{"paper_id":"366af0cc-8d5d-4252-8c0c-2b8f9cf91c01","body_text":"Innovative Approach to Teaching EFL through a Game-based Speaking Mobile Application | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Innovative Approach to Teaching EFL through a Game-based Speaking Mobile Application Jarah Gertrudes Mallillin Espiritu, Khajornsak Buaraphan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Amidst the growing body of research on mobile game-based apps, there remains a dearth of studies investigating teacher-developed game-based mobile apps. Employing a research and development framework, this study delved into the development and implementation process of a mobile game-based app created by teachers, evaluated its effectiveness, and identified key features for enhancing speaking skills. The research encompassed three distinct phases: initial need analysis (involving 287 participants, including 123 high school students and 164 college students); subsequent design and implementation (incorporating 21st century skills, task-based language teaching, mobile-assisted language learning, automatic speech recognition, and gamification); and final implementation (involving 16 participants, comprising 8 high school students and 8 college students). Data collection was facilitated through surveys (for the need analysis and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)), pre- and post-speaking tests, as well as interviews. Data analysis encompassed descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Mann-Whitney U-test, and thematic analysis. The findings unveiled high school and college students both strongly believed in the effectiveness of a teacher-developed mobile speaking app for improving English proficiency. The SPEAK APP significantly improved speaking skills for both groups of students, with an emphasis on fluency and pronunciation. Interviews revealed positive experiences, suggestions for enhancement, and boosted self-confidence. Essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps included encouraging thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, and interactive play with friends. While user friendliness was appreciated, concerns about response time and speech recognition accuracy emerged, and confidence improvement was noted. The study underscores the importance of creating student-perceived useful and engaging apps aligned with the UTAUT model, combining quantitative skill improvement assessments with qualitative user experience insights to guide developers to prioritize essential features and address usability challenges. mobile-game based app gamification speaking technology acceptance model Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 INTRODUCTION An increasing body of research has been dedicated to employing game-based mobile applications to enhance various English as a Foreign Language (EFL) skills, including vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, writing, and speaking (Ghobadi et al., 2021 ; Yousofi & Bashiri, 2023 ). This approach offers a flexible fusion of traditional and modern English teaching methods, aiding learners in achieving specific educational goals (Hainey et al., 2016 ). A scoping review by Xu et al. ( 2020 ) indicated vocabulary as the most extensively researched skill influenced by digital game-based technology in English language learning, closely followed by overall English language proficiency, pragmatics, grammar, writing, and speaking, with generally positive outcomes. Evaluating the effects of a mobile instructional game on university students' English language learning, Chang et al. ( 2017 ) reported favorable results for vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing. Nonetheless, despite diverse teaching and learning methodologies showing promise in achieving educational objectives, empirical studies exploring teacher-developed mobile game apps tailored to the contextual needs of EFL students within specific environments remain scarce, as previous research has predominantly focused on readily available mobile applications. This study seeks to significantly contribute to the advancement of EFL teaching and learning by employing mobile-game-based apps to enhance students' speaking skills in Thai university and high school settings. Framed against the backdrop of the Thailand 4.0 initiative launched in 2016 to bolster the nation's economy and promote equitable growth, the research underscores the importance of distributing educational resources fairly, enhancing English language proficiency, and incorporating effective pedagogical strategies for proficient English communication. However, prior research indicates a demand for heightened English-speaking abilities among Thai service industry workers (Kaewkunha & Sukying, 2021 ), highlighting the need for integrating real-world scenarios, games, and instructional approaches like presentations and role-playing (Oeamoum & Sriwichai, 2020 ). While the integration of mobile apps for English language learning in Thai classrooms, driven by widespread smartphone usage among university students, is promising (Wechsumangkalo, 2018 ), motivating Thai students to engage confidently in English-speaking tasks remains a challenge. Wechsumangkalo ( 2018 ) emphasizes the need for explicit educator guidance to integrate apps effectively and promote peer interaction within mobile platforms. Despite extensive research into web-based and internet applications, there is a lack of focus on mobile apps exclusively targeting speaking skills in the Thai context. Notably, movie-based mobile learning has proven effective for nurturing English-speaking skills among Thai university students (Chaya & Inpin, 2020 ) through English movie audio on mobile platforms. Recent developments include a prototype app at a prominent Thai university aiding high school seniors in preparing for the university's English proficiency assessment, but it lacks personalized feedback for speaking evaluations (Koowuttayakorn & Taylor, 2022 ). Thus, evidence substantiating the use of mobile apps to boost Thai students' confidence in speaking English remains scarce. In an effort to bridge this gap, this study employs a research and development framework to create a mobile-game-based app aimed at addressing English-speaking skill deficiencies among Thai EFL students. Guided by the educational directives of the Thai government, the app incorporates 21st century skills, task-based language teaching (TBLT), mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), and gamification, aligned with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT). The study involves three key phases: needs analysis, app design and development, and implementation. This comprehensive investigation seeks to answer the following research questions: In what manner do students assess the efficacy of a teacher-created mobile speaking application grounded in the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT)? To what extent does the mobile application developed by the teacher contribute to the enhancement of students' speaking abilities, as evidenced by a comparative analysis of pre- and post-test outcomes? Which specific attributes of speaking applications do students deem pivotal in facilitating the amelioration of their speaking proficiencies? LITERATURE REVIEW Mobile-Game Based Apps in EFL Teaching and Learning This study aims to critically assess the effectiveness of a mobile-game-based application in enhancing the speaking skills of Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, with research questions forming the core framework. To establish a robust empirical foundation, this section undertakes a thorough examination of relevant studies, encompassing both commercially available mobile game-based apps and teacher-developed alternatives designed to enhance English-speaking proficiency. Some studies have highlighted the positive impact of commercially available mobile game-based applications on situational speaking abilities. For instance, Wang and Han ( 2021 ) employed the \"Liulishuo\" app, revealing heightened language complexity, reduced errors, and improved speech rate. Nevertheless, challenges like repairs and pauses exhibited resistance to change, possibly due to the need for extensive treatment of non-proceduralized linguistic knowledge in verbal communication. Similarly, Sun et al. ( 2017 ) demonstrated improved fluency in English-speaking skills among young learners through mobile social networking. While both groups displayed speaking improvements, the experimental group showcased significantly greater fluency advancement. However, accuracy and pronunciation growth exhibited no notable differences between the groups. The efficacy of mobile applications is further evident in scholarly studies, such as Grimshaw and Cardoso's (2018) investigation of Spaceteam, which revealed enhanced language proficiency and reduced anxiety levels among Canadian EFL learners. Likewise, Berry et al. ( 2021 ) showcased the app's success in refining pronunciation skills for South Korean students. Meanwhile, other studies focus on personally created mobile applications centered on gaming for language learning. Palomo-Duarte et al. ( 2016 ) stress the role of mobile devices in adapting learning materials that align with student preferences. They introduce an application promoting active language learning via interaction and evaluation. Hwang et al. ( 2016 ) examine game-based learning's impact on listening and speaking skills, favoring the experimental group using interactive game scores and designed cards for superior verbal performance. Moreover, Hwang et al. ( 2022 ) developed the \"Smart UEnglish\" app to enhance EFL learners' conversational skills. Designed talks significantly improve learning outcomes by bridging classroom knowledge with real-world interactions. These studies underscore personalized mobile apps' role in active language acquisition and speaking improvement. However, limited research in this area highlights the current study's significance. The integration of mobile-game-based learning typically merges mobile technology with gamified learning due to shared characteristics. Kacetl and Klmová's (2019) review of smartphone applications in English language learning underscores mobile learning's educational prominence, offering benefits like enhanced cognitive abilities, motivation in diverse learning settings, learner autonomy, and personalized learning opportunities. However, cautious implementation is advised, as efficacy hinges on thoughtful design, tailored delivery, and authenticity. Correspondingly, Giannakas et al.'s ( 2018 ) study on mobile game-based learning spanning 13 years reveals challenges in its adoption, emphasizing the need for resilient and educationally effective solutions. Hence, exploring teacher-developed mobile apps catering to EFL students' needs holds promise for integrating mobile apps into EFL instruction, particularly for speaking enhancement. Previous research identified principles for mobile game-based app development. Tsai et al. ( 2017 ) find familiarity and challenge crucial for high school students' satisfaction with the Happy English Learning System (HELS). Govender and Arnedo-Moreno ( 2021 ) study game components in digital game-based language learning (DGBLL), highlighting prevalent elements and the need for exploration of less common features. Acquah and Katz ( 2020 ) analyze digital learning games' (DLGs) impact on language acquisition, revealing key aspects including ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity. Effective app design should incorporate these multifaceted elements for success. Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) Drawing from prior technology acceptance models, Venkatesh et al. (2003) contend that researchers encountered a challenge in reconciling the numerous analogous models proposed by various theories, resulting in the dismissal of alternative acceptance models. Consequently, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) emerged from the amalgamation of these earlier models. Venkatesh et al. assert that these previous models explained merely 17% and 53% of the variance in users' intention to adopt an information system or technological device. In contrast, UTAUT now accounts for 70% of the variance in behavioral intention and 50% in technology usage (Dwivedi et al., 2019 ). UTAUT has gained traction as an acceptance model in recent studies focused on technological devices for language learning, particularly in the realm of educational game design (Ibrahim et al., 2017 ). Initially rooted in information systems' utilization to enhance organizational performance, UTAUT's adaptation to mobile devices has effectively facilitated data collection regarding the acceptance and proficient usage of such technology. However, it's worth noting that UTAUT's applicability to educational games, especially those targeting language speaking skills, remains unexplored (Ibrahim et al., 2017 ). Despite its incorporation into several entertainment games, the adoption of UTAUT in specific educational contexts, particularly for language learning, remains an area that warrants further investigation (Dwivedi et al., 2019 ). This study centers on four exogenous mechanisms that underscore the influence of external predictors on four key determinants: performance expectation, effort expectation, social influence, and facilitating conditions. An investigation involving educational online games, developed by the researchers themselves, identified correlations between elements of the TAM and UTAUT acceptance models. The study revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, attitude, and enjoyment significantly correlated with the behavioral intention of 180 undergraduate computer science students who were surveyed regarding their acceptance of the provided online games (Ibrahim et al., 2017 ). Delving into the application of the UTAUT model to students' behavioral intentions concerning animations and storytelling, a study surveyed 350 Malaysian business and management students from public tertiary institutions. The findings highlighted performance expectancy as the most influential determinant, followed by facilitating conditions and effort expectancy, signifying the importance of providing resources to support students' integration of these methods within the classroom (Suki & Suki, 2017 ). Performance expectancy. Within the framework of UTAUT, performance expectancy emerges as a pivotal determinant. It gauges the extent to which users perceive an information system as advantageous to their needs (Attuquayefio & Addo, 2014 ). This facet encompasses five key components: perceived usefulness, extrinsic motivation, job fit, relative advantage, and outcome expectations. In 1986, Fred Davis introduced perceived usefulness within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), aligning it closely with performance expectancy. It signifies a user's belief that their performance will enhance through the system's functions and capabilities (Surendran, 2012 ). Extrinsic motivation delves into external outcomes resulting from system utilization. Notably, a study involving animation and storytelling highlighted how users believed these elements improved their classroom performance (Suki & Suki, 2017 ). The association between performance expectancy and the adoption of new technologies, such as language learning mobile applications, has been corroborated by various studies. For instance, users embracing educational games via mobile apps, expecting language skill improvement, displayed a substantial link between performance expectancy and usage intention (Ibrahim et al., 2017 ). Effort expectancy. The user's inclination to adopt a system is heavily influenced by its ease of use. A user is more likely to engage with a system if it's user-friendly and requires minimal effort (Suki & Suki, 2017 ). An example is illustrated in a study involving Chinese customers using mobile payment systems in Bangkok, where the simplicity of the system facilitated its adoption (Dong, 2019 ). Similar ease of use has been observed in the realm of healthcare wearable devices, where respondents experienced minimal effort due to the devices' comfortable design and their technological literacy (Wang et al., 2020 ). Social Influence. Social influence pertains to the impact of others on a user's decision to adopt a system. It's believed that the presence of others significantly shapes a user's behavior towards system usage (Attuquayefio & Addo, 2014 ). However, certain studies challenge this notion. For instance, in the context of m-shopping fashion apps, the influence of peers was not a major determinant, potentially because these apps already held intrinsic appeal (Handoko, 2019 ). Likewise, a study involving students using animation and storytelling found that social influence had limited impact on their creative classroom use despite teacher and peer support (Suki & Suki, 2017 ). Facilitating conditions. Facilitating conditions encompass the user's environment, knowledge, and skills that influence their intention to use a system (Attuquayefio & Addo, 2014 ). In the aforementioned animation and story-telling study, facilitating conditions emerged as positive influencers, as students' intentions were bolstered by the support they received (Suki & Suki, 2017 ). METHODOLOGY Research Design This research centered on effectively addressing the issue of insufficient speaking skills among Thai students through a comprehensive approach. To achieve this goal, a research and development (R&D) framework, consisting of three distinct phases, was executed. This design successfully merges theoretical foundations with practical applications, facilitating the achievement of the study's intended objectives. As outlined by Richey and Klein ( 2005 ), the R&D design arises from specific problem-solving scenarios or broader investigative methodologies. Unlike basic instructional development, developmental research involves a systematic exploration of crafting, refining, and evaluating instructional programs, methods, and products, all guided by benchmarks of coherence and effectiveness (Seels & Richey, 1994 ). The phases were sequentially implemented as follows: need analysis, design and development of a mobile app, and its subsequent implementation. The initial phase determined the requirement for English language practice within the classroom context. It then identified instances, as reported by participants, that necessitate English speaking practice, ultimately identifying key attributes for a game-based mobile application. This led to the creation and deployment of the SPEAK APP , which aimed to address research questions. This study primarily concentrated on the second and third phases, investigating the integration of the teacher developed SPEAK APP into students' English learning sessions, while also evaluating its effectiveness in enhancing their speaking abilities. Ethical consideration. Participants were informed about the study's phases and volunteered willingly. Their responses were treated confidentially, and ethical practices were rigorously upheld throughout, ensuring privacy and sensitivity. The research was approved by Institutional Review Board, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University (IPSR-IRB-2021-194). Research Context and Participants Employing a purposive sampling approach, this research opted for Naresuan University and its affiliated institution, Naresuan University Demonstration School (NUDS), situated in Phitsanulok, Thailand, as the focal point of investigation. Naresuan University enrolls students from diverse public and private schools primarily in the northern region of Thailand, while NUDS, directly linked with Naresuan University, stands out as one of Phitsanulok's largest secondary schools. Renowned for yielding students who excel in the National Examination, a prerequisite for university admission in Thailand, NUDS accommodates a substantial number of enrollees. The educational settings encompass class sizes of 30–40 students, comprising six sections in the senior high school and ten sections in the university, totaling approximately 500 students. During the study period, prevailing COVID-19 restrictions mandated a blended learning approach, seamlessly integrating offline and online learning modules. Navigating this context, the research involved 287 participants—123 high school students (44 males; 79 females) and 164 college students (59 males; 105 females)—in the initial phase (need analysis) and 16 participants in the second phase—8 senior high school students and 8 second-year undergraduates—to actively partake in the study's execution, illuminating consequential cause-and-effect dynamics in a case study setting. Instruments and Measures In the whole process, this study employed survey questionnaires, pre- and post-speaking tests, and interviews, as detailed below. Survey questionnaires Need analysis survey The purpose of this questionnaire was to identify the English language skill requirements of Thai senior high school and undergraduate students. It aimed to assess the perceived utility of learning English, along with the contexts where English language proficiency is beneficial. Additionally, the questionnaire gauged participants' English language proficiency levels and sought their opinions on game-based mobile applications. The questionnaire design was a 3-point Likert scale questionnaire. To ensure clarity and comprehension, the questionnaire was translated into Thai. A pilot study involving 10 senior high school and 10 second-year undergraduate students was conducted to assess reliability. Furthermore, three English language experts validated the survey by examining its content, validity, and translation using an Index of Content Validity form. Comprising 26 items, the survey inquired about participants' perceptions regarding their English-speaking skill requirements and the need to practice speaking English. It delved into the situations in which they believed English practice was necessary within the classroom, as well as the most valuable contexts for English usage. The final segment of the questionnaire solicited their views on the attributes of a game-based mobile application designed for English speaking activities in the classroom. Both English and Thai versions of the survey were made available. The Cronbach’s alpha ( α ) was .75 indicating high internal consistency among the items. The item details are explained in Phase 1 Need Analysis in the following sub-section. