Sirui it720-needs assessment report

Babel Blackberry’s Effects on English as
Foreign/Second Language Learning Needs
Assessment in Mississippi
Research In Motion (RIM) Company
Sirui Wang, Instructional Designer
Amy Payne, Instructional Design
April Jordan, instructional Designer
Chance McCullum, Instructional Designer
Dane Conrad, Instructional Designer
Javier Gomez, Instructional Designer
RIM Needs Assessment Team
December 11, 2011

Sirui Wang Needs Assessment Report Page | 2
Table of Contents
I. Background of Needs Assessment..........................................................3
II. Purpose of Performing a Needs Assessment...........................................6
III. Instruments of Data Collection...............................................................7
IV. Procedures Implemented...................................................................... 11
V. Results and Implications ......................................................................12
VI. Plans for Future Development..............................................................13
VII. References ............................................................................................14
VIII. Appendix ..............................................................................................15

I. Background of Needs Assessment
Providing the opportunity of learning on mobile technologies, mobile learning is gaining
its popularity in education in recent years. The useful, authoritative and comprehensive guidance
for professionals in higher and further education provided by mobile learning makes educators
rethink of the style of teaching and learning. Based on mobile devices which include handheld
computers, mobile phones and Smartphone that make learning portable, spontaneous, personal
and exciting, mobile learning brings a revolution to traditional classroom-based education, which
involves access to, usability of, and the pedagogic application of mobile devices that exploit the
power of modern computing, wireless communication and bring different media and resources to
the learners through their fingers (Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler, 2005). Compared with other
subjects’ learning process, language learning need a special learning environment which
preferring to a learning community to support the learning result; being a subset of mobile
learning, Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) describes an approach to language
learning that is assisted or enhanced through the use of a handheld mobile device. MALL has
evolved to support students’ language learning with the increased use of mobile technologies
such as mobile phones (cell phones/ Smartphone), MP3/ MP4 players, PDAs and devices such as
the iPhone or iPad. With MALL, students are able to access language learning materials and to
communicate with their teachers and peers at anytime, anywhere.
There are already programs and projects that using mobile devices to facilitate language
learning; MALL has already gained its great value in researchers’ eyes. According to Wikipedia
(2011), date back to 1980s, Twarog and Pereszlenyi Pinter began to use telephones to provide
distant language learners with feedback and assistance. Then in 1990s, instructors at Brigham
Young University-Hawaii taught a distance education English course from Hawaii to Tonga via
telephone and computer (Green, Collier, & Evans, 2001). Coming to 2000s, Stanford University
learning lab used integrated mobile phones in a Spanish learning program in 2001 (Brown,
2001). At the same time, Thornton and Houser (2005) developed several innovative projects
using mobile phones to teach English at a Japanese university; they also developed a course
management system, Poodle, to facilitate deploying language learning material to mobile
phones. Today, due to the growth of wireless and emerging technologies, MALL is available
through numerous mobile devices including mobile phones, iPods,tablet PCs, hand-held
computers, PDAs, MP3 players, Smartphones and more. MALL designers have begun to move
away from merely copying the traditions of standard non-mobile language learning and are
implementing techniques that maximize the benefits of these new devices. The increasing
number of possible delivery tools has created opportunities for a wide-range of mobile language
learning programs, from very-short tutorials to full courses. Through mobile participation in
short exercises and tasks, learners are able to keep their linguistic talents sharp while reducing
the risk of degradation of valuable knowledge, skills and abilities. With the demand for second
language acquisition and learning flexibility, predicted growth is reinforced by the overall
decrease in free time; especially for people working longer hours, the time necessary for formal,

