Mobile Learning Based of Mandarin for College
Students: A Case Study of International
Department’ Sophomores
Yi Ying
Chinese Department, Faculty of Humanities
BINA NUSANTARA University
Jakarta, Indonesia
yi_ying@binus.edu
Xuc Lin
Chinese Department, Faculty of Humanities
BINA NUSANTARA University
Jakarta, Indonesia
xuelin@binus.ac.id
Abstract— China emerges as one of the multi-polar powers of
a successful third world country to emulate America and Japan
in industry and trade. Indonesia, as one of the trade partners of
China, should increase the quality and quantity of cooperation
with China. In supporting the goal, it requires an ample of
human resources ability that is active in socialization, diplomacy,
and cooperation establishment with China. The cooperation can
be established by mastering of Mandarin. The Department of
International Relations realized the situation and complemented
its students with foreign language skill such as Mandarin. Based
on the evaluation of Chinese learning outcomes to 31 sophomore
students, the biggest obstacle of students is to compose a sentence
based on vocabularies learned. Researchers designed mobile
learning as a tool in learning Mandarin. Therefore, this research
offers solutions to assist students in mastering the sentences
forming in Mandarin through mobile learning.
Keywords— Mandarin, evaluation, language, mobile learning
I. INTRODUCTION
Indonesia, as one of the counterparts of trade area from
China should increase the quality and quantity of cooperation
with China, as long as foreign policy is mutually developed
and China participated to facilitate the achievement of
Indonesia interests. In 2008, China entered in the top 50
countries that has strong competitiveness in the world [1].
Mandarin learning has become a global trend. This is
triggered by politics, social and economic [2]. The growing
breadth of diplomatic and trade relations between China and
the West has led to the willingness of western countries to
learn Mandarin for more practical purposes [3]. It experienced
understanding of Chinese culture is also deemed
interdependent and interconnected [2].
International Relations Studies relate to the ability to
establish relationships among states as well as non-state actors
in the world. In addition, the study also produces a bilateral
relationship of mutual benefit by promoting common issues
such as social, economic, legal, and political. Studying
International Relations, blended with the culture and values
shared by other countries, and related issues are developing
within it. Therefore, the students of International Relations
department require more than one foreign language other than
English.
Tirta Nugraha Mursitama
International Relations Department,
Faculty of Humanities
BINA NUSANTARA University
Jakarta, Indonesia
tmursitama@binus.edu
Yetty
Chinese Department, Faculty of Humanities
BINA NUSANTARA University
Jakarta, Indonesia
yetty@binus.ac.id
Learning Mandarin for students, then, has been initiated. This
encourages special education providers to realize these goals.
The research describes the learning evaluation of Mandarin at
the Department of International Relations in Bina Nusantara
University. This study offers learning solutions Mandarin
language by developing software. Another experience showed
that Mandarin learning software is highly recommended
solution [4]. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to
produce mobile learning software for learning Mandarin
II. RESEARCH METHOD
Researchers utilized descriptive-analytical approach to
describe and provide an overview through the data.
Questionnaire has been used to collect data. The researchers
populated the samples from the sophomores’ students [5]. The
target population is a group of individuals with the same
determinant character that can be identified by the researcher
[6]. The sample in this research is 31 students of the third
semester majoring in International Relations. Data was taken
in April 2016 from the classes that researcher taught.
III. CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND
Game is a type of play activity that is done in a context of
reality where players want to get something by fulfilling the
rules in play. Game consists of four important elements,
namely: play, pretending, goal, and rules. Video games are
games that are played in electronic form [7]. A video game
consists of two main components, namely: core mechanics and
user interface. Game based learning is the use of games aimed
at education [8]. Game based learning becomes a
comprehensive learning strategy because it is able to build
innovative ideas with various learning methods [9] and it can
improve students' learning motivation in school academically
[10].
Mobile Learning stimulated the process of students in
building schemata more comprehensively. Mobile learning
activity is designed through content in mobile devices [11],
provides features and functions suitable for learning [12]
therefore are now a primary need to be the right step in
making learning via mobile that can be done anywhere and
anytime [13]. The multiple contexts of learning is introduced
and oriented through collective and volume reciprocal actions
using personal electronic devices.
 IV. CONDITION OF MANDARIN LEARNING IN INTERNATIONAL
DEPARTMENT
The phenomenon of teaching Mandarin as a foreign
language has become a worldwide phenomenon in recent
years [14]. The Department of International Relations Bina
Nusantara University has set Mandarin as the elective subject
since 2013. The Chinese lecturer derives from a lecturer in
the Chinese Literature Department from same university. The
teaching method harnessed computer aids as a classroom
tool. Although the foregoing research, CALL technique, was
effective and appropriate for Chinese language classroom