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) survey The survey utilized the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), comprising four scales: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. With a total of 42 items, this questionnaire gauged participants' perceptions regarding the mobile application's effectiveness based on these four aspects. It also assessed participants' levels of self-confidence during and after engaging with the application. Additionally, the researcher conducted individual follow-up interviews with respondents to complement and reconcile their questionnaire responses. To enhance the questionnaire's quality, three UTAUT experts assessed its content, validity, and translation. The Index for Content Validity was employed to rate and provide recommendations. The experts evaluated each variable statement on a scale ranging from 1 (not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant). They also provided comments in an open section of the form. All three experts rated the variables as highly relevant, with minor translation content adjustments noted within the questionnaire. The reliability results were higher than .70, indicating high internal consistency among the items, presented in the following table. Table 1 Reliability results UTAUT Constructs Cronbach’s Alpha Number of Items Performance Expectancy 0.724 15 Effort Expectancy 0.776 9 Social Influence 0.726 9 Facilitating Conditions 0.782 9 Pre- and post-speaking tests To evaluate the English language speaking skills of the students, a pre- and post-test comprising adapted and refined speaking tasks were administered by two expert English test conductors during phase 2 of this study. The Speaking Skills Set encompassed three distinct parts. In Part 1, respondents were asked for personal information. The subsequent part presented students with a selection of topics, from which they chose one to discuss within a stipulated timeframe. The final segment involved presenting questions or scenarios for respondents to select and offer their opinion on within a limited timeframe. The assessors employed an adapted oral proficiency rubric to evaluate the English language speaking skills, and prior to the test, three English language experts scrutinized the questions for content and validity using an Index of Content Validity form. Each variable statement was rated on a scale of 1 (not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant), alongside comments addressing minor vocabulary concerns in the test questions. The Speaking Skills test set was divided into three parts: Part 1 encompassed eight questions centered around personal information. Part 2 provided five topics, allowing students to select one for a 2-minute discussion. Lastly, Part 3 presented five topics, prompting students to express their opinions on one of their choosing. Following the pattern and format of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the open-ended questions formed the basis of the Speaking Skills test set, with content validation conducted for each section. During pre- and post-test sessions, the adapted oral proficiency rubric, obtained with author permission, was utilized by evaluators. This rubric, comprising five criteria—fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and content—was employed to assess respondents' performance in both the pre- and post-tests, aiming to determine any improvement in their English-speaking abilities after one month of using the mobile application. Employing a point-based scoring system ranging from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest and 1 the lowest score in each criterion, a total of 20 points were obtainable across the five criteria. Interviews Upon the conclusion of the mobile app implementation, a series of interview sessions was undertaken, with the active involvement of 16 volunteering students. These sessions were strategically designed to delve into the students' learning encounters with the SPEAK APP. Subsequently, the collected data underwent transcription and underwent qualitative data analysis to glean valuable insights from the participants' perspectives. Research procedures Phase 1 Need Analysis The need analysis survey, as explained in Instruments and measures, engaged 287 participants, comprising 123 high school students (44 males and 79 females) and 164 college students (59 males and 105 females). Key findings emerged from the survey. Both senior high school and second-year undergraduate students perceived the necessity of practicing English speaking within classroom settings. Out of 3, high school students prioritized scenarios like communicating with foreign friends ( M = 2.82), speaking with foreigners (mean: 2.80), and visiting English-speaking countries ( M = 2.75). Conversely, creating videos for English assignments ranked as the least pressing need. Similarly, second-year undergraduates highlighted communicating with foreign friends ( M = 2.89) and foreign lecturers ( M = 2.88) as significant, with interviewing for international jobs ( M = 2.74) and classroom presentations ( M = 2.73) as lower priorities. This suggests that high school students emphasize external communication, while undergraduates focus on varied contexts. Regarding game-based mobile applications, out of 5, high school students agreed that they enjoyed learning English through games ( M = 3.56) and believed such apps could boost their speaking motivation ( M = 3.54). They also favored apps that increased their speaking confidence ( M = 3.44). However, uncertainties emerged for some aspects, such as using apps for scoring speaking skills ( M = 3.26) and competing with peers ( M = 2.65). On the other hand, second-year undergraduates strongly agreed that mobile apps motivated English speaking ( M = 4.27) and fostered collaboration ( M = 4.24), revealing a more substantial familiarity with app characteristics and use in English classrooms. Phase 2 Mobile App Design and Development After analyzing the results of the Needs Analysis questionnaire, the researcher collaborated with developers to seamlessly integrate preferred traits of a game-based application into the development of \"SPEAK APP.\" This incorporation encompassed attributes outlined in the Task-Based Language Teaching, MALL, and UTAUT Acceptance models. Figure 1 illustrates the conceptual framework of the proposed educational mobile application, \"SPEAK APP.\" This innovation draws upon diverse teaching approaches, pedagogies, and language learning principles. In line with Thailand's Educational Reform 4.0, the application aims to equip tertiary students with 21 st Century skills to excel in international work settings within or beyond the ASEAN community. To achieve this goal, it's crucial for university students to attain essential skills, particularly in English language learning. These encompass communication, critical thinking, lifelong learning, collaboration, problem-solving, perseverance, literacy, and information technology skills (Anuyahong, 2018). Given that innovation is a central component of Thailand's Education Reform 4.0 initiative, it becomes imperative to align with contemporary global language and teaching trends. This study embraces the concept of Mobile-assisted Language Learning (MALL), leveraging a mobile application through which students engage in task-based activities. Rooted in the Task-Based Language Teaching approach, this research amalgamates learning with enjoyment, immersing students in real-life scenarios to facilitate self-discovery (Ellis, 2017). 21st Century Skills. The skills are vital competencies, particularly for high school and university students, equipping them to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology and life changes. These skills contribute to personal competence and the growth of their culture or nation (Trilling & Fadel, 2009 ). Figure 2 showcases the process where students, by responding to randomly selected question cards, engage in English speech practice devoid of translation. This approach facilitates simultaneous English communication, fostering continuous improvement and enhancement of their speaking skills. Task-Based Learning and Teaching (TBLT). It is an instructional approach in language learning where students are assigned tasks to complete, necessitating communication and interaction with peers. Upon task completion, the teacher provides feedback and initiates a subsequent discussion centered around the language utilized during the task (Lai, 2015 ). For instance, as depicted in Fig. 3, students engage in a turn-based question-and-answer activity involving randomly selected cards. They choose a category (easy, medium, or hard) and respond to all questions within that category, totaling 20 questions each. Ultimately, their cumulative scores are displayed on a scoreboard. This process not only makes task completion enjoyable but also fosters communication and the expression of experiences, exemplifying the principles of task-based learning. Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL). MALL involves utilizing mobile devices for language acquisition. This technological approach offers authentic communicative scenarios to facilitate active learning, supporting, and enhancing the learning experience (Vera, 2012 ). Figure 4 illustrates a teacher-led game wherein the teacher assesses each player's English language proficiency during question answering. Automatic speech recognition (ASR). Termed \"SPEAK APP,\" the educational mobile application employed in this study integrates the principles of gamification, where students collaboratively participate in a question-and-answer game. Fueled by automatic speech recognition (ASR), the game promotes English language usage by recording and assessing their responses. The ASR component aims to infuse enthusiasm and confidence into the speaking practice, fostering language fluency (Karimi & Nickpayam, 2017 ). SPEAK APP was meticulously designed and developed to address the essential aspects outlined in the study's concept, objectives, and relevant literature. The application aligns with the framework of a teacher-led mobile application, wherein teachers evaluate students using an oral proficiency rubric during both pre- and post-tests. Gamification. It pertains to the scenario in which learners derive enjoyment from the learning process, coupled with the pursuit of defined goals and accomplishments within a collaborative game-based context (Weerasinghe, 2017 ). Illustrated in Fig. 5 is the embodiment of gamification theory, where students accrue scores by alternately responding to questions within the app. The SPEAK APP, built upon the TBLT framework, aims to facilitate the use of familiar, conversational English, enhancing speaking skills and leveraging existing vocabulary. It aids students in recalling past language knowledge (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation) and practicing grammar structures. The application encourages the use of casual, real-life-applicable English, promotes cooperation and collaboration, motivates self-expression through picture prompts, and bolsters self-confidence in public English speaking. Question categories are aligned with general education English syllabi for both high school and tertiary students. Drawing from the researcher's 25-year experience as an English as a Foreign Language teacher in Thailand, these topics are integrated into the app. The question difficulty level corresponds to IELTS speaking assessment standards, encompassing personal information sharing, discussing experiences, and expressing opinions (IELTS, 2019 ). Furthermore, question difficulty is classified based on Bloom's new taxonomy, which spans six levels: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating (Seaman, 2011). Task-based language learning emphasizes meaningful engagement in tasks (Ellis, 2017 ), collaborative competition through gaming (Flores, 2015 ), and heightened task motivation through immediate feedback (Nadolny et al., 2020 ). Figure 6 outlines the SPEAK APP's flowchart. Phase 3 Implementation Eight senior high school students were chosen by their classroom advisors based on their national achievement test scores and average grades in English language subjects. Similarly, eight second-year undergraduate students were selected based on their English language level in the standardized entrance examination during university enrollment and their English language achievement tests from their respective faculty. The students' names were recommended to the researcher by their classroom advisors, under the dean's approval. The researcher gathered the participants and had them use the SPEAK APP for a minimum of two weeks, dedicating one to two hours per session. Subsequently, the respondents engaged with the application alongside their friends for another two weeks. Throughout this period, the researcher maintained continuous interaction with the participants, ensuring their ongoing engagement with the app, aided by a dedicated supervising teacher. Before this phase, the participants underwent a pre-test to gauge their English-speaking proficiency. All eight students from both respondent groups had equal opportunities to use the application in rotation during the play sessions. Selected play sessions were video recorded to supplement qualitative data. Following a month, the participants underwent an English language proficiency post-test administered by another subject expert. They also completed the UTAUT questionnaire, assessing their perceptions and acceptance of the mobile application. This questionnaire probed their views on application enhancement, improvements in English language skills, and self-confidence. It included open-ended questions to delve deeper into their perceptions of application usability. During this study phase, the mobile application SPEAK APP underwent enhancements and was subsequently evaluated using the same participant groups: eight senior high school students and eight second-year undergraduate students. Budget and time constraints prompted the researcher to incorporate valuable feedback from students, including the following suggestions: 1) Display questions while considering the answer, 2) Enable AI to read questions aloud, 3) Allocate 1 minute for formulating an answer, 4) Allocate 1 minute for delivering the answer, and 5) Include an \"end\" or \"finish\" button to conclude answering. Following the application's re-enhancement, the researcher conducted the English-speaking Skills Proficiency pre-test with the participants. This was followed by a 2-week evaluation period of the enhanced SPEAK APP with both groups of students. Over this period, participants from both groups engaged with the mobile application four times per week, each session lasting at least 2 hours. Observations were recorded during play sessions for both participant groups. Subsequently, the researcher provided the mobile application to the participants for an additional two-week period, allowing them to engage with their friends. During the 5th week, the researcher returned to administer the UTAUT questionnaire and conduct comprehensive follow-up interviews with the participants. Following this, the English-speaking Skills Proficiency post-test was administered by a different English instructor to the group of 16 respondents. Data analysis This study combined quantitative and qualitative findings to address each research question, presenting quantitative results first followed by qualitative insights. The first research question was approached through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, the second question through the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U-Test, and thematic analysis, while the third question was explored using thematic analysis. RESULTS RQ 1: The Effectiveness of Teacher -Developed Game-Based Mobile Speaking Application The examination of high school and college students' perspectives on the effectiveness of a teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application, guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), uncovers a noteworthy alignment between the two groups. Across Performance Expectancy metrics, both high school and college students resoundingly express the application's perceived usefulness, with a mean of 5 and standard deviation (SD) of 0 for all relevant statements. This pattern continues in the Motivation sub-scale, where both groups strongly agree on the app's stimulating mechanics and engaging questions, boasting means of 4.83 (high school) and 4.96 (college), both with SDs below 0.5. Converging perceptions also manifest in the Job Fit dimension, with both cohorts acknowledging the app's potential to enhance English-speaking proficiency, yielding mean scores of 4.83 (high school) and 4.88 (college) and SDs below 0.5. Relative Advantage resonates similarly, as both groups attribute the app's appropriateness and fair scoring to achieve English proficiency, resulting in means of 4.81 (high school) and 4.94 (college), both with SDs around 0.1. Turning to Effort Expectancy, the narrative of shared perceptions continues, as both high school and college students affirm the app's user-friendliness and clarity. In the sub-scale of Complexity, both groups find the app easy to master, with means of 4.79 (high school) and 4.88 (college), accompanied by SDs below 0.5. Moreover, the Ease-of-Use sub-scale witnesses resounding agreement, with both groups attributing effortless interaction with means of 4.96 (high school) and 5 (college), with SDs around 0.1. In Social Influence, shared sentiments persist as both high school and college students perceive substantial backing from influential individuals. Notably, high school students demonstrate means of 4.71 