traditional classroom-based or even standard online courses will decrease, in such situation,
MALL will be an ideal solution to busy students and professionals seeking to acquire one or
more new languages. Smartphone could be a perfect mobile device and a learning tool with the
rising of mobile learning. Based on the bright future of mobile assistant language learning, lots
of companies are contributing to the development of MALL; Blackberry (RIM) is one of them.
According to Global mobile statistics 2011 on the website of mobithinking (2011), 77%
of the world’s population is mobile subscribers; the number will be keeping increasing in the
near future. Data collected from Global mobile statistics show that there were 18.5 percent more
mobile devices sold in 2010 compared to 2009, among which Smartphone sales showed strong
growth worldwide in 2010; RIM is in the second place of top five mobile Smartphone
manufactures by 2010, with 41.4% as its annual sales growth (http://mobithinking.com/mobile-
marketing-tools/latest-mobile-stats).
As provided on its official website (http://www.rim.com), being the third biggest
Smartphone Company, Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM), has successfully
manufactured BlackBerry, which is a line of mobile e-mail and smartphone devices developed
and designed since 1999 to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players,
internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more. They are primarily known for their ability to
send and receive (push) e-mail and instant messages while maintaining a high level of security
through on-device message encryption. Blackberry devices support a large variety of instant
messaging features, including BlackBerry Messenger. BlackBerry commands an 11.7% share of
worldwide Smartphone sales, making it the fourth most popular device manufacturer after
Google, Sony Ericsson, and Apple. The consumer BlackBerry Internet Service is available in 91
countries worldwide on over 500 mobile service operators using various mobile technologies. As
of October 2011, there were seventy million subscribers worldwide to BlackBerry.
Because of the very nice social network provided by Blackberry platform, educators,
administrators, operations staff and students have mobile access to the communications and
information they need. BlackBerry Smartphone is easy to set up and operate, so they can get
started in minutes using Wi-Fi or cellular networks. The reason why Blackberry need such a
Smartphone to target on learning language, is because it already has a solid foundation on social
media, as it development in the previous Smartphone products. Also, BlackBerry has its goals to
provide solution for higher education; it is the ideal way to stay connected—on and off campus.
With a BlackBerry Smartphone, educators, administrators, operations staff and students all have
mobile access to the communications and information they need to get things done. Whether it’s
conducting research, updating records or collaborating with peers, a BlackBerry Smartphone is
the smart way to get more done. BlackBerry Smartphone provides mobile access to phone,
email, organizer and web browsing so you can stay connected and effective while you’re on the
go.

Being a Smartphone, but not a common Smartphone, this Smartphone named as “Babel
Blackberry” with a goal of bridging the whole world, making language learning easily, portable
with no limitation of time and place. There will be translator embed in the phone, which
collecting over 15 main languages all over the world, to help language learning. Due to its long
steady cooperation with education, RIM Company hopes it can introduce and lead a purposed-
based Smartphone in the next five to ten years in the whole Smartphone market. “Babel
Blackberry” is the product that RIM Company has the intention to manufacture to the next
developing generation of Smartphone competition market, which focuses mainly on creating a
great embedded platform for the mobility of language learning. It targets on promoting the
mobile and accessible language learning experience to users.

II. Purpose of Performing a Needs Assessment
This needs assessment is required by Research In Motion Limited (RIM). Being one of
the biggest companies of telecommunications, RIM provides platforms and solutions for access
to information, including e-mail, voice, instant messaging, short message service (SMS), Internet
and Intranet-based applications and browsing. Due to its long steady cooperation with
education, RIM hopes they can introduce and lead a purposed-based Smartphone in the next five
to ten years in the whole Smartphone market. “Babel Blackberry” is such a product that RIM
Company has manufactured to promote the next generation of Smartphone in the mobile devices
market, which focuses mainly on creating a great embedded platform for the mobility of
language learning. It targets on promoting the mobile and accessible language learning
experience to users. Before promoting such a new language learning purpose-based Smartphone
into the whole market, RIM Company has provided the sample of “Babel Blackberry” to the
International people (above 18 years old) in the whole Mississippi area. The aim of the sample
product testing is to know its effective influence on English language learning, which should be
broadened to language learning all over the world if the testing received positive results. In the
six months sample testing, it hopes to change the users’ language vocabulary and listening ability
for English in Mississippi. But after the testing, collected data shows that less than 10% students
have an obvious improvement in their listening and vocabulary. The rest of participants have
less improvement, even no improvement. To clarify this dissatisfied and unexpected testing
result and find the reasons, a needs assessment to identify the “gap” is desired strongly by RIM.
The “gap” that RIM encountered is the testing result of the sample product in improving
English learning is less effective than expected. That is to say, users of Babel Blackberry have
little improvements in English learning, no increasing in vocabulary and fewer improvements in
oral English, which is supposed to have any improving space. Within the six-month lasted
experimental time, relative department in RIM has been collecting data from users of their new
product. Tests given before the introducing of this product and after the using of this product did
not have a great difference in its positive direction, which indicts an obvious product expectation
fell down; no or little increasing by using the product in improving English level in Mississippi
among English as non-native language users. With the purpose to fill the “gap” and find
solutions to narrow the “gap”, a needs assessment is required by the developing department in
RIM. A consulting team headed by six instructional designers has been called out for conducting
this needs assessment. The needs assessment concerns users’ situation, way of using
Smartphone, and their expectation of this product, aiming at finding the factors that decrease the
possible improvement in the product, and consider any possible changes or revision on the
product’s target population and applying environment. Because the great needs of English