[15], however if language learning only transpired once a
week and for a year only lasted 87 hours, then the question is
whether the achievement of student ability in accordance
with expectations. To answer this question, we discern the
achievement of Chinese learning outcomes from 31 students
as follows:
Fig. 1. Final Exam Results Summary
Type of problem consists of 6 (six) categories i.e. to determine
the number of strokes of the character, to complete the
dialogue, to compose the sentence, to translate words, to make
sentences and answer questions. The lowest value is obtained
from the question of answering questions, only one student
answers correctly. While the highest value obtained from the
matter complement the dialogue. All students responded
appropriately.
The type of problem in this section is to have students
write the stroke sequence of the Chinese Character and sum it
up. This section consists of 10 questions. Each question gets a
score of 1. From the results can be seen only 52% of students
who answered correctly. This shows the character's learning
also needs to get attention. Chinese characters are composed
from a limited number of common components. For example,
the characters for pond (fl), lake (湖), stream (Ụ ), river (河),
sea (海) and ocean (洋) all contain a component in common,
three-dots component represented water [16].
The sixty one percent of students answered correctly
on the translation of vocabulary. It indicated that students
still remember the meaning of the learned vocabulary. In
vocabulary learning, teachers translate it into the first
language. Vocabulary learning using the first language is one
of the plausible ways to quickly establish the relationship
between meaning and form at the beginning of learning [17].
However, when students are asked to assemble the
vocabulary of a vocabulary into a sentence, then the student's
ability is not as good as translating the vocabulary.
The form of the problem in the word stringing part is
to compose a vocabulary whose sequence has been
randomized into a complete sentence. From the above data,
only 13% of students answer correctly for all questions. In
stringing words, mastery over grammatical structures is
essential. Research on grammar instruction showed that most
respondents acknowledged that grammar studying is useful for
improving their general language abilities as well as separate
language skills [18].
Students are more in control of the complementary part
of the dialogue because the Mandarin language lesson for
International Relations emphasizes the conversation so that the
opportunity to repeat the conversation material learned is often
done in the classroom. In a study of student perceptions of the
development of conversational learning abilities, most
respondents agree that the opportunities they get to speak in
the classroom can improve speech [19].
Students who answered correctly in composing the
sentence are only 42% of students. The students may overlook
the meaning of the vocabulary used to compose the sentence so
that they did not understand how to compose the vocabulary in
a sentence. It is expressed in the discovery of vocabulary
learning research that when a student composed a sentence from
a vocabulary, the learner attempted to remember and translate
the instructed words [20].
Meanwhile, based on the data in answering sentences,
we identified that only one respondent who answered correctly
out of the total respondents (3%). We can draw the conclusion
that students are not accustomed to answering questions
accordingly. Students are only accustomed to memorizing text
presented by teachers in the classroom. Thus, teaching is
teacher-centered rather than student-centered.
V. MOBILE LEARNING DESIGN
According to the evaluation of Chinese language
examination, it is necessary to have a solution in learning
because the constraints of time used to study in the classroom
are very limited. Learning should be more varied so that
learners are more motivated. The study of Mandarin learning
through animation shows that the results are more effective than
traditional learning [21]. In addition, learning Mandarin via
Smartphone with games enabled learners to enjoyment [22].
The study of Chinese learning through Smartphone had been
undertaken by some previous researchers. Mandarin vocabulary
learning through tablet computers and Android Mobile app
development is based on an electronic dictionary will help
Chinese learners [23].
Collaboration between Smartphone-based and Chinese
character formation game (Chinese P-P) is undertaken by an
experiment. It was undertaken on Mandarin learners who were
provided smart phones to be used for 10 months in school and
out of class to take photographs in real-life contexts. It
illustrated Chinese idioms and conjunctions. They, afterwards,
wrote it in paragraphs and posted it in Wiki space for peer
review requirement. The result of study represented that the
students were fond of the experience [24]. Experiments
conducted on Chinese learners were given the Chinese idioms
and conjunctions, about which they co-wrote the paragraphs
that they posted onto a Wiki space for peer review shows
positive results and students love this experience a lot. In
supporting the Mandarin learners at Bina Nusantara University,
the researcher designed the learning with Game Based
Learning. The study of Game based learning (GBL) were ever
performed to 25 mathematics teacher and respondents admitted
that they support the GBL learning inasmuch as it’s more
 attractive and interactive [25] Exercise 2 (Figure 4) shows the form of the questionnaire
Following is a Game Based Learning design for Mandarin exercise. The trick is to fill in an empty part of a sentence by
learners: selecting and drawing the balloons above the sentence to the
A. Main Menu blank part of the sentence.