in Subject Norms and 4.75 in Social Functions, while college students display means of 4.88 and 4.92, respectively, all with SDs around or below 0.5. These aligned perspectives extend into Facilitating Conditions, where both cohorts acknowledge the app's motivational qualities, with means of 4.92 (high school) and 4.96 (college), both boasting SDs around 0.1. Lastly, in the Compatibility sub-scale, parallel perceptions prevail as both groups see the app's content and mechanics as fitting their levels, resulting in means of 4.83 (high school) and 5 (college), with SDs around 0.35. This comparative analysis underscores a striking concordance in the perspectives of high school and college students regarding the teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application. Their shared sentiments on aspects of performance expectancy, motivation, job fit, relative advantage, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions collectively highlight the app's effectiveness across both academic stages. These congruent viewpoints emphasize the app's successful adaptation to meet the diverse needs of both groups, substantiating its efficacy in enhancing English language proficiency within the context of the UTAUT model. Table 2 below presents the detailed results. Table 2 Descriptive statistics of the students’ perceptions Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) High School Students College Students M SD Interpretation M SD Interpretation 1 PERFORMANCE EXPECTANCY Sub-scale 1: Perceived Usefulness 5 0 Strongly agree 5 0 Strongly agree Sub-scale 2: Motivation 4.83 0.25 Strongly agree 4.96 0.12 Strongly agree Sub-scale 3: Job Fit 4.83 0.25 Strongly agree 4.88 0.25 Strongly agree Sub-scale 4: Relative Advantage 4.81 0.14 Strongly agree 4.94 0.12 Strongly agree 2 EFFORT EXPECTANCY Sub-scale 1: Perceived Ease of Use 4.96 0.12 Strongly agree 4.96 0.12 Strongly agree Sub-scale 2: Complexity 4.79 0.25 Strongly agree 4.88 0.25 Strongly agree Sub-scale 3: Ease of Use 4.96 0.12 5 0 3 SOCIAL INFLUENCE Sub-scale 1: Subject Norms 4.71 0.42 Strongly agree 4.88 0.25 Strongly agree Sub-scale 2: Social Functions 4.79 0.25 Strongly agree 4.92 0.15 Strongly agree Sub-scale 3: Image 4.75 0.3 Strongly agree 4.92 0.15 Strongly agree 4 FACILITATING CONDITIONS Sub-scale 1: Perceived Behavioral Control 4.92 0.15 Strongly agree 4.96 0.12 Strongly agree Sub-scale 2: Facilitating Conditions 4.67 0.36 Strongly agree 4.88 0.25 Strongly agree Sub-scale 3: Compatability 4.83 0.36 Strongly agree 5 0 Strongly agree Meanwhile, the thematic analysis of the interview results provides insights into the students’ experiences, preferences, and perceptions related to the SPEAKAPP. Four main themes emerge from the interviews. The first theme is positive experiences and enjoyment. A prevailing theme across the students' responses is the positive experience and enjoyment they derive from playing the app, especially when engaging with friends. This theme is particularly evident in Student 1's response, \"We had a good game,\" and Student 6's statement, \"I enjoyed it.\" The interaction with friends adds a social dimension that enhances the overall experience of using the app. Then, the second theme is app features enhancing skills. A significant theme revolves around the features of the app that contribute to skill enhancement. Several students highlight how the app's features, such as AI-generated questions and scoring mechanisms, positively impact their English-speaking abilities. Students 2, 4, 5, and 8 express their appreciation for the app's ability to prompt critical thinking and self-improvement. The ability to track the number of words spoken and receive word correction feedback is particularly noted. Student 7 emphasizes that the app's features align well with their learning goals, as it provides a structured method for practicing English. I like the questions and scoring. The questions are appropriate and creative. The number of words we say is seen. The app gives scores with word correction and the teacher also gives the score. (S4) Yes, if we use it every day it can help me to speak for good English and can help me improve my self-confidence because I use it every day. (S5) The third theme is usability and technical concerns. Another prominent theme is the students' experiences related to usability and technical aspects of the app. Students 4, 5, and 6 raise concerns about app stability and functionality. Their responses underscore the importance of a seamless user experience and highlight areas for improvement, such as reducing application instability and ensuring proper responsiveness to user interactions. Student 2 also points out that the absence of a \"finish\" button after answering may lead to an elongated engagement time. The next theme is confidence and improvement in English speaking. A recurring theme is the students' anticipation of improved English-speaking skills through engaging with the app. Students 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 express a strong belief that consistent use of the app will contribute positively to their language proficiency. They highlight that the app not only enhances language skills but also boosts their self-confidence in using English. This theme reflects their motivation to engage with the app as a tool for skill development. I like the vision because it made me think and improve my speaking and thinking skills. (S2) The question lets the player think and analyze before they answer. I liked many questions in the app. (S4) It will improve my English skills because the AI checks (or corrects) my grammar. (S6) In summary, the thematic analysis of the interview results reveals a convergence of positive experiences, the appreciation of skill-enhancing features, concerns regarding usability and technical issues, and a shared anticipation of improved language skills and confidence among the students using the SPEAKAPP. These insights shed light on the multifaceted impact of the app on their learning experiences and perceptions of English language improvement. RQ 2: The Effectiveness of The SPEAK APP in Improving Students’ Speaking Skills The study employed the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to delve into the progression of students' speaking abilities from pre- to post-speaking assessments. Within the high school cohort, the findings underscored noteworthy enhancements in the overall scores, fluency, and content of students' speaking skills. Conversely, no statistically significant variances surfaced in terms of pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary. Shifting focus to college students, their speaking proficiencies exhibited substantial advancement across total scores, fluency, vocabulary, and content dimensions. However, similar to the high school group, no distinctions emerged concerning fluency, pronunciation, or grammar. Detailed results can be found in Table 3 . Table 3 Results of the Wilcoxon signed ranks test Pre- and Post Test Results Total Scores Fluency Pronunciation Grammar Vocabulary Content High School Students Z -2.392b -2.000b -1.414b -1.000b -1.414b -2.000b Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) 0.017 0.046 0.157 0.317 0.157 0.046 College Students Z -2.565b -2.460b -1.633b -1.414b -1.732b -2.646b Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) 0.01 0.014 0.102 0.157 0.083 0.008 Furthermore, this study delved into the disparities in learning achievements discernible among high school and college students. To investigate these variations, the Mann-Whitney U test was employed, illuminating intriguing insights. Notably, the post-test speaking outcomes of college students outshone those of their high school counterparts, a distinction marked by statistical significance. Upon closer examination, the divergence in performance was particularly prominent in the dimensions of fluency and pronunciation. However, it is noteworthy that no substantial contrasts emerged concerning grammar, vocabulary, or content, underscoring an area where the two groups converged in their linguistic progress. Table 4 displays the statistical results. Table 4 Results of the Mann-Whitney U test Post-test result comparison between high school and college students Total scores Fluency Pronunciation Grammar Vocabulary Content Z -2.336 -2.475 -1.723 -1.225 -0.62 -1.567 Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) 0.019 0.013 0.085 0.221 0.535 0.117 One recurring theme emerging from the interviews is the participants' proactive suggestions for enhancing SpeakApp’s features. As articulated by Student 1, \"I want you to add more questions.\" Similarly, Student 2 remarked, \"I want to have more options to choose the questions.\" This desire for greater variety underscores the importance of engaging content. Student 3 raised a crucial concern, stating, \"stability in terms of sometimes it is stuck (or stops?), it has to move consistently.\" This highlights the necessity of consistent functionality. Student 4 offered a valuable suggestion, emphasizing the need for a \"finish\" button during the answer portion, explaining, \"I think 1 minute is appropriate, but some people will end before 1 minute.\" Such insights provide tangible directions for refining user experience. The frequency of app usage and its influence on language learning emerged as another pivotal theme. The sentiment shared by Student 2 encapsulates this perspective: \"Yes, I will use it every day.\" This commitment underscores a keen interest in leveraging the app's potential benefits for language improvement. Furthermore, the interviews unveiled the profound impact of SpeakApp on self-confidence in using English. Student 1 conveyed, \"This app helped me to have confidence when I talk to my foreigner friend.\" Echoing this sentiment, Student 3 shared, \"Yes, self-confident is very important for me to speak English. Before I was shy, but now I think I improved my self-confidence to speak English.\" Such accounts underscore the app's role in fostering confidence, a crucial aspect of effective language communication. In terms of spontaneous speaking, participants exhibited varying perspectives. Student 1's response of \"Yes\" indicated that regular use of SpeakApp facilitated spontaneous expression. In contrast, Student 5 provided nuanced insight, stating, \"The vocabulary that I knew. The time that is enough and balanced, not too long and have to rush to answer.\" This emphasizes the critical interplay of vocabulary and response time in encouraging natural speech. The discussions on confidence during gameplay illuminated its pivotal role. Student 7 succinctly captured this sentiment: \"Yes, it can be a big role to have confidence when speaking.\" Student 8 echoed this sentiment, affirming, \"Yes, I think so. I enjoyed the game.\" These responses collectively underscore how confidence plays a foundational role in language engagement. RQ3: Essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps Table 6 illustrates that participants highlighted the mobile application's utility by affirming that it encourages thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, storytelling, and interactive English play among friends. These sentiments emerged consistently during interviews, as students expressed, \"The game let me speak English,\" \"The app makes me share short stories\" (SHS03, Individual interview), and \"It lets me play in English with my friends\" (SHS06, Individual interview). One student elaborated, \"The application provides opportunities to engage in English conversations that we normally wouldn't have, offering question patterns such as 'Have you ever... families...,' thus fostering interactions with friends\" (US02, Individual interview). Similarly, another student emphasized, \"The app facilitates English conversations with friends, fostering openness and fun. It effectively achieves its purpose, especially through its thought-provoking questions\" (US06, Individual interview). Echoing this sentiment, another participant noted, \"I appreciate answering; the questions are relevant to my life\" (US08, Individual interview). These statements underscored the students' motivation to engage with the app due to its perceived usefulness. Regarding Perceived Ease of Use, the table underscores students' consistent recognition that the app is user-friendly and easy to grasp. Interviews affirmed these findings, with statements such as \"Taking turns is enjoyable, allowing stress-free participation and attentive listening\" (US01, Individual interview), and \"I prefer reading the app's questions; they are easier to comprehend\" (SH04, Individual interview). A participant noted, \"The app's features and platform are both convenient and user-friendly\" (US02, Individual interview). These responses collectively affirm the app's ease of use. Concerning Satisfaction, themes of Anxiety and Fun emerged from respondents' answers. Instances of anxiety stemmed from concerns about limited response time and the app's speech recognition feature, which occasionally missed answers. Conversely, references to Fun were prevalent, with students highlighting the excitement and appeal of the game, its novelty, and its suitability. During interviews, students expressed sentiments like, \"Additional time would alleviate the heart-pounding pressure to answer\" (US04, Individual interview), and \"Waiting for scores is suspenseful, but AI's failure to recognize words is disheartening, particularly for nervous friends\" (US05, Individual interview). Conversely, enjoyment was emphasized: \"Initially, excitement prevailed, but with regular play, the experience becomes enjoyable\" (HS06, Individual interview), and \"The app's visuals are appealing, facilitating understanding; answering the questions is enjoyable\" (HS03, Individual interview). Furthermore, confidence emerged as a recurring theme, with participants asserting that the app improved their self-assurance. Comments like \"Listening to others' responses aids my thinking and confidence\" (US03, written comment) and \"Regular practice through the app enhances direct and correct articulation, thus boosting confidence\" (US07, written comment) were prevalent. This resonance reinforces students' written questionnaire responses. Responding to app improvement suggestions, students recommended increasing response time for complex questions, enhancing the speech recognition accuracy, and introducing auditory cues for timing. These views align with the app's initial development phase, highlighting potential areas for enhancement. These viewpoints correlate with quantitative results, validating students' responses across written answers and interviews. While the satisfaction results and verbal and written responses underline students' contentions, indicating dissatisfaction due to time constraints and speech recognition issues, overall findings from the initial phase suggest the app's user-friendliness and potential for boosting students' classroom English confidence. Table 6 Themes of In-depth Interview data Emerging Themes Keywords Constructs Motivation - The app makes me think - The app encourages me to share my experiences - The app makes me speak English - The app lets me tell a story - The app makes me play with my friends in English Perceived Usefulness Comfortability - Easy to use the app - Easy to explore - Easy to understand the game - Have no problem to follow the rules Perceived Ease of Use Anxiety - I am satisfied with the app, but the time makes me nervous - The time is scary - I hope there is more time to answer - The AI does not get my correct words - The AI is slow to record my words Satisfaction Fun - The game is fun - The game is exciting - The app is new to me and fun - The app is good for me - It is fun to answer the questions - I like the questions Confidence-Building - The app can help me with my confidence to speak - The game encourages me to share stories - I think if I play every day, I can be confident to speak English in front of my friends - I feel confident to play this game because the questions are easy to answer Opinion - Time to answer should be longer - There should sound on time - AI should be improved to understand me - AI must be developed more Attributes of Usability DISCUSSION The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application in enhancing English-speaking proficiency among high school and college students. Guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), the investigation combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to comprehensively assess students' perceptions of the application's efficacy. Three points are worth discussing. First, descriptive comparisons reveal substantial alignment between high school and college students' viewpoints within the UTAUT framework. They both perceive the app's usefulness, motivating mechanics, and engagement benefits, extending across dimensions like Job Fit, Relative Advantage, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, and Compatibility. Qualitative insights amplify this understanding, highlighting positive experiences, skill-enhancing features, usability concerns, and confidence in speaking improvement. Prior research, such as Palomo-Duarte et al. ( 2016 ) and Hwang et al. ( 2016 ), underscores personalized mobile apps' value in language learning, echoed by Hwang et al. ( 2022 ) emphasizing application-designed talks. Overall, the study underscores the app's positive impact on language proficiency, supported by aligned perceptions and valued features, while acknowledging usability concerns and advocating for further research in the field. Moreover, the integration of quantitative findings, analyzed through tests such as the Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests, demonstrating improvements in speaking scores among high school and college students, with qualitative insights from interviews revealing suggestions for app enhancement and highlighting boosted confidence and natural language use, offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the SPEAK APP on language skills. This aligns with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), which merges prior acceptance models and identifies four determinants—performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions—to comprehend users' technology acceptance (Venkatesh et al., 2003). UTAUT, explaining 70% of behavioral intention and 50% of technology usage variance (Dwivedi et al., 2019 ), has been applied to various domains, yet its application to language learning and speaking skills development remains relatively unexplored (Ibrahim et al., 2017 ). The study's findings correspond to UTAUT constructs, with improved speaking skills relating to performance expectancy, qualitative confidence boost aligning with facilitating conditions and social influence, and app enhancement suggestions resonating with effort expectancy. Thus, the study underscores UTAUT's relevance in comprehending technology adoption in education and sheds light on multifaceted factors influencing technology acceptance for language learning and skill enhancement. Lastly, the qualitative findings regarding essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps highlight participants' perceptions of the SPEAK APP's utility and ease of use. Through thematic analysis, participants consistently emphasized the app's encouragement of thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, storytelling, and interactive play among friends, indicating the app's positive impact on their language skills and interactions. This aligns with previous studies that emphasize the benefits of mobile-based learning, including enhanced cognitive abilities, motivation, autonomy, and personalized learning opportunities (Kacetl & Klmová, 2019). However, the challenges in adopting mobile game-based learning also underscore the need for thoughtful design and effective implementation (Giannakas et al., 2018 ). The findings suggest that well-designed mobile apps like SPEAK APP can effectively enhance language skills and confidence, particularly in speaking. The integration of previous studies' findings further supports the rationale behind developing