There are some principles to use mobile media in learning. Elias 2011 reviews eight universal design principles and interprets them for mobile learning. Those
principles are: 1 equitable use, 2 flexible use, 3 simple and intuitive, 4 perceptible information, 5 tolerance of error, 6 low physical and technical effort,
7 community of learners and support, and 8 instructional climate. Equitable use means that the contents should be accessible. Leaners with various abilities, devices,
and different locations can access it. Flexible use means that the design should accommodate a wide range of individual abilities, preferences, schedules, levels of
connectivity, and choices of method. Simple and intuitive mean that the design and the navigation should be familiar. Perceptible information is that any information in
the content should be clear such as by adding captions, descriptors, and transcription. Next, high tolerance of error means that it could support the learning situation. Then,
low physical and technical effort means that the devices are less distracting environment. The community of learners and support can be done by developing
groups and support from appropriate tools, thus learners can scaffold and help each other. The last one is instructional climate. The instructor should interact with the
learners course delivery in various ways.
b. MALL Mobile-Assisted Language Learning
The use of mobile technology in language learning is called MALL. MALL is the abbreviation of Mobile Assisted Language Learning. MALL is defined as the
use of “mobile technologies in language learning, especially in situations where device portability offers specific advantages” Kukulska-Hulme, 2013. MALL
includes devices ranging from MP3MP4 players, smart phones, and e-book readers
through to laptop and tablet computers. MALL gives many advantages in the teaching of language. Some advantages of mobile technologies are flexibility, low
cost, small size and user-friendliness. In developing MALL materials, there are some principles that need to be
taken into account in order to create a language learning environment. Elias 2011 reviews eight universal design principles and interprets them for mobile learning.
Four of these principles are clearly of value to MALL. They are equitable use which means MALL should deliver content in the simplest possible format; flexible use
which means MALL should package content in small chunks; tolerance for error meaning that MALL could scaffold and support situated learning methods;
instructional climate indicate that MALL should push regular reminders, quizzes, and questions to students.
In addition, there are ten principles of mobile language learning proposed by Stockwell 2013. The ten principles are 1 mobile activities, tasks, and apps should
distinguish both a the affordances and limitations of the mobile device and b the affordances and limitations of the environment in which the device will be used in
light of the learning target, 2 limit multi-tasking and environmental distractions, 3 Push, but respect boundaries, 4 strive to maintain equity, 5 acknowledge and plan
for accommodating language learner differences, 6 be aware of language learners’ existing uses and cultures of use for their devices, 7 keep mobile language learning
activities and tasks short and succinct when possible, 8 let the language learning task fit the technology and environment fit the task, 9 some, possibly most, learners will
need guidance and training to effectively use mobile devices for language learning, 10 recognize and accommodate multiple stakeholders.
As most of mobile media contains software, some principle of well-designed software needs to be paid attention on in using mobile media in Language Learning.
Egbert and Hanson-Smith 1999 state some characteristics of well-designed software, namely consistency, good use of space, legibility, ease of navigation and
recovery, and high-quality playback. These characteristics enable the user to use the software easily.
c. Android