improvement for non-native English users in American and the promising future of this product,
such a need assessment is necessary.
III. Instruments of Data Collection
To collect data and conduct this needs assessment, the following instruments would be
adopted by the needs assessment team of RIM.
Survey (Appendix A)
To get feedback from Babel Blackberry Smartphone users in Mississippi, the instrument
of online anonymous survey will be adopted. Participants are targeted at International
populations that come from different countries and areas to live in USA for different purposes
and whose native language is not English. Data about the populations’ requirements for English
learning, their attitude and reactions to Babel Blackberry Smartphone will be collected in survey.
Based on the possible reasons for the fewer improvement and tasks for improving product,
instructional designers in the needs assessment team of RIM develop survey questions for
targeted population. The survey will be conducted through SurveyMonkey online survey
website and completely anonymous. Questions have been divided into three parts: survey on
participant, survey on the application of the Babel Blackberry Smartphone, and survey on the
task for improving. (For more details, please see Appendix A)
For participants include:
 Age
18 to 25/ 25 to 30/ 35 to 40/ above 40
 gender
Male/ Female
 What is your academic level?
High school/ undergraduate/ graduate or above
 What is your major?
 Have you learned English before you come to USA?
Yes/ No
 How often do you use English now?
Daily/ often/ not too often/ very little
 How do you evaluate your English level now?
Good/ Fair/ Fine
For using of Babel Blackberry include:
 Do you have regular English class in your area?
Yes/ No

 Is English your foreign language or second language?
Second language/ foreign language
 If you have regular English class in your school or community now, please grade on
the class.
 I do not like it. It has no help for my language improving
 It is OK, but I find it cannot upgrade my language level
 It is OK, I have learned some useful expression in that class
 Great for my language improving
 Have you used a mobile device to learn language before?
 Yes, I am a fan of Smartphone
 Yes, but I just think it is not so different with a regular cell phone
 No, but would like to try
 No, I do not like Smartphone

For task include:
 Do you like to use a mobile device for learning English?
 Very much dislike
 Dislike
 Fair
 Like
 Very much like
 If you did not like to use a Smartphone in the process of learning English, would you
please tell the reason?
 Not easy of operating system
 No WiFi support in my area
 The Apps for language learning on the Smartphone are boring
 Do not like mobile device for learning
 What is your description of Apps on this product related with language learning?
 Very much dislike
 Dislike
 Fair
 Like
 Very much like
 What is your method of learning English, especially the part of listening and
increasing vocabulary? (Please image the method created by yourself and the method
that provided by instructor)
 Paper-based (including textbook, testing paper, etc)
 Device-based (cell phone, computer, etc)
 Both
 Other