teacher-designed mobile apps for language learning. The studies highlight the importance of familiarity, challenge, and diverse game components in digital game-based language learning, aligning with the participants' positive responses to the SPEAK APP's user-friendliness and engagement (Tsai et al., 2017 ; Govender & Arnedo-Moreno, 2021 ). Additionally, the principles identified in mobile game-based app development, such as ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity, underline the key aspects that contribute to the effectiveness of digital learning games, further validating the participants' feedback on the SPEAK APP (Acquah & Katz, 2020 ). These collective insights emphasize the significance of well-designed mobile apps in language learning, particularly for speaking skills enhancement, and shed light on the multifaceted elements that contribute to their success. Implications of the Findings The research findings hold significant implications for the development of mobile game-based apps aimed at enhancing students' speaking skills. The study's alignment with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) underscores the importance of creating apps that are perceived as useful, motivating, and engaging by students, which can be achieved by focusing on factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Furthermore, the research's comprehensive approach, combining quantitative assessments of skill improvement with qualitative insights on user experiences, provides developers with a well-rounded understanding of the app's impact. This approach encourages app designers to prioritize essential features like promoting critical thinking, English communication, storytelling, and interactive play among peers, while also addressing challenges related to user experience, ease of use, and effective implementation. The study's alignment with previous research underscores the value of personalized mobile apps in language learning, especially when designed by teachers to cater to specific learning goals. It emphasizes the significance of incorporating familiar and challenging game components, along with user-friendly design principles such as ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity. By adhering to these principles and integrating multifaceted elements that encourage natural language use and boost confidence, developers can create impactful mobile apps that effectively enhance students' speaking skills and contribute to a positive and engaging language learning experience. CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS In conclusion, this study rigorously evaluated the efficacy of the teacher-developed SPEAK APP, a game-based mobile speaking application, in enhancing English-speaking proficiency among high school and college students. Guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) and employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the research findings underscore a strong consensus among both high school and college students regarding the app's efficacy. Their shared perspectives across multiple dimensions highlight its adaptability and success. Notably, the SPEAK APP yielded substantial improvements in speaking skills, particularly in fluency and pronunciation, for both student groups. Insights drawn from interviews further illuminated positive experiences, improvement suggestions, and increased self-confidence. The study identified key attributes for augmenting speaking skills in mobile apps, such as fostering reflective thinking, facilitating experience sharing, promoting English communication, and enabling interactive engagement with friends. While acknowledging the app's user-friendly nature, some reservations regarding response time and speech recognition accuracy surfaced alongside the acknowledgment of confidence enhancement. However, limitations include a potential lack of generalizability to diverse groups, UTAUT’s potential limitations in capturing language learning intricacies, self-report bias, and a relatively short study duration. Despite these limitations, the study advances insights into designing mobile apps for language learning, urging further research and improvement in this area. While the findings underscored positive perceptions, skill enhancement, and usability concerns, future studies should explore broader participant demographics, consider more nuanced frameworks for language learning technology evaluation, and conduct long-term assessments to provide a comprehensive understanding of the app's effectiveness over time. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-3459646\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":241277359,\"identity\":\"36add2d1-5821-4887-bdd6-6d6868003142\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Jarah Gertrudes Mallillin Espiritu\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Mahidol University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Jarah\",\"middleName\":\"Gertrudes Mallillin\",\"lastName\":\"Espiritu\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":241277360,\"identity\":\"4e060dbd-5699-4c82-8ab1-cbd5bce31b82\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Khajornsak Buaraphan\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABK0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACCQkGBgMwi4eBDUjaAIUYGyQYCsBibMRoSYNqAYsx49TCgKTlMFAIhPBokZzd/KDg45479vw9B9ge89Scj+af3dx444MBgzx/A/+xB1i0SMscMzCc8exZ4oyzDezGPMdu5864c7DZcoYBg+GMA8zsBli0yEkkGBjzHDicwHCegU2ah+12bsONxDZpHgMGxg1Ah0lg1ZL+AaTFXh6s5d+53PlQLfa4tEhL5IBtYdxwtoFNmrftQO4GqJZEXFokZ+QUAF19OHHjmYPthnP7knM33kgE+UUiecZhZjNsWiRupG8z+AB0mNyZ5GMP3nyzy513I/3hjQ8VNrb97Y3PsGkBAjZosDA2oJgFjBbs6oGA+QFOqVEwCkbBKBgFIAAAstlixV9PltkAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Mahidol University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Khajornsak\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Buaraphan\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2023-10-17 23:59:14\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":45002885,\"identity\":\"25819a06-7524-4324-b0e0-c9f4be82b324\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"Figure 1\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":33708,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP development model\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"1.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/68e651c7af3d65f917c9e1d0.jpg\"},{\"id\":45003453,\"identity\":\"276a73cb-1fe3-4809-8d74-cd5a7eef4b00\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:43:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":2,\"title\":\"Figure 2\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":32488,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP- 21\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003est\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e Century Skills Feature\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"2.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/05308d8a397a88bdf4123fc4.jpg\"},{\"id\":45002889,\"identity\":\"37001a87-a794-4a07-962c-b3c2937520c3\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":3,\"title\":\"Figure 3\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":27065,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP -TBLT Feature\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"3.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/44540a6e42105cad7b27cbd2.jpg\"},{\"id\":45002888,\"identity\":\"08c4a103-744b-4aa6-8f99-8be91ebccc4d\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":4,\"title\":\"Figure 4\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":28414,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP - MALL Feature\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"4.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/15329441d01964c8f001c310.jpg\"},{\"id\":45003172,\"identity\":\"04e15429-45f0-46a7-8ca3-5ffe24969bc4\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:35:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":5,\"title\":\"Figure 5\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":28183,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP -Gamification Feature\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"5.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/83115f54f3761b3fd3138a8b.jpg\"},{\"id\":45002884,\"identity\":\"3c08d69b-15d9-467b-ab7a-0ad945ef819a\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:19\",\"extension\":\"jpg\",\"order_by\":6,\"title\":\"Figure 6\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":56292,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eThe SPEAK APP flow chart\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"6.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/5c9afe998b4e9c6319b3b2f6.jpg\"},{\"id\":48958093,\"identity\":\"0ca82823-dc19-447d-ad41-fe010c3d7548\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2023-12-29 09:38:05\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":0,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":737547,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3459646/v1/f799ae1c-c4e7-4971-b930-e10ba6f3c46a.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Innovative Approach to Teaching EFL through a Game-based Speaking Mobile Application\",\"fulltext\":[{\"header\":\"INTRODUCTION\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eAn increasing body of research has been dedicated to employing game-based mobile applications to enhance various English as a Foreign Language (EFL) skills, including vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, writing, and speaking (Ghobadi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR17\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e; Yousofi \\u0026amp; Bashiri, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR43\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). This approach offers a flexible fusion of traditional and modern English teaching methods, aiding learners in achieving specific educational goals (Hainey et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR12\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e). A scoping review by Xu et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR42\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e) indicated vocabulary as the most extensively researched skill influenced by digital game-based technology in English language learning, closely followed by overall English language proficiency, pragmatics, grammar, writing, and speaking, with generally positive outcomes. Evaluating the effects of a mobile instructional game on university students' English language learning, Chang et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR5\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e) reported favorable results for vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing. Nonetheless, despite diverse teaching and learning methodologies showing promise in achieving educational objectives, empirical studies exploring teacher-developed mobile game apps tailored to the contextual needs of EFL students within specific environments remain scarce, as previous research has predominantly focused on readily available mobile applications.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis study seeks to significantly contribute to the advancement of EFL teaching and learning by employing mobile-game-based apps to enhance students' speaking skills in Thai university and high school settings. Framed against the backdrop of the Thailand 4.0 initiative launched in 2016 to bolster the nation's economy and promote equitable growth, the research underscores the importance of distributing educational resources fairly, enhancing English language proficiency, and incorporating effective pedagogical strategies for proficient English communication. However, prior research indicates a demand for heightened English-speaking abilities among Thai service industry workers (Kaewkunha \\u0026amp; Sukying, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR22\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e), highlighting the need for integrating real-world scenarios, games, and instructional approaches like presentations and role-playing (Oeamoum \\u0026amp; Sriwichai, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR27\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). While the integration of mobile apps for English language learning in Thai classrooms, driven by widespread smartphone usage among university students, is promising (Wechsumangkalo, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR40\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e), motivating Thai students to engage confidently in English-speaking tasks remains a challenge. Wechsumangkalo (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR40\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasizes the need for explicit educator guidance to integrate apps effectively and promote peer interaction within mobile platforms.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDespite extensive research into web-based and internet applications, there is a lack of focus on mobile apps exclusively targeting speaking skills in the Thai context. Notably, movie-based mobile learning has proven effective for nurturing English-speaking skills among Thai university students (Chaya \\u0026amp; Inpin, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR6\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e) through English movie audio on mobile platforms. Recent developments include a prototype app at a prominent Thai university aiding high school seniors in preparing for the university's English proficiency assessment, but it lacks personalized feedback for speaking evaluations (Koowuttayakorn \\u0026amp; Taylor, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR24\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e). Thus, evidence substantiating the use of mobile apps to boost Thai students' confidence in speaking English remains scarce. In an effort to bridge this gap, this study employs a research and development framework to create a mobile-game-based app aimed at addressing English-speaking skill deficiencies among Thai EFL students. Guided by the educational directives of the Thai government, the app incorporates 21st century skills, task-based language teaching (TBLT), mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), and gamification, aligned with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT). The study involves three key phases: needs analysis, app design and development, and implementation. This comprehensive investigation seeks to answer the following research questions:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003col\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn what manner do students assess the efficacy of a teacher-created mobile speaking application grounded in the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT)?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo what extent does the mobile application developed by the teacher contribute to the enhancement of students' speaking abilities, as evidenced by a comparative analysis of pre- and post-test outcomes?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhich specific attributes of speaking applications do students deem pivotal in facilitating the amelioration of their speaking proficiencies?\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003c/ol\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"LITERATURE REVIEW\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec3\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eMobile-Game Based Apps in EFL Teaching and Learning\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis study aims to critically assess the effectiveness of a mobile-game-based application in enhancing the speaking skills of Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, with research questions forming the core framework. To establish a robust empirical foundation, this section undertakes a thorough examination of relevant studies, encompassing both commercially available mobile game-based apps and teacher-developed alternatives designed to enhance English-speaking proficiency. Some studies have highlighted the positive impact of commercially available mobile game-based applications on situational speaking abilities. For instance, Wang and Han (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR39\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) employed the \\\"Liulishuo\\\" app, revealing heightened language complexity, reduced errors, and improved speech rate. Nevertheless, challenges like repairs and pauses exhibited resistance to change, possibly due to the need for extensive treatment of non-proceduralized linguistic knowledge in verbal communication. Similarly, Sun et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR32\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e) demonstrated improved fluency in English-speaking skills among young learners through mobile social networking. While both groups displayed speaking improvements, the experimental group showcased significantly greater fluency advancement. However, accuracy and pronunciation growth exhibited no notable differences between the groups. The efficacy of mobile applications is further evident in scholarly studies, such as Grimshaw and Cardoso's (2018) investigation of Spaceteam, which revealed enhanced language proficiency and reduced anxiety levels among Canadian EFL learners. Likewise, Berry et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR4\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) showcased the app's success in refining pronunciation skills for South Korean students.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMeanwhile, other studies focus on personally created mobile applications centered on gaming for language learning. Palomo-Duarte et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR28\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e) stress the role of mobile devices in adapting learning materials that align with student preferences. They introduce an application promoting active language learning via interaction and evaluation. Hwang et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e) examine game-based learning's impact on listening and speaking skills, favoring the experimental group using interactive game scores and designed cards for superior verbal performance. Moreover, Hwang et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR14\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) developed the \\\"Smart UEnglish\\\" app to enhance EFL learners' conversational skills. Designed talks significantly improve learning outcomes by bridging classroom knowledge with real-world interactions. These studies underscore personalized mobile apps' role in active language acquisition and speaking improvement. However, limited research in this area highlights the current study's significance.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe integration of mobile-game-based learning typically merges mobile technology with gamified learning due to shared characteristics. Kacetl and Klmov\\u0026aacute;'s (2019) review of smartphone applications in English language learning underscores mobile learning's educational prominence, offering benefits like enhanced cognitive abilities, motivation in diverse learning settings, learner autonomy, and personalized learning opportunities. However, cautious implementation is advised, as efficacy hinges on thoughtful design, tailored delivery, and authenticity. Correspondingly, Giannakas et al.'s (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e) study on mobile game-based learning spanning 13 years reveals challenges in its adoption, emphasizing the need for resilient and educationally effective solutions. Hence, exploring teacher-developed mobile apps catering to EFL students' needs holds promise for integrating mobile apps into EFL instruction, particularly for speaking enhancement. Previous research identified principles for mobile game-based app development. Tsai et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR35\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e) find familiarity and challenge crucial for high school students' satisfaction with the Happy English Learning System (HELS). Govender and Arnedo-Moreno (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR18\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) study game components in digital game-based language learning (DGBLL), highlighting prevalent elements and the need for exploration of less common features. Acquah and Katz (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR1\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e) analyze digital learning games' (DLGs) impact on language acquisition, revealing key aspects including ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity. Effective app design should incorporate these multifaceted elements for success.