot in learning English. It introduced him a new way of learning and gaming at the same time. He had a hope that there would be not
many materials which were locked.
B. The Interpretations of the Participants’ Lived-Experiences 1. Pre-Figured Themes
The interpretations below were bracketed under the pre-figured themes which were determined based on the conceptual or logical truth in theoretical
framework at chapter two. There are two kinds of meaning assigned under the themes; empirical meaning and transcendent meaning.
a. Empirical Meanings The following interpretation under empirical meanings consists of three
themes. They are: first is Busuu facilitates an ubiquitous English learning, second is Busuu assits me to improve my English skills, and third is Learning is more
fun with Busuu.
1 Ubiqitous English Learning
One main feature offered by learning with mobile phone and mobile applications is ubiquitous learning or learning anytime and anywhere. The
emergence of the advanced and modern hand held smart phone is noticed to enable a new learning environment for the users, where learning itself will not be
limited by space room and time Vavoula Sharples, 2002; Sharples, 2006; Ally, 2009; Wang et al., 2009; Ellias, 2011; Kim Kwon, 2012; Andersen,
2013. Learning English does not take place in classroom only, but technology such as smart phone enables a learner like Gilang to experience the process of
learning outside of his classroom and out of his English class hours. Based on the interview with Gilang, the notion “anytime” for him is not referred to only his
hours outside of school hours but also his spare time when he is free from his gaming activity and when he feels bored as he has already finished his games.
Busuu then becomes his option to drive his boredom away. At the same time, Busuu also becomes a facility to learn English beside
Google Translator. For him, Busuu provided him space and time for him to improve his confidence to learn speaking. Gilang felt that it is really helpful in
his process of acquiring and enriching his English vocabulary. Before he knew and used Busuu, he had already made use the feature of technology such as
Google Translator to assist him in understanding the words’ meaning. He stated that he wanted to learn more about English, however that time he had not found
any facility to assist him learning English besides Google Translator. He stated that it is not enough to assist him learning.
GIL: “I really want to learn more about English, but unfortunately there were no any facility to help me… “
But here I found Busuu can become a facility for me, so I feel of being assisted. Not only Google translator.
It can be implied from his notion that he had a deep desire and enthusiasm to learn English for he considered that learning English is important for his future
especially when later he is going to seek job. His awareness of the importance of learning English and the needs of learning facility had led him to a believe that
Busuu, an application that he got to know from his teacher that time, could become another assistance in learning English. The materials and activities in
Busuu assisted him to learn English at home and at his spare times. Before he used Busuu, what he did was playing games in his smart phones. He played
games when he felt bored and he turned into Busuu when he felt bored of his games.
Through his process of learning English, it can be noticed that he enjoyed the process. His enjoyment on learning English itself has been basically formed
before he got his own hand held device. English is his favorite lesson since he was in the elementary school. The word favorite itself means best like or most
enjoyed and English has been being a lesson that he enjoyed most since he was at grade two of elementary school. When he was at grade three, he also took an
initiative to ask a dictionary from his aunt. It happened before he got his smart
phone, therefore I can see that his interest and his enjoyment in learning English have basically formed.
Asking a dictionary based on his own initiative could show how he attempted to empower himself to learn English. His attempts got more even after
when he got his smart phone although his first and main intention was not about learning. As stated before in Gilang’s story, he was excited to have his own smart
phones when he got games application there and when he could download more games. What he knew that time was to play games that could help him to get out
from his boredom. However he realized as well that he knew some English vocabulary from playing games. Besides gaming, Gilang stated that he enjoys
listening to English songs. He does not enjoy the music only yet he seeks to understand the lyrics. He has curiosity to understand the meaning of the English
lyrics and he had already made use his smart phone as a facility to translate the English lyrics. This works not only on lyrics, but also on every English word that
he captured from various sources such as advertisements in billboards along the road. Mobile devices enable learners to learn on the move which means the
students can learn across the time, revisiting knowledge that was gained earlier in a different context, and more broadly, through ideas and strategies gained in early
years providing for a lifetime of learning Vavoula Sharples, 2002. Since Dewa was still at kindergarten up to this moment when he has been
already at junior high school grade 7, he experienced learning English which is situated inside a classroom. Out of school and school hours, his moment of
learning English is placed in an English course and in the moment of being together with his English private teacher. For him, learning English means
opening his books or notes and doing tasks and quizzes assisted by his teachers; school teachers and English private teacher. Another English activity is when he
is doing his homework and sometime he uses laptop and smart phone to help him translating words and other materials. Out of those things, Dewa calls it as his
free time when he usually use the time for being updated in some social media accounts he had such as Facebook and Instagram and for playing games in his
computer and smart phone. That’s how he differentiate between time for learning and time for being free from English learning before he downloaded Busuu.
Perspective of how learning English taking place changes when he used Busuu. He experienced another type of learning which takes place in his free
time. The opportunity of learning English “anytime” which Busuu offers is situated in Dewa’s anytime of free time. There is a change of learning action
when he uses Busuu. He interacts with his smart phone for playing games anymore but he plays with Busuu for learning. That moment has developed a
new situation of learning English. The core attraction of MALL is the potential to turn such dead time into using time. Dead time here is defined as time you have
when you have nothing to do. The possibility of learning in your free time may happen at your free time when you can use that time to study with your smart-
phone. The point to emphasize is that learners have more opportunities to use their time outside classroom to study Brick Cervi-Wilson, 2015.
DEW: “Every day,,,I open it when I am doing nothing. Usually after school, after I have finished my homework and I have my
free time. R: “What did you usually do before you use Busuu?”
DEW: “Play with my computer or I play games in my phone.” Another experience of “anytime” and “anywhere” learning English with
Busuu happened when he was waiting for his parents to pick him up after school with some others friends of his.