 What is the best feature that you think are the most important for language learning
on a Smartphone?
 Interactive
 Good Apps layout Design
 Learning level provided
 More video connection provided
 If this product connected with local English class and learning center providers,
sharing local language learning resources, what would be your attitude or suggestion?
 Great, I cannot wait for the sharing
 It is OK with me, but I can find better learning resource online
 Not the factor that I am concerning
Interview (Appendix B)
Mississippi has an international population of, with, but has only a 10% coverage of
Smartphone according to the survey in 2010. RIM Company is supposed to be a great
competitor in this area. For collecting data from Smartphone market to judge whether there are
other market competitions in the same area causing this “gap”, interview will be adopted for
market comparison purpose and to know whether there are potential competitions made by
opponents in the same market in the last six months. Questions would include information about
interviewee, information about Smartphone market, and information about users’ feedback.
Because this interview instrument would be conducted face-to-face, all questions designed for
the interview are open-answering questions.
 What is your responsibility in the store?
 The selling situation
 Can you tell about the market share of Babel Blackberry in the last six months?
 Can you tell about the market share of Smartphone in the last six months?
 Feedback from users
 Can you is there any negative feedback from users of Smartphone in the last
six month?
 Can you is there any negative feedback from users of Babel Blackberry in the
last six month?
 Stores’ attitude towards Smartphone
 Will you recommend customers Smartphone?
 Will you recommend customers Babel Blackberry?
 Customers’ attitude towards Smartphone
 Will customers consulting Smartphone when picking up mobile devices in the
last six month?

 Will customers consulting Babel Blackberry when picking up mobile devices
in the last six month?)
Observations (Appendix C)
To guarantee the feedback from anonymous online survey, observation from participants
about their real experience and expectations of such a purpose-based Smartphone is required by
the needs assessment team. This instrument need to be in the form of interview and observation
of participants, so that the data collected from this instrument should be completely made up by
the need assessment team. Questions would include information about interviewee, information
about experience of using Babel Blackberry (users’ feedback), and information about task (users’
expectation). Because this interview instrument would be conducted face-to-face, all questions
designed for the interview are open-answering questions.
 The use of English
Is English for daily usage or can it also for working? Can you describe it in more
details?
 Learning method/ style/ habit
 Can you describe a common English class you have before?
 What comment you will have for the class?
 Do you have tried other methods of learning English?
 Attitude towards mobile/ devices
 To what degree you know about mobile devices?
 Do you have the experience of using mobile devices in learning language
before Babel Blackberry? If you have, what is the mobile device? Please
describe with more details
 Experience of Babel Blackberry
 Can you describe your experience of using Babel Blackberry in the last six
months?)
 Can you tell the best and the worse apps provided by Babel Blackberry for the
purpose of language learning and usage?
 Expectation for Babel Blackberry
Are you satisfied with the sample product of Babel Blackberry? If not, would you please
tell your expectations?

IV. Procedures Implemented
The three instruments for collecting data for needs assessment should be conducted
synchronous, but with separated procedures.
Developed by needs assessment team of RIM, the anonymous survey will be taken online
for participants. The targeted population will receive their survey through the email they signed
for assessment team. Within one month, data will be collected through the analyze function
provided on the website of SurveyMonkey. The collected data would be indicated with graphs,
examples of the graph could be viewed in Appendix D of this needs assessment report. Sample
population should cover international persons who have tried Babel Blackberry in the last six
months in the whole Mississippi area, aging from 18 and above. Anticipated complications of
this survey are examine the effective data, which means whether the results are real feedback
from participants or not, and the limited targeted population which is confined to only
international population over 18 years old. To make sure the data collected from anonymous
survey can be as effective as possible, observations conducted by interview instrument should be
designed to check the consistent feedback from the same population in survey.
One of the reasons of people’s less improvement in this area might caused by stronger
competition from other Smartphone server and companies; to clarify the situation, market
comparison required by RIM adopts the methods of interview of managers in big Smartphone
selling stores including BestBuy, Wal-Mart, Sam’s, and Sears. Interviews will be handled by the
needs assessment team in RIM in a way of face-to-face; during the interview, managers of
electronic departments in those stores will be picked up for the interview, each of which would
be less than 60 minutes. Data collection of interviews should be done in no more than one
month. Data will be recorded by audio and text. The result of this market comparison should be
used to exclude the excuse of less improvement is from market comparison and confirm the
uniqueness of Babel Blackberry in Smartphone market; but there might be anticipated limitations
due to selling season and market protection policy. However, because interview for marketing
comparison is not facing users’, its anticipated limitation should not be a big problem for
improving on users’ side.
As a supplement of survey instrument in this needs assessment, observation examines at
population’s real experience of using Babel Blackberry and their expectation and intention to
such a purpose-based Smartphone. Due to the limitations of time and funding, observation