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec4\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eUnified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT)\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDrawing from prior technology acceptance models, Venkatesh et al. (2003) contend that researchers encountered a challenge in reconciling the numerous analogous models proposed by various theories, resulting in the dismissal of alternative acceptance models. Consequently, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) emerged from the amalgamation of these earlier models. Venkatesh et al. assert that these previous models explained merely 17% and 53% of the variance in users' intention to adopt an information system or technological device. In contrast, UTAUT now accounts for 70% of the variance in behavioral intention and 50% in technology usage (Dwivedi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR8\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). UTAUT has gained traction as an acceptance model in recent studies focused on technological devices for language learning, particularly in the realm of educational game design (Ibrahim et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). Initially rooted in information systems' utilization to enhance organizational performance, UTAUT's adaptation to mobile devices has effectively facilitated data collection regarding the acceptance and proficient usage of such technology. However, it's worth noting that UTAUT's applicability to educational games, especially those targeting language speaking skills, remains unexplored (Ibrahim et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). Despite its incorporation into several entertainment games, the adoption of UTAUT in specific educational contexts, particularly for language learning, remains an area that warrants further investigation (Dwivedi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR8\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis study centers on four exogenous mechanisms that underscore the influence of external predictors on four key determinants: performance expectation, effort expectation, social influence, and facilitating conditions. An investigation involving educational online games, developed by the researchers themselves, identified correlations between elements of the TAM and UTAUT acceptance models. The study revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, attitude, and enjoyment significantly correlated with the behavioral intention of 180 undergraduate computer science students who were surveyed regarding their acceptance of the provided online games (Ibrahim et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). Delving into the application of the UTAUT model to students' behavioral intentions concerning animations and storytelling, a study surveyed 350 Malaysian business and management students from public tertiary institutions. The findings highlighted performance expectancy as the most influential determinant, followed by facilitating conditions and effort expectancy, signifying the importance of providing resources to support students' integration of these methods within the classroom (Suki \\u0026amp; Suki, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003ePerformance expectancy.\\u003c/b\\u003e Within the framework of UTAUT, performance expectancy emerges as a pivotal determinant. It gauges the extent to which users perceive an information system as advantageous to their needs (Attuquayefio \\u0026amp; Addo, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR3\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2014\\u003c/span\\u003e). This facet encompasses five key components: perceived usefulness, extrinsic motivation, job fit, relative advantage, and outcome expectations. In 1986, Fred Davis introduced perceived usefulness within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), aligning it closely with performance expectancy. It signifies a user's belief that their performance will enhance through the system's functions and capabilities (Surendran, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR33\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e). Extrinsic motivation delves into external outcomes resulting from system utilization. Notably, a study involving animation and storytelling highlighted how users believed these elements improved their classroom performance (Suki \\u0026amp; Suki, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). The association between performance expectancy and the adoption of new technologies, such as language learning mobile applications, has been corroborated by various studies. For instance, users embracing educational games via mobile apps, expecting language skill improvement, displayed a substantial link between performance expectancy and usage intention (Ibrahim et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eEffort expectancy.\\u003c/b\\u003e The user's inclination to adopt a system is heavily influenced by its ease of use. A user is more likely to engage with a system if it's user-friendly and requires minimal effort (Suki \\u0026amp; Suki, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). An example is illustrated in a study involving Chinese customers using mobile payment systems in Bangkok, where the simplicity of the system facilitated its adoption (Dong, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR7\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). Similar ease of use has been observed in the realm of healthcare wearable devices, where respondents experienced minimal effort due to the devices' comfortable design and their technological literacy (Wang et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR38\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eSocial Influence.\\u003c/b\\u003e Social influence pertains to the impact of others on a user's decision to adopt a system. It's believed that the presence of others significantly shapes a user's behavior towards system usage (Attuquayefio \\u0026amp; Addo, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR3\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2014\\u003c/span\\u003e). However, certain studies challenge this notion. For instance, in the context of m-shopping fashion apps, the influence of peers was not a major determinant, potentially because these apps already held intrinsic appeal (Handoko, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR13\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e). Likewise, a study involving students using animation and storytelling found that social influence had limited impact on their creative classroom use despite teacher and peer support (Suki \\u0026amp; Suki, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eFacilitating conditions.\\u003c/b\\u003e Facilitating conditions encompass the user's environment, knowledge, and skills that influence their intention to use a system (Attuquayefio \\u0026amp; Addo, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR3\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2014\\u003c/span\\u003e). In the aforementioned animation and story-telling study, facilitating conditions emerged as positive influencers, as students' intentions were bolstered by the support they received (Suki \\u0026amp; Suki, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR31\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"METHODOLOGY\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec6\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Design\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis research centered on effectively addressing the issue of insufficient speaking skills among Thai students through a comprehensive approach. To achieve this goal, a research and development (R\\u0026amp;D) framework, consisting of three distinct phases, was executed. This design successfully merges theoretical foundations with practical applications, facilitating the achievement of the study's intended objectives. As outlined by Richey and Klein (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR29\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2005\\u003c/span\\u003e), the R\\u0026amp;D design arises from specific problem-solving scenarios or broader investigative methodologies. Unlike basic instructional development, developmental research involves a systematic exploration of crafting, refining, and evaluating instructional programs, methods, and products, all guided by benchmarks of coherence and effectiveness (Seels \\u0026amp; Richey, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR30\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e1994\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe phases were sequentially implemented as follows: need analysis, design and development of a mobile app, and its subsequent implementation. The initial phase determined the requirement for English language practice within the classroom context. It then identified instances, as reported by participants, that necessitate English speaking practice, ultimately identifying key attributes for a game-based mobile application. This led to the creation and deployment of the \\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP\\u003c/em\\u003e, which aimed to address research questions. This study primarily concentrated on the second and third phases, investigating the integration of the teacher developed \\u003cem\\u003eSPEAK APP\\u003c/em\\u003e into students' English learning sessions, while also evaluating its effectiveness in enhancing their speaking abilities.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003eEthical consideration.\\u003c/b\\u003e Participants were informed about the study's phases and volunteered willingly. Their responses were treated confidentially, and ethical practices were rigorously upheld throughout, ensuring privacy and sensitivity. The research was approved by Institutional Review Board, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University (IPSR-IRB-2021-194).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec7\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch Context and Participants\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eEmploying a purposive sampling approach, this research opted for Naresuan University and its affiliated institution, Naresuan University Demonstration School (NUDS), situated in Phitsanulok, Thailand, as the focal point of investigation. Naresuan University enrolls students from diverse public and private schools primarily in the northern region of Thailand, while NUDS, directly linked with Naresuan University, stands out as one of Phitsanulok's largest secondary schools. Renowned for yielding students who excel in the National Examination, a prerequisite for university admission in Thailand, NUDS accommodates a substantial number of enrollees. The educational settings encompass class sizes of 30\\u0026ndash;40 students, comprising six sections in the senior high school and ten sections in the university, totaling approximately 500 students. During the study period, prevailing COVID-19 restrictions mandated a blended learning approach, seamlessly integrating offline and online learning modules. Navigating this context, the research involved 287 participants\\u0026mdash;123 high school students (44 males; 79 females) and 164 college students (59 males; 105 females)\\u0026mdash;in the initial phase (need analysis) and 16 participants in the second phase\\u0026mdash;8 senior high school students and 8 second-year undergraduates\\u0026mdash;to actively partake in the study's execution, illuminating consequential cause-and-effect dynamics in a case study setting.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec8\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eInstruments and Measures\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn the whole process, this study employed survey questionnaires, pre- and post-speaking tests, and interviews, as detailed below.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eSurvey questionnaires\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003col\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eNeed analysis survey\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003c/ol\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe purpose of this questionnaire was to identify the English language skill requirements of Thai senior high school and undergraduate students. It aimed to assess the perceived utility of learning English, along with the contexts where English language proficiency is beneficial. Additionally, the questionnaire gauged participants' English language proficiency levels and sought their opinions on game-based mobile applications. The questionnaire design was a 3-point Likert scale questionnaire. To ensure clarity and comprehension, the questionnaire was translated into Thai. A pilot study involving 10 senior high school and 10 second-year undergraduate students was conducted to assess reliability. Furthermore, three English language experts validated the survey by examining its content, validity, and translation using an Index of Content Validity form. Comprising 26 items, the survey inquired about participants' perceptions regarding their English-speaking skill requirements and the need to practice speaking English. It delved into the situations in which they believed English practice was necessary within the classroom, as well as the most valuable contexts for English usage. The final segment of the questionnaire solicited their views on the attributes of a game-based mobile application designed for English speaking activities in the classroom. Both English and Thai versions of the survey were made available. The Cronbach\\u0026rsquo;s alpha (\\u003cem\\u003eα\\u003c/em\\u003e) was .75 indicating high internal consistency among the items. The item details are explained in Phase 1 Need Analysis in the following sub-section.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003col start=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cspan\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eUnified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) survey\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e \\u003c/ol\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe survey utilized the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), comprising four scales: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. With a total of 42 items, this questionnaire gauged participants' perceptions regarding the mobile application's effectiveness based on these four aspects. It also assessed participants' levels of self-confidence during and after engaging with the application. Additionally, the researcher conducted individual follow-up interviews with respondents to complement and reconcile their questionnaire responses. To enhance the questionnaire's quality, three UTAUT experts assessed its content, validity, and translation. The Index for Content Validity was employed to rate and provide recommendations. The experts evaluated each variable statement on a scale ranging from 1 (not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant). They also provided comments in an open section of the form. All three experts rated the variables as highly relevant, with minor translation content adjustments noted within the questionnaire. The reliability results were higher than .70, indicating high internal consistency among the items, presented in the following table.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab1\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 1\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eReliability results\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eUTAUT Constructs\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCronbach\\u0026rsquo;s Alpha\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eNumber of Items\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePerformance Expectancy\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.724\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e15\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eEffort Expectancy\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.776\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e9\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSocial Influence\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.726\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e9\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFacilitating Conditions\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.782\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e9\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec9\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003ePre- and post-speaking tests\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo evaluate the English language speaking skills of the students, a pre- and post-test comprising adapted and refined speaking tasks were administered by two expert English test conductors during phase 2 of this study. The Speaking Skills Set encompassed three distinct parts. In Part 1, respondents were asked for personal information. The subsequent part presented students with a selection of topics, from which they chose one to discuss within a stipulated timeframe. The final segment involved presenting questions or scenarios for respondents to select and offer their opinion on within a limited timeframe. The assessors employed an adapted oral proficiency rubric to evaluate the English language speaking skills, and prior to the test, three English language experts scrutinized the questions for content and validity using an Index of Content Validity form. Each variable statement was rated on a scale of 1 (not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant), alongside comments addressing minor vocabulary concerns in the test questions.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe Speaking Skills test set was divided into three parts: Part 1 encompassed eight questions centered around personal information. Part 2 provided five topics, allowing students to select one for a 2-minute discussion. Lastly, Part 3 presented five topics, prompting students to express their opinions on one of their choosing. Following the pattern and format of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the open-ended questions formed the basis of the Speaking Skills test set, with content validation conducted for each section. During pre- and post-test sessions, the adapted oral proficiency rubric, obtained with author permission, was utilized by evaluators. This rubric, comprising five criteria\\u0026mdash;fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and content\\u0026mdash;was employed to assess respondents' performance in both the pre- and post-tests, aiming to determine any improvement in their English-speaking abilities after one month of using the mobile application. Employing a point-based scoring system ranging from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest and 1 the lowest score in each criterion, a total of 20 points were obtainable across the five criteria.