Fig. 2. The Main Menu Interface

Fig. 5. Correct Answer Interface
B. Dialogue Interface
The initial menu view consists of 4 different forms of
workmanship. Exercise 1 contains a collection of vocabulary.
The second exercise emphasizes the ability. The third exercise
consists of stringing sentences and exercises.

Fig. 6. Wrong Answer Interface

Images related to the Chinese sentence, such as the example of

figure 6 which means "Dad came home before buying a cell
phone.", Following that, a picture that can be used is a mobile
phone. Exercise 3 has the time to take note of the users in doing
the exercise until it's done. It becomes a benchmark for user’s
training so that one improved learning in a repeated and
monitored way (see figure 7).
Fig. 3. Exercise 1 Interface

Exercise 1 contained exercise questions that is intended for

connecting the writing and Mandarin translation (figure 3).
The purpose of the task is mastering vocabularies. In
connecting the writing to the translation, the player should
draw a line to corresponding coloring circle. It represents a
correct answer inside the coloring square with the right
translation. The score of 10 points will be added for correct
answer. Otherwise, the wrong answer will deduct five points
out of the accumulating score.

Fig. 7. Exercise Interface 3

The goal is to help learners string up random words into the

right sentences and learn in a fun way. To facilitate the workout
of the exercises, each Mandarin word has a fractional image
that if sorted will be the correct Chinese sentence and form an
image.

Fig. 4. Exercise 2 Interface


Fig. 8. Image of Stringing Words
Exercise 4 is the activity of conversation work by filling in
the blanks (see figure 8). The purpose of this exercise is to
train the learner to answer the questions posed with
appropriate answers. How to play: The player selects and
pulls one of the boxes into an empty conversation. If all the
answers have been filled in by the box above (1-5 numbers)
and one of them found the wrong answer, all the answers
will bounce up again and the player must pull the box to the
correct answer. Similar to exercises two and three, a time
counter is used to solve all problems to measure players'
abilities.
Fig. 9. Completing Dialogue Interface
VI. CONCLUSION
This study has successfully identified main problems
for learning Mandarin as foreign language such as limitation
of time (in terms of length of study and frequency). Based on
the result of sophomores’ Mandarin examination of
International Relations Department at Bina Nusantara
University, researchers have proposed the GBL as one of the
alternative solutions for more enjoyable and excited learning
Mandarin. This model is a initial design that can be extended
to prototype and then software application.
In broader context, learning Mandarin in
undergraduate level will create better competency for
graduates to compete in the job market. As relations between
Indonesia and China become closer economically, it creates
huge opportunity to do business as well as to create better
understanding between people from both countries. If it
continues, it will foster economic interdependence between,
not only Indonesia but also Southeast Asian countries, and
China [27].
The learning of Mandarin is dissimilar from other
foreign language learning. Mandarin possesses a character and
reading method renowned as ‘pinyin’. It provides a big
challenge for learners. The ability to recognize characters and
apply them in sentences is arduous for students. Time constraint
of studying had become obstacles in learning Mandarin. Given
the current technological developments, where every student
has a smart phone, the solution for learning Mandarin is
learning through smart phones. The learning will be more
comprehensive if accompanied by game learning. Learning via
games rendered students enjoyable in learning. Therefore, the
learning model of the game-based has been developed and used
as a solution. In the future, it will allow a test towards the
students to find out how much improvement of learning
outcomes through games.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The study is a result of initial implementation of research
project supported by Bina Nusantara (BINUS) University
Research Grant 2016. The subsequent study will represent the
result of application trial that has been designed.
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