cannot target on the whole population; randomly selected by the team of needs assessment, no
more than 50 people would be involved into the procedure of observation in interviews. Data
will be recorded by audio and text. Anticipated limitation of observation in interviews would be
caused by confliction between the huge amount of interpretation of data and imitated teammates
in needs assessment.
V. Results and Implications
Data collection show that in the market of Smartphone in the area of Mississippi, RIM
Company still has its leading role within the top three manufactories, which excludes the excuse
of competitions’ from opponents. The main reasons for fewer improvements in English learning
than expectation by applications of Babel Blackberry are due to participants’ existing English
ability, not attractive apps, and learning habit and other existing preferred mobile learning media.
Being a habit, people focus more on daily conversation rather than vocabulary increasing in
English learning; at the same time most of the participants owing a degree above graduate, which
means they have fair and above English ability before using this Smartphone, so that there would
be less improving space than expecting. As data showing below (Please see Appendix D) that
being almost the poorest area in economy, international populations’ in Mississippi hold a
stronger academic background, over 60% holding a degree above graduate level. The other
surprising is over 80% of the population prefer to use Radio to learn English.
Observations from interviewing of participants who have the experience of using Babel
Blackberry indicate users’ higher expectation of this learning-based Smartphone. Data show a
similar situation as in the survey, 99% participants are supporters of Smartphone, which
demonstrates a promising future of this product. Results from observations also indicate that
interaction is one of the factors that users care a lot. Among the four apps shared on Babel
Blackberry, mobile-Podcast, Vocabulary tester, Word Mole, and Translator, Vocabulary tester
and translator earn a higher average rating compared with the other two because of their featured
interaction. Most of the interviewed participants show their interests in more interactive
applications provided by Babel Blackberry; at the same time, limited learning time and
traditional learning habit led to their fewer learning improvements in the past six months.
Traditional language learning habit focus more on reading ability and writing ability which are
not focused to develop by such a sample product.
Based upon what RIM needs assessment team discovered, through interview, survey and
observation, although the application of sample product did not reach the expecting result, data
still show optimistic implications for Babel Blackberry. As showing below (Please see
Appendix D), 83.3% participants show their confidence in Podcast on Babel Blackberry in
improving English learning. Those results indicated by the need assessment would be analyzed
and treated as a direction for further changes and improvements of the product. Based on the
feedback from market and users, RIM programming department should adjust their further
developing direction of Babel Blackberry; keeping interaction in mind, focus more on the

combination of traditional learning habits and mobile learning. In short, based upon what is
discovered, the team should go now to help the organization/institution improve productivity by
cooperating with local English class and learning center and sharing local language learning
resources, which is also 100 percent supported by participants, but more attractive apps for
language learning should be developed.
VI. Plans for Future Development
Data collected from the survey show that a more interactive learning platform would be
preferred by Smartphone users in learning language in the future. Based on the feedback from
market and users, RIM programming department should adjust their further developing direction
of Babel Blackberry; keeping interaction in mind, they should focus more on the combination of
traditional learning style/ habits and mobile learning. According to the market and users’
reflections on Babel Blackberry, our consulting team has developed two plans for facilitating
mobile assistant language learning by using Babel Blackberry and the product’s future
development.
First, to build a strong and steady connection between local community learning center
and English learning facilitation organizations/ institutions and RIM is necessary according to
populations’ reflections. Although survey and observations show that participants in
Mississippi area have a higher educational background, learning English probably still is very
important and required by international population in US; sharing resources between mobile
learning and local learning center is preferred by Smartphone users. Consulting team of needs
assessment has decided to persuade RIM education developing department to set up a platform
for resources sharing between commercial company and local/ community learning center/
organization/ institution. To build up such a platform, RIM supply mobile devices to local
learning center to support local mobile learning development; while local learning centers
develop relative language courses to run on mobile devices manufactured by RIM. Such
resources sharing can provide a sound cycle of economic activities as well as in language
learning instructional activities. At the same time, RIM will provide funding for local language
learning center/ organization/ institutions for developing new apps based on learners’ learning
objectives, which could also be a supplement for meeting market demands in developing new
learning-based apps to run on mobile devices.
Second, to empower the radio function on Babel Blackberry is required due to
populations’ learning style and habit. Playing as radio but more portable and convenient, mobile
Podcast could be treated as a substitution of traditional radio built in a Smartphone. Since radio
is a traditional learning tool used for language learning, developing mobile Podcast on
Smartphone could be a good supplementing for traditional language learning style and habits,
which is one of the preferred learning tools by participants. Consulting team of RIM would
develop a level-based English learning program through the platform of mobile Podcast, which
could be co-designed by language learning radio station or relative Podcast programmers.