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec10\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eInterviews\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eUpon the conclusion of the mobile app implementation, a series of interview sessions was undertaken, with the active involvement of 16 volunteering students. These sessions were strategically designed to delve into the students' learning encounters with the SPEAK APP. Subsequently, the collected data underwent transcription and underwent qualitative data analysis to glean valuable insights from the participants' perspectives.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec11\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eResearch procedures\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec12\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003ePhase 1 Need Analysis\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe need analysis survey, as explained in Instruments and measures, engaged 287 participants, comprising 123 high school students (44 males and 79 females) and 164 college students (59 males and 105 females). Key findings emerged from the survey. Both senior high school and second-year undergraduate students perceived the necessity of practicing English speaking within classroom settings. Out of 3, high school students prioritized scenarios like communicating with foreign friends (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.82), speaking with foreigners (mean: 2.80), and visiting English-speaking countries (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u0026thinsp;=\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;2.75). Conversely, creating videos for English assignments ranked as the least pressing need. Similarly, second-year undergraduates highlighted communicating with foreign friends (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.89) and foreign lecturers (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.88) as significant, with interviewing for international jobs (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.74) and classroom presentations (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.73) as lower priorities. This suggests that high school students emphasize external communication, while undergraduates focus on varied contexts.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eRegarding game-based mobile applications, out of 5, high school students agreed that they enjoyed learning English through games (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.56) and believed such apps could boost their speaking motivation (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.54). They also favored apps that increased their speaking confidence (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.44). However, uncertainties emerged for some aspects, such as using apps for scoring speaking skills (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.26) and competing with peers (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.65). On the other hand, second-year undergraduates strongly agreed that mobile apps motivated English speaking (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;4.27) and fostered collaboration (\\u003cem\\u003eM\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;4.24), revealing a more substantial familiarity with app characteristics and use in English classrooms.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec13\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003ePhase 2 Mobile App Design and Development\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAfter analyzing the results of the Needs Analysis questionnaire, the researcher collaborated with developers to seamlessly integrate preferred traits of a game-based application into the development of \\\"SPEAK APP.\\\" This incorporation encompassed attributes outlined in the Task-Based Language Teaching, MALL, and UTAUT Acceptance models.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFigure 1 illustrates the conceptual framework of the proposed educational mobile application, \\u0026quot;SPEAK APP.\\u0026quot; This innovation draws upon diverse teaching approaches, pedagogies, and language learning principles. In line with Thailand\\u0026apos;s Educational Reform 4.0, the application aims to equip tertiary students with 21\\u003csup\\u003est\\u003c/sup\\u003e Century skills to excel in international work settings within or beyond the ASEAN community. To achieve this goal, it\\u0026apos;s crucial for university students to attain essential skills, particularly in English language learning. These encompass communication, critical thinking, lifelong learning, collaboration, problem-solving, perseverance, literacy, and information technology skills (Anuyahong, 2018). Given that innovation is a central component of Thailand\\u0026apos;s Education Reform 4.0 initiative, it becomes imperative to align with contemporary global language and teaching trends. This study embraces the concept of Mobile-assisted Language Learning (MALL), leveraging a mobile application through which students engage in task-based activities. Rooted in the Task-Based Language Teaching approach, this research amalgamates learning with enjoyment, immersing students in real-life scenarios to facilitate self-discovery (Ellis, 2017).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003e21st Century Skills.\\u003c/b\\u003e The skills are vital competencies, particularly for high school and university students, equipping them to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology and life changes. These skills contribute to personal competence and the growth of their culture or nation (Trilling \\u0026amp; Fadel, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR34\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2009\\u003c/span\\u003e). Figure\\u0026nbsp;2 showcases the process where students, by responding to randomly selected question cards, engage in English speech practice devoid of translation. This approach facilitates simultaneous English communication, fostering continuous improvement and enhancement of their speaking skills.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eTask-Based Learning and Teaching (TBLT).\\u003c/b\\u003e It is an instructional approach in language learning where students are assigned tasks to complete, necessitating communication and interaction with peers. Upon task completion, the teacher provides feedback and initiates a subsequent discussion centered around the language utilized during the task (Lai, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR25\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2015\\u003c/span\\u003e). For instance, as depicted in Fig.\\u0026nbsp;3, students engage in a turn-based question-and-answer activity involving randomly selected cards. They choose a category (easy, medium, or hard) and respond to all questions within that category, totaling 20 questions each. Ultimately, their cumulative scores are displayed on a scoreboard. This process not only makes task completion enjoyable but also fosters communication and the expression of experiences, exemplifying the principles of task-based learning.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eMobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL).\\u003c/b\\u003e MALL involves utilizing mobile devices for language acquisition. This technological approach offers authentic communicative scenarios to facilitate active learning, supporting, and enhancing the learning experience (Vera, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR37\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2012\\u003c/span\\u003e). Figure\\u0026nbsp;4 illustrates a teacher-led game wherein the teacher assesses each player's English language proficiency during question answering.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eAutomatic speech recognition (ASR).\\u003c/b\\u003e Termed \\\"SPEAK APP,\\\" the educational mobile application employed in this study integrates the principles of gamification, where students collaboratively participate in a question-and-answer game. Fueled by automatic speech recognition (ASR), the game promotes English language usage by recording and assessing their responses. The ASR component aims to infuse enthusiasm and confidence into the speaking practice, fostering language fluency (Karimi \\u0026amp; Nickpayam, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR23\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). SPEAK APP was meticulously designed and developed to address the essential aspects outlined in the study's concept, objectives, and relevant literature. The application aligns with the framework of a teacher-led mobile application, wherein teachers evaluate students using an oral proficiency rubric during both pre- and post-tests.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eGamification.\\u003c/b\\u003e It pertains to the scenario in which learners derive enjoyment from the learning process, coupled with the pursuit of defined goals and accomplishments within a collaborative game-based context (Weerasinghe, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR41\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). Illustrated in Fig.\\u0026nbsp;5 is the embodiment of gamification theory, where students accrue scores by alternately responding to questions within the app.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe SPEAK APP, built upon the TBLT framework, aims to facilitate the use of familiar, conversational English, enhancing speaking skills and leveraging existing vocabulary. It aids students in recalling past language knowledge (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation) and practicing grammar structures. The application encourages the use of casual, real-life-applicable English, promotes cooperation and collaboration, motivates self-expression through picture prompts, and bolsters self-confidence in public English speaking. Question categories are aligned with general education English syllabi for both high school and tertiary students. Drawing from the researcher's 25-year experience as an English as a Foreign Language teacher in Thailand, these topics are integrated into the app. The question difficulty level corresponds to IELTS speaking assessment standards, encompassing personal information sharing, discussing experiences, and expressing opinions (IELTS, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR20\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFurthermore, question difficulty is classified based on Bloom's new taxonomy, which spans six levels: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating (Seaman, 2011). Task-based language learning emphasizes meaningful engagement in tasks (Ellis, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR9\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e), collaborative competition through gaming (Flores, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR10\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2015\\u003c/span\\u003e), and heightened task motivation through immediate feedback (Nadolny et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR26\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). Figure\\u0026nbsp;6 outlines the SPEAK APP's flowchart.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec20\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003ePhase 3 Implementation\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eEight senior high school students were chosen by their classroom advisors based on their national achievement test scores and average grades in English language subjects. Similarly, eight second-year undergraduate students were selected based on their English language level in the standardized entrance examination during university enrollment and their English language achievement tests from their respective faculty. The students' names were recommended to the researcher by their classroom advisors, under the dean's approval.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e The researcher gathered the participants and had them use the SPEAK APP for a minimum of two weeks, dedicating one to two hours per session. Subsequently, the respondents engaged with the application alongside their friends for another two weeks. Throughout this period, the researcher maintained continuous interaction with the participants, ensuring their ongoing engagement with the app, aided by a dedicated supervising teacher. Before this phase, the participants underwent a pre-test to gauge their English-speaking proficiency. All eight students from both respondent groups had equal opportunities to use the application in rotation during the play sessions. Selected play sessions were video recorded to supplement qualitative data. Following a month, the participants underwent an English language proficiency post-test administered by another subject expert. They also completed the UTAUT questionnaire, assessing their perceptions and acceptance of the mobile application. This questionnaire probed their views on application enhancement, improvements in English language skills, and self-confidence. It included open-ended questions to delve deeper into their perceptions of application usability.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDuring this study phase, the mobile application SPEAK APP underwent enhancements and was subsequently evaluated using the same participant groups: eight senior high school students and eight second-year undergraduate students. Budget and time constraints prompted the researcher to incorporate valuable feedback from students, including the following suggestions: 1) Display questions while considering the answer, 2) Enable AI to read questions aloud, 3) Allocate 1 minute for formulating an answer, 4) Allocate 1 minute for delivering the answer, and 5) Include an \\\"end\\\" or \\\"finish\\\" button to conclude answering. Following the application's re-enhancement, the researcher conducted the English-speaking Skills Proficiency pre-test with the participants. This was followed by a 2-week evaluation period of the enhanced SPEAK APP with both groups of students. Over this period, participants from both groups engaged with the mobile application four times per week, each session lasting at least 2 hours. Observations were recorded during play sessions for both participant groups.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e Subsequently, the researcher provided the mobile application to the participants for an additional two-week period, allowing them to engage with their friends. During the 5th week, the researcher returned to administer the UTAUT questionnaire and conduct comprehensive follow-up interviews with the participants. Following this, the English-speaking Skills Proficiency post-test was administered by a different English instructor to the group of 16 respondents.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec21\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eData analysis\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis study combined quantitative and qualitative findings to address each research question, presenting quantitative results first followed by qualitative insights. The first research question was approached through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, the second question through the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U-Test, and thematic analysis, while the third question was explored using thematic analysis.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"RESULTS\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec23\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eRQ 1: The Effectiveness of Teacher -Developed Game-Based Mobile Speaking Application\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe examination of high school and college students' perspectives on the effectiveness of a teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application, guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), uncovers a noteworthy alignment between the two groups. Across Performance Expectancy metrics, both high school and college students resoundingly express the application's perceived usefulness, with a mean of 5 and standard deviation (SD) of 0 for all relevant statements. This pattern continues in the Motivation sub-scale, where both groups strongly agree on the app's stimulating mechanics and engaging questions, boasting means of 4.83 (high school) and 4.96 (college), both with SDs below 0.5. Converging perceptions also manifest in the Job Fit dimension, with both cohorts acknowledging the app's potential to enhance English-speaking proficiency, yielding mean scores of 4.83 (high school) and 4.88 (college) and SDs below 0.5. Relative Advantage resonates similarly, as both groups attribute the app's appropriateness and fair scoring to achieve English proficiency, resulting in means of 4.81 (high school) and 4.94 (college), both with SDs around 0.1.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTurning to Effort Expectancy, the narrative of shared perceptions continues, as both high school and college students affirm the app's user-friendliness and clarity. In the sub-scale of Complexity, both groups find the app easy to master, with means of 4.79 (high school) and 4.88 (college), accompanied by SDs below 0.5. Moreover, the Ease-of-Use sub-scale witnesses resounding agreement, with both groups attributing effortless interaction with means of 4.96 (high school) and 5 (college), with SDs around 0.1. In Social Influence, shared sentiments persist as both high school and college students perceive substantial backing from influential individuals. Notably, high school students demonstrate means of 4.71 in Subject Norms and 4.75 in Social Functions, while college students display means of 4.88 and 4.92, respectively, all with SDs around or below 0.5. These aligned perspectives extend into Facilitating Conditions, where both cohorts acknowledge the app's motivational qualities, with means of 4.92 (high school) and 4.96 (college), both boasting SDs around 0.1. Lastly, in the Compatibility sub-scale, parallel perceptions prevail as both groups see the app's content and mechanics as fitting their levels, resulting in means of 4.83 (high school) and 5 (college), with SDs around 0.35.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis comparative analysis underscores a striking concordance in the perspectives of high school and college students regarding the teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application. Their shared sentiments on aspects of performance expectancy, motivation, job fit, relative advantage, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions collectively highlight the app's effectiveness across both academic stages. These congruent viewpoints emphasize the app's successful adaptation to meet the diverse needs of both groups, substantiating its efficacy in enhancing English language proficiency within the context of the UTAUT model. Table\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab2\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e2\\u003c/span\\u003e below presents the detailed results.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab2\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 2\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eDescriptive statistics of the students\\u0026rsquo; perceptions\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\" colnum=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\" colnum=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\" colnum=\\\"6\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\" colnum=\\\"7\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\" colnum=\\\"8\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"2\\\" morerows=\\\"1\\\" nameend=\\\"c2\\\" namest=\\\"c1\\\" rowspan=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eUnified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"3\\\" nameend=\\\"c5\\\" namest=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHigh School Students\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"3\\\" nameend=\\\"c8\\\" namest=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCollege Students\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eM\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSD\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eInterpretation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eM\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSD\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eInterpretation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePERFORMANCE EXPECTANCY\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 1: Perceived Usefulness\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 2: Motivation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.83\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.96\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 3: Job Fit\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.83\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.88\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 4: Relative Advantage\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.81\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.14\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.94\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eEFFORT EXPECTANCY\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 1: Perceived Ease of Use\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.96\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.96\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 2: Complexity\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.79\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.88\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 3: Ease of Use\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.96\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSOCIAL INFLUENCE\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 1: Subject Norms\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.71\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.42\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.88\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 2: Social Functions\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.79\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.92\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.15\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 3: Image\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.75\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.3\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.92\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.15\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFACILITATING CONDITIONS\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 1: Perceived Behavioral Control\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.92\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.15\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.96\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.12\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 2: Facilitating Conditions\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.67\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.36\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.88\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.25\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSub-scale 3: Compatability\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4.83\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.36\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c8\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eStrongly agree\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMeanwhile, the thematic analysis of the interview results provides insights into the students\\u0026rsquo; experiences, preferences, and perceptions related to the SPEAKAPP. Four main themes emerge from the interviews. The first theme is positive experiences and enjoyment. A prevailing theme across the students' responses is the positive experience and enjoyment they derive from playing the app, especially when engaging with friends. This theme is particularly evident in Student 1's response, \\\"We had a good game,\\\" and Student 6's statement, \\\"I enjoyed it.\\\" The interaction with friends adds a social dimension that enhances the overall experience of using the app. Then, the second theme is app features enhancing skills. A significant theme revolves around the features of the app that contribute to skill enhancement. Several students highlight how the app's features, such as AI-generated questions and scoring mechanisms, positively impact their English-speaking abilities. Students 2, 4, 5, and 8 express their appreciation for the app's ability to prompt critical thinking and self-improvement. The ability to track the number of words spoken and receive word correction feedback is particularly noted. Student 7 emphasizes that the app's features align well with their learning goals, as it provides a structured method for practicing English.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eI like the questions and scoring. The questions are appropriate and creative. The number of words we say is seen. The app gives scores with word correction and the teacher also gives the score. (S4)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eYes, if we use it every day it can help me to speak for good English and can help me improve my self-confidence because I use it every day. (S5)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe third theme is usability and technical concerns. Another prominent theme is the students' experiences related to usability and technical aspects of the app. Students 4, 5, and 6 raise concerns about app stability and functionality. Their responses underscore the importance of a seamless user experience and highlight areas for improvement, such as reducing application instability and ensuring proper responsiveness to user interactions. Student 2 also points out that the absence of a \\\"finish\\\" button after answering may lead to an elongated engagement time. The next theme is confidence and improvement in English speaking. A recurring theme is the students' anticipation of improved English-speaking skills through engaging with the app. Students 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 express a strong belief that consistent use of the app will contribute positively to their language proficiency. They highlight that the app not only enhances language skills but also boosts their self-confidence in using English. This theme reflects their motivation to engage with the app as a tool for skill development.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eI like the vision because it made me think and improve my speaking and thinking skills. (S2)\\u003cdiv class=\\\"BlockQuote\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe question lets the player think and analyze before they answer. I liked many questions in the app. (S4)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eIt will improve my English skills because the AI checks (or corrects) my grammar. (S6)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn summary, the thematic analysis of the interview results reveals a convergence of positive experiences, the appreciation of skill-enhancing features, concerns regarding usability and technical issues, and a shared anticipation of improved language skills and confidence among the students using the SPEAKAPP. These insights shed light on the multifaceted impact of the app on their learning experiences and perceptions of English language improvement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec24\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eRQ 2: The Effectiveness of The SPEAK APP in Improving Students\\u0026rsquo; Speaking Skills\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe study employed the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to delve into the progression of students' speaking abilities from pre- to post-speaking assessments. Within the high school cohort, the findings underscored noteworthy enhancements in the overall scores, fluency, and content of students' speaking skills. Conversely, no statistically significant variances surfaced in terms of pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary. Shifting focus to college students, their speaking proficiencies exhibited substantial advancement across total scores, fluency, vocabulary, and content dimensions. However, similar to the high school group, no distinctions emerged concerning fluency, pronunciation, or grammar. Detailed results can be found in Table\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab3\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e3\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab3\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 3\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eResults of the Wilcoxon signed ranks test\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\" colnum=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\" colnum=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\" colnum=\\\"6\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\" colnum=\\\"7\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"7\\\" nameend=\\\"c7\\\" namest=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePre- and Post Test Results\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTotal Scores\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFluency\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePronunciation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eGrammar\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eVocabulary\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eContent\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHigh School Students\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eZ\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.392b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.000b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.414b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.000b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.414b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.000b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAsymp. Sig. (2-tailed)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.017\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.046\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.157\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.317\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.157\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.046\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCollege Students\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eZ\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.565b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.460b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.633b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.414b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.732b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.646b\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAsymp. Sig. (2-tailed)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.01\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.014\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.102\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.157\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.083\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.008\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFurthermore, this study delved into the disparities in learning achievements discernible among high school and college students. To investigate these variations, the Mann-Whitney U test was employed, illuminating intriguing insights. Notably, the post-test speaking outcomes of college students outshone those of their high school counterparts, a distinction marked by statistical significance. Upon closer examination, the divergence in performance was particularly prominent in the dimensions of fluency and pronunciation. However, it is noteworthy that no substantial contrasts emerged concerning grammar, vocabulary, or content, underscoring an area where the two groups converged in their linguistic progress. Table\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab4\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e4\\u003c/span\\u003e displays the statistical results.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab4\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 4\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eResults of the Mann-Whitney U test\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\" colnum=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\" colnum=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\" colnum=\\\"6\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\" colnum=\\\"7\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"7\\\" nameend=\\\"c7\\\" namest=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePost-test result comparison between high school and college students\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTotal scores\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFluency\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePronunciation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eGrammar\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eVocabulary\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eContent\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eZ\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.336\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-2.475\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.723\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.225\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-0.62\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e-1.567\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAsymp. Sig. (2-tailed)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.019\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.013\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.085\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.221\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c6\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.535\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c7\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e0.117\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e One recurring theme emerging from the interviews is the participants' proactive suggestions for enhancing SpeakApp\\u0026rsquo;s features. As articulated by Student 1, \\\"I want you to add more questions.\\\" Similarly, Student 2 remarked, \\\"I want to have more options to choose the questions.\\\" This desire for greater variety underscores the importance of engaging content. Student 3 raised a crucial concern, stating, \\\"stability in terms of sometimes it is stuck (or stops?), it has to move consistently.\\\" This highlights the necessity of consistent functionality. Student 4 offered a valuable suggestion, emphasizing the need for a \\\"finish\\\" button during the answer portion, explaining, \\\"I think 1 minute is appropriate, but some people will end before 1 minute.\\\" Such insights provide tangible directions for refining user experience. The frequency of app usage and its influence on language learning emerged as another pivotal theme. The sentiment shared by Student 2 encapsulates this perspective: \\\"Yes, I will use it every day.\\\" This commitment underscores a keen interest in leveraging the app's potential benefits for language improvement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFurthermore, the interviews unveiled the profound impact of SpeakApp on self-confidence in using English. Student 1 conveyed, \\\"This app helped me to have confidence when I talk to my foreigner friend.\\\" Echoing this sentiment, Student 3 shared, \\\"Yes, self-confident is very important for me to speak English. Before I was shy, but now I think I improved my self-confidence to speak English.\\\" Such accounts underscore the app's role in fostering confidence, a crucial aspect of effective language communication. In terms of spontaneous speaking, participants exhibited varying perspectives. Student 1's response of \\\"Yes\\\" indicated that regular use of SpeakApp facilitated spontaneous expression. In contrast, Student 5 provided nuanced insight, stating, \\\"The vocabulary that I knew. The time that is enough and balanced, not too long and have to rush to answer.\\\" This emphasizes the critical interplay of vocabulary and response time in encouraging natural speech. The discussions on confidence during gameplay illuminated its pivotal role. Student 7 succinctly captured this sentiment: \\\"Yes, it can be a big role to have confidence when speaking.\\\" Student 8 echoed this sentiment, affirming, \\\"Yes, I think so. I enjoyed the game.\\\" These responses collectively underscore how confidence plays a foundational role in language engagement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec25\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eRQ3: Essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTable\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab5\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e6\\u003c/span\\u003e illustrates that participants highlighted the mobile application's utility by affirming that it encourages thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, storytelling, and interactive English play among friends. These sentiments emerged consistently during interviews, as students expressed, \\\"The game let me speak English,\\\" \\\"The app makes me share short stories\\\" (SHS03, Individual interview), and \\\"It lets me play in English with my friends\\\" (SHS06, Individual interview). One student elaborated, \\\"The application provides opportunities to engage in English conversations that we normally wouldn't have, offering question patterns such as 'Have you ever... families...,' thus fostering interactions with friends\\\" (US02, Individual interview). Similarly, another student emphasized, \\\"The app facilitates English conversations with friends, fostering openness and fun. It effectively achieves its purpose, especially through its thought-provoking questions\\\" (US06, Individual interview). Echoing this sentiment, another participant noted, \\\"I appreciate answering; the questions are relevant to my life\\\" (US08, Individual interview). These statements underscored the students' motivation to engage with the app due to its perceived usefulness.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eRegarding Perceived Ease of Use, the table underscores students' consistent recognition that the app is user-friendly and easy to grasp. Interviews affirmed these findings, with statements such as \\\"Taking turns is enjoyable, allowing stress-free participation and attentive listening\\\" (US01, Individual interview), and \\\"I prefer reading the app's questions; they are easier to comprehend\\\" (SH04, Individual interview). A participant noted, \\\"The app's features and platform are both convenient and user-friendly\\\" (US02, Individual interview). These responses collectively affirm the app's ease of use. Concerning Satisfaction, themes of Anxiety and Fun emerged from respondents' answers. Instances of anxiety stemmed from concerns about limited response time and the app's speech recognition feature, which occasionally missed answers. Conversely, references to Fun were prevalent, with students highlighting the excitement and appeal of the game, its novelty, and its suitability. During interviews, students expressed sentiments like, \\\"Additional time would alleviate the heart-pounding pressure to answer\\\" (US04, Individual interview), and \\\"Waiting for scores is suspenseful, but AI's failure to recognize words is disheartening, particularly for nervous friends\\\" (US05, Individual interview). Conversely, enjoyment was emphasized: \\\"Initially, excitement prevailed, but with regular play, the experience becomes enjoyable\\\" (HS06, Individual interview), and \\\"The app's visuals are appealing, facilitating understanding; answering the questions is enjoyable\\\" (HS03, Individual interview).