To provide a better language learning platform and facilitate English learning in US, RIM
would do any possible adjustment to its Babel Blackberry based on the needs assessment. All
plans for further development are based on data collected from survey, interview and
observations in this needs assessment.
VII. References
Brown, E. (2001). Mobile learning explorations at the Stanford Learning Lab. Speaking of
Computer, 55. Stanford, CA: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.
Retrieved December 1, 2011 from
http://sll.stanford.edu/projects/toomprof/newtomprof/postings/289.htm
Global mobile statistics 2011. (2011). MobiThinking. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from
http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/latest-mobile-stats
Green, B.A.,Collier, K.J., & Evans, N. (2011). Teaching tomorrow's class today: English by
telephone and computer from Hawaii to Tonga. In L.E. Henrichsen (Ed.), Distance-;earning
program (pp. 71–82). Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Language,
Inc.
Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes. & Traxler, John. (2005). Mobile learning: a handbook for educators
and trainers. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Mobile assistant language learning. (2011). Wikipedia. Retrieved from December 7, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Assisted_Language_Learning
Research in Motion (RIM). (2011). Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www.rim.com
Thornton, P. & Houser, C. (2005). Using mobile phones in English Education in Japan. Journal
of Computer Assisted Learning, 21, 217-218.

VIII. Appendix
Appendix A. Survey for RIM Babel Blackberry Needs Assessment
Participants' Information
You are an International person that come from different countries and areas to live in USA for
different purposes. English is not your native language. The survey you will take now is about
collecting information of your usage of the product introduced by RIM Company, the Babel
Blackberry Smartphone, in the last six month. This survey includes three parts, this is the first
part which will be about participants personal information. The information should be used only
for academic needs. The whole survey could be finished in 15 to 20 minutes
1. What is your age?
What is your age? 18 to 25
25 to 30
35 to 40
above 40
*
2. What was your major?
What was your major?
*
3. What is your gender?
What is your gender? Male Female
4. What is your academic level?
What is your academic
level? high school
undergraduate graduate or above
*
5. Have you learned English before you come to USA?
Have you learned English before you come to USA? Yes

No
6. How often do you use English now?
How often do you use English now? Daily
Often
Not too often
Very little
*
7. How do you evaluate your English level now?
How do you evaluate your English level now? Good
Fair
Fine
Ok
8. Do you have regular English class in your school or community?
Do you have regular English class in your school or community? Yes
No
9. If you have regular English class in your school or community now, please grade on the
class.
I do not like
it. It has no
help for my
language
improving
It is OK, but I
find it cannot
upgrade my
language level
It is OK, I
have learned
some useful
expression in
that class
Great for my
language
improving
N/A
English class
provided by
school, college,
and university
*If you
have regular
English class
in your school
or community
now, please
grade on the
class. English
class provided
by school,
college, and
university I do
not like it. It
has no help for
my language
English
class provided
by school,
college, and
university It is
OK, but I find
it cannot
upgrade my
language level
English
class provided
by school,
college, and
university It is
OK, I have
learned some
useful
expression in
that class
English
class provided
by school,
college, and
university
Great for my
language
improving
English
class provided
by school,
college, and
university
N/A