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFurthermore, confidence emerged as a recurring theme, with participants asserting that the app improved their self-assurance. Comments like \\\"Listening to others' responses aids my thinking and confidence\\\" (US03, written comment) and \\\"Regular practice through the app enhances direct and correct articulation, thus boosting confidence\\\" (US07, written comment) were prevalent. This resonance reinforces students' written questionnaire responses. Responding to app improvement suggestions, students recommended increasing response time for complex questions, enhancing the speech recognition accuracy, and introducing auditory cues for timing. These views align with the app's initial development phase, highlighting potential areas for enhancement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThese viewpoints correlate with quantitative results, validating students' responses across written answers and interviews. While the satisfaction results and verbal and written responses underline students' contentions, indicating dissatisfaction due to time constraints and speech recognition issues, overall findings from the initial phase suggest the app's user-friendliness and potential for boosting students' classroom English confidence.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab5\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 6\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eThemes of In-depth Interview data\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eEmerging Themes\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eKeywords\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eConstructs\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMotivation\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app makes me think\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app encourages me to share my experiences\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app makes me speak English\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app lets me tell a story\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app makes me play with my friends in English\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePerceived Usefulness\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eComfortability\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- Easy to use the app\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- Easy to explore\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- Easy to understand the game\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- Have no problem to follow the rules\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePerceived Ease of Use\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAnxiety\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- I am satisfied with the app, but the time makes me nervous\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The time is scary\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- I hope there is more time to answer\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The AI does not get my correct words\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The AI is slow to record my words\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" morerows=\\\"2\\\" rowspan=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSatisfaction\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFun\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The game is fun\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The game is exciting\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app is new to me and fun\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app is good for me\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- It is fun to answer the questions\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- I like the questions\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eConfidence-Building\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The app can help me with my confidence to speak\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- The game encourages me to share stories\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- I think if I play every day, I can be confident to speak English in front of my friends\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- I feel confident to play this game because the questions are easy to answer\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eOpinion\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- Time to answer should be longer\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- There should sound on time\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- AI should be improved to understand me\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e- AI must be developed more\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAttributes of Usability\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"DISCUSSION\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher-developed game-based mobile speaking application in enhancing English-speaking proficiency among high school and college students. Guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), the investigation combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to comprehensively assess students' perceptions of the application's efficacy. Three points are worth discussing. First, descriptive comparisons reveal substantial alignment between high school and college students' viewpoints within the UTAUT framework. They both perceive the app's usefulness, motivating mechanics, and engagement benefits, extending across dimensions like Job Fit, Relative Advantage, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, and Compatibility. Qualitative insights amplify this understanding, highlighting positive experiences, skill-enhancing features, usability concerns, and confidence in speaking improvement. Prior research, such as Palomo-Duarte et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR28\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e) and Hwang et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR15\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2016\\u003c/span\\u003e), underscores personalized mobile apps' value in language learning, echoed by Hwang et al. (\\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR14\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) emphasizing application-designed talks. Overall, the study underscores the app's positive impact on language proficiency, supported by aligned perceptions and valued features, while acknowledging usability concerns and advocating for further research in the field.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMoreover, the integration of quantitative findings, analyzed through tests such as the Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests, demonstrating improvements in speaking scores among high school and college students, with qualitative insights from interviews revealing suggestions for app enhancement and highlighting boosted confidence and natural language use, offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the SPEAK APP on language skills. This aligns with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT), which merges prior acceptance models and identifies four determinants\\u0026mdash;performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions\\u0026mdash;to comprehend users' technology acceptance (Venkatesh et al., 2003). UTAUT, explaining 70% of behavioral intention and 50% of technology usage variance (Dwivedi et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR8\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2019\\u003c/span\\u003e), has been applied to various domains, yet its application to language learning and speaking skills development remains relatively unexplored (Ibrahim et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR16\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). The study's findings correspond to UTAUT constructs, with improved speaking skills relating to performance expectancy, qualitative confidence boost aligning with facilitating conditions and social influence, and app enhancement suggestions resonating with effort expectancy. Thus, the study underscores UTAUT's relevance in comprehending technology adoption in education and sheds light on multifaceted factors influencing technology acceptance for language learning and skill enhancement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e Lastly, the qualitative findings regarding essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps highlight participants' perceptions of the SPEAK APP's utility and ease of use. Through thematic analysis, participants consistently emphasized the app's encouragement of thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, storytelling, and interactive play among friends, indicating the app's positive impact on their language skills and interactions. This aligns with previous studies that emphasize the benefits of mobile-based learning, including enhanced cognitive abilities, motivation, autonomy, and personalized learning opportunities (Kacetl \\u0026amp; Klmov\\u0026aacute;, 2019). However, the challenges in adopting mobile game-based learning also underscore the need for thoughtful design and effective implementation (Giannakas et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR11\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2018\\u003c/span\\u003e). The findings suggest that well-designed mobile apps like SPEAK APP can effectively enhance language skills and confidence, particularly in speaking. The integration of previous studies' findings further supports the rationale behind developing teacher-designed mobile apps for language learning. The studies highlight the importance of familiarity, challenge, and diverse game components in digital game-based language learning, aligning with the participants' positive responses to the SPEAK APP's user-friendliness and engagement (Tsai et al., \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR35\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e; Govender \\u0026amp; Arnedo-Moreno, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR18\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e). Additionally, the principles identified in mobile game-based app development, such as ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity, underline the key aspects that contribute to the effectiveness of digital learning games, further validating the participants' feedback on the SPEAK APP (Acquah \\u0026amp; Katz, \\u003cspan citationid=\\\"CR1\\\" class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2020\\u003c/span\\u003e). These collective insights emphasize the significance of well-designed mobile apps in language learning, particularly for speaking skills enhancement, and shed light on the multifaceted elements that contribute to their success.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec27\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eImplications of the Findings\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe research findings hold significant implications for the development of mobile game-based apps aimed at enhancing students' speaking skills. The study's alignment with the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) underscores the importance of creating apps that are perceived as useful, motivating, and engaging by students, which can be achieved by focusing on factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Furthermore, the research's comprehensive approach, combining quantitative assessments of skill improvement with qualitative insights on user experiences, provides developers with a well-rounded understanding of the app's impact. This approach encourages app designers to prioritize essential features like promoting critical thinking, English communication, storytelling, and interactive play among peers, while also addressing challenges related to user experience, ease of use, and effective implementation.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe study's alignment with previous research underscores the value of personalized mobile apps in language learning, especially when designed by teachers to cater to specific learning goals. It emphasizes the significance of incorporating familiar and challenging game components, along with user-friendly design principles such as ease-of-use, challenge, incentives, and interactivity. By adhering to these principles and integrating multifaceted elements that encourage natural language use and boost confidence, developers can create impactful mobile apps that effectively enhance students' speaking skills and contribute to a positive and engaging language learning experience.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eIn conclusion, this study rigorously evaluated the efficacy of the teacher-developed SPEAK APP, a game-based mobile speaking application, in enhancing English-speaking proficiency among high school and college students. Guided by the Unified Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT) and employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the research findings underscore a strong consensus among both high school and college students regarding the app's efficacy. Their shared perspectives across multiple dimensions highlight its adaptability and success. Notably, the SPEAK APP yielded substantial improvements in speaking skills, particularly in fluency and pronunciation, for both student groups. Insights drawn from interviews further illuminated positive experiences, improvement suggestions, and increased self-confidence. The study identified key attributes for augmenting speaking skills in mobile apps, such as fostering reflective thinking, facilitating experience sharing, promoting English communication, and enabling interactive engagement with friends. While acknowledging the app's user-friendly nature, some reservations regarding response time and speech recognition accuracy surfaced alongside the acknowledgment of confidence enhancement.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHowever, limitations include a potential lack of generalizability to diverse groups, UTAUT\\u0026rsquo;s potential limitations in capturing language learning intricacies, self-report bias, and a relatively short study duration. Despite these limitations, the study advances insights into designing mobile apps for language learning, urging further research and improvement in this area. While the findings underscored positive perceptions, skill enhancement, and usability concerns, future studies should explore broader participant demographics, consider more nuanced frameworks for language learning technology evaluation, and conduct long-term assessments to provide a comprehensive understanding of the app's effectiveness over time.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eEthical Approval\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe research was approved by Institutional Review Board, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University (IPSR-IRB-2021-194).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCompeting Interests\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe authors declare no conflict of interest.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFunding\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThis research received no funding.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAvailability of Data and Materials\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe data will be made available upon request.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAcquah, E. 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(2017). \\u003cem\\u003eEffects of gamification of product life cycle concept as an active learning strategy for learning achievement and soft skills development of Thai university students\\u003c/em\\u003e (Doctoral dissertation, Thammasat University).\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eXu, Z., Chen, Z., Eutsler, L., Geng, Z., \\u0026amp; Kogut, A. (2020). A scoping review of digital game-based technology on English language learning. \\u003cem\\u003eEducational Technology Research and Development\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e68\\u003c/em\\u003e, 877-904.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eYousofi, N., \\u0026amp; Bashiri, S. (2023). Exploring the Impact of Mobile-Flipped Classrooms on Iranian EFL Learners\\u0026apos; Writing Proficiency. \\u003cem\\u003eJournal of Modern Research in English Language Studies\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003e10\\u003c/em\\u003e(2).\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":true,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"mobile-game based app, gamification, speaking, technology acceptance model\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eAmidst the growing body of research on mobile game-based apps, there remains a dearth of studies investigating teacher-developed game-based mobile apps. Employing a research and development framework, this study delved into the development and implementation process of a mobile game-based app created by teachers, evaluated its effectiveness, and identified key features for enhancing speaking skills. The research encompassed three distinct phases: initial need analysis (involving 287 participants, including 123 high school students and 164 college students); subsequent design and implementation (incorporating 21st century skills, task-based language teaching, mobile-assisted language learning, automatic speech recognition, and gamification); and final implementation (involving 16 participants, comprising 8 high school students and 8 college students). Data collection was facilitated through surveys (for the need analysis and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)), pre- and post-speaking tests, as well as interviews. Data analysis encompassed descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Mann-Whitney U-test, and thematic analysis. The findings unveiled high school and college students both strongly believed in the effectiveness of a teacher-developed mobile speaking app for improving English proficiency. The SPEAK APP significantly improved speaking skills for both groups of students, with an emphasis on fluency and pronunciation. Interviews revealed positive experiences, suggestions for enhancement, and boosted self-confidence. Essential features for improved speaking skills in mobile apps included encouraging thinking, sharing experiences, English communication, and interactive play with friends. While user friendliness was appreciated, concerns about response time and speech recognition accuracy emerged, and confidence improvement was noted. The study underscores the importance of creating student-perceived useful and engaging apps aligned with the UTAUT model, combining quantitative skill improvement assessments with qualitative user experience insights to guide developers to prioritize essential features and address usability challenges.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Innovative Approach to Teaching EFL through a Game-based Speaking Mobile Application\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:14\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459646/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"dcf2b06f-bf76-495f-aeb3-44afafcfd0b9\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"October 20th, 2023\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"posted\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2023-12-29T09:29:57+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2023-10-20 19:27:14\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-3459646\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-3459646\",\"identity\":\"rs-3459646\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"_2-kVJe1T_tPrBINL-cwx\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}