I do not like
it. It has no
help for my
language
improving
It is OK, but I
find it cannot
upgrade my
language level
It is OK, I
have learned
some useful
expression in
that class
Great for my
language
improving
N/A
improving
English class
provided by
community
English
class provided
by community
I do not like it.
It has no help
for my
language
improving
English
class provided
by
community It
is OK, but I
find it cannot
upgrade my
language level
English
class provided
by
community It
is OK, I have
learned some
useful
expression in
that class
English
class provided
by
community
Great for my
language
improving
English
class provided
by
community
N/A
Other (please specify)
10. Have you used Smartphone before?
Have you used Smartphone before? Yes, I am a fan of Smartphone
Yes, but I just think it is not so different from a regular cellphone
No, but would like to try
No, I do not like Smartphone
Done
Powered by SurveyMonkey
Create your own free online survey now!
/wEWDgL+raDpAg

Application of Product
This is the second part of this survey. The scenario is the same as in the first part: You are an
International person that comes from different countries and areas to live in USA for different
purposes. English is not your native language. This survey includes three parts, this is the second
part which will be about collecting information on the product that you have used in the last 6
months. The information should be used only for academic needs. The whole survey could be
finished in 15 to 20 minutes
*
1. Is English your second language or foreign language?
second language
foreign language
2. Do you like to use a mobile device for learning English?
very much
dislike
dislike no feeling like
Very much
like
Smart phone
*Do you
like to use a
mobile device
for learning
English? Smart
phone very
much dislike
Smart
phone dislike
Smart
phone no
feeling
Smart
phone like
Smart
phone Very
much like
Radio
Radio very
much dislike
Radio
dislike
Radio no
feeling
Radio
like
Radio
Very much
like
Tape
Tape very
much dislike
Tape
dislike
Tape no
feeling
Tape like
Tape
Very much
like
Textbook
Textbook
very much
dislike
Textbook
dislike
Textbook
no feeling
Textbook
like
Textbook
Very much
like
*

3. If you did not like to use a Smartphone in the process of learning English, would you
please tell the reason?
If you did not like to use a Smartphone in the process of learning English, would you please
tell the reason? Not easy to operate the system of Smartphone
No WiFi supports in my area
The Apps for language learning on the Smartphone are boring
Do not like mobile device for learning
I like it
4. Why you need to learn English?
Why you need to learn English? Study
Work
Daily life
Interest
Other
5. Do you spend extra money or time learning English?
Do you spend extra money or time learning English? Yes
No
6. What is your method of learning English, especially the part of listening and increasing
vocabulary? (Please image the method created by yourself and the method that provided
by instructor)
What is your method of learning English, especially the part of listening and increasing
vocabulary? (Please image the method created by yourself and the method that provided by
instructor) Paper-based (including textbook, testing paper, etc)
Device-based (cellphone, computer, etc)
Both
Other
Done

Your Expectation on Babel Blackberry
This is the third part of this survey. The scenario is the same as in the first part: You are an
International person that comes from different countries and areas to live in USA for different
purposes. English is not your native language. This survey includes three parts, this is the third
part which will be about collecting information on your expectation on the product. On the Babel
Blackberry Smartphone, two Apps have been provided, mobile-Podcast and Vocabulary tester.
You will be asked about questions on the two Apps. The information should be used only for
academic needs. The whole survey could be finished in 15 to 20 minutes
*
1. Do you think Podcast on Babel Blackberry can improve your English learning?
Do you think Podcast on Babel Blackberry can improve your English learning? Yes, a lot
Yes, but only a little
No, I do not think so
I am not sure
2. What is your description of Apps on this product related with language learning?
very much
dislike
Very much
like
mobile-Podcast
*What is
your
description of
Apps on this
product related
with language
learning?
mobile-Podcast
very much
dislike
mobile-
Podcast
dislike
mobile-
Podcast no
feeling
mobile-
Podcast like
mobile-
Podcast Very
much like
Vocabulary
Tester
Vocabulary
Tester very
much dislike
Vocabulary
Tester dislike
Vocabulary
Tester no
feeling
Vocabulary
Tester like
Vocabulary
Tester Very
much like
Word Mole Word Word Word Word Word

very much
dislike
Very much
like
Mole very
much dislike
Mole dislike Mole no
feeling
Mole like Mole Very
much like
Translator
Translator
very much
dislike
Translator
dislike
Translator no
feeling
Translator
like
Translator
Very much
like
*
3. What is the best feature that you think are the most important for language learning on
a Smartphone?
What is the best feature that you think are the most important for language learning on a
Smartphone? Interactive
Good Apps layout Design
Learning level provided
More video connection provided
4. If this product connected with local English class and learning center providers, sharing
local language learning resources, what would be your attitude or suggestion?
If this product connected with local English class and learning center providers, sharing
local language learning resources, what would be your attitude or suggestion? Great, I cannot
wait for the sharing
It is OK with me, but I can find better learning resource online
Not the factor that I am concerning
Done

Appendix B. Interview Protocol
Study of market competition of RIM Babel Blackberry
Interview Team Method and Outcomes
Method: Observations and Individual Interviews
Due the market protection policy, each interview involves one instructional designer from
the needs assessment team from RIM and one manager from the chosen store; each interview
takes no more than 60 minutes.
Post-Interviews
1. Instructional designer from the need assessment team debrief immediately after
interviews
2. Identification (team) of main themes/observations from interviews
Outcomes
1. Interviewer summarize all reports (integrating her/his own observations) individually by
group, and
2. Integrates all summaries and produces final report
Logistics
1. Interviewer will notify the interviewed department in the stores in the process
2. Interviewer will communicate all relevant information with each other before interview
starts
A. Contact stores to identify interviewee and arrange time and place

B. Contact managers:
i. -Arrange interview time
ii. -Inform interviewees about nature of the interview
Individual Interview
Introductory, open-ended questions
1. What comment you will give for selling Babel Blackberry in the last six months?
Specific areas for follow-up questions
(The entire marketing share refers to the area of Mississippi)
About interviewee
(What is your responsibility in the store?)
The selling situation
(Can you tell about the market share of Babel Blackberry in the last six months?)
(Can you tell about the market share of Smartphone in the last six months?)
Feedback from users
(Can you is there any negative feedback from users of Smartphone in the last six month?)
(Can you is there any negative feedback from users of Babel Blackberry in the last six
month?
Stores’ attitude towards Smartphone
(Will you recommend customers Smartphone?)
(Will you recommend customers Babel Blackberry?)
Customers’ attitude towards Smartphone

(Will customers consulting Smartphone when picking up mobile devices in the last six
month?)
(Will customers consulting Babel Blackberry when picking up mobile devices in the last six
month?)
Appendix C: Interview Protocol
Study of participants’ experience and expectations for RIM Babel Blackberry
Interview Team Method and Outcomes
Method: Observations and Individual Interviews
Each interview involves one instructional designer from the needs assessment team from
RIM and one user’s of Babel Blackberry from the population of data collection in the area of
Mississippi; each interview takes no more than 30 minutes.
Post-Interviews
1. Instructional designer from the need assessment team debrief immediately after
interviews
2. Identification (team) of main themes/observations from interviews
Outcomes
1. Interviewer summarize all reports (integrating her/his own observations) individually by
group, and
2. Integrates all summaries and produces final report
Logistics
1. Interviewer will notify the interviewee in the process
2. Interviewer will communicate all relevant information with each other before interview
starts

A. Contact users:
i. -Arrange interview time
ii. -Inform interviewees about nature of the interview
Individual Interview
Introductory, open-ended questions
1. What comment you will give for your English ability over the last years?
2. As an English user, what is your preferred learning style or habit?
Specific areas for follow-up questions
The use of English
(Is English for daily usage or can it also for working? Can you describe it in more details?)
Learning method/ style/ habit
(Can you describe a common English class you have before?)
(What comment you will have for the class?)
(Do you have tried other methods of learning English?)
Attitude towards mobile/ devices
(To what degree you know about mobile devices?)
(Do you have the experience of using mobile devices in learning language before Babel
Blackberry? If you have, what is the mobile device? Please describe with more details)
Experience of Babel Blackberry
(Can you describe your experience of using Babel Blackberry in the last six months?)
(Can you tell the best and the worse apps provided by Babel Blackberry for the purpose of
language learning and usage?)

Expectation for Babel Blackberry
(Are you satisfied with the sample product of Babel Blackberry? If not, would you please
tell your expectations?)
Appendix D. Survey Response Summary

Sirui it720-needs assessment report

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