UMD German Grammar Guide

Name: UMD German Grammar Guide
Author: University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:General Public & Enthusiasts

Free

Download on the App Store

App Summary

The UMD German Grammar Guide is an educational tool that helps learners of all levels study the German language, offering a quick-reference mode for advanced users and a paced, guided mode for beginners. Developed using a collaborative, Design-Based Research approach, the tool is structured to allow students to access grammar content at a comfortable pace. The associated research concludes that such pedagogically sound apps can help reduce some of the anxiety associated with learning a foreign language.

App Screenshots

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism Developed by the University of Minnesota Duluth, this system delivers pedagogical content on German grammar through a dual-mode interface. The 'Guided View' module presents grammatical topics at a structured, self-directed pace appropriate for novice learners. For advanced users, a 'Quick View' module facilitates rapid reference by providing direct access to comprehensive grammar tables. The design isolates explicit grammatical structures to support communicative competence and reduce cognitive load for learners across proficiency levels.

Evidence & Research Context

The app's pedagogical framework is grounded in Design-Based Research methodologies within an Ecological Constructivist model.
Its development involved a collaborative process between language faculty and students to align the tool with pedagogical goals and user needs.
The associated research concludes that pedagogically designed mobile applications may reduce anxiety associated with foreign language acquisition.

Intended Use & Scope This system is intended for German language students and educators as a supplementary educational tool and quick-reference grammar guide. It is designed to augment, not replace, a formal curriculum. The tool focuses exclusively on grammatical structures and does not provide conversational practice, vocabulary drills, or comprehensive language instruction requiring additional resources.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Development/Design Paper

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning: Application Development Projects Within Reach for Language Teachers

Lindaman et al. (2015) · The IALLT Journal of Language Learning Technologies

Describes the research-driven development of this app

To many, developing language-learning tools for mobile platformsseems out of reach. Mobile app development projects require a widearray of specialized skills that many language teachers do not possess.This article reports on a set of mobile language learning applicationdevelopment projects initiated by language teachers. By settingattainable goals and focusing on collaboration, faculty in theseprojects have been able to take advantage of the new possibilitiesmobile devices offer for language instruction. Faculty adopted Design-Based Research methodologies in an Ecological Constructivistframework in order to design, implement, and test their apps incollaboration with students and faculty from across the campus. Theresults suggest that app development projects are feasible for languageteachers, and that pedagogically sound apps can reduce some of theanxiety associated with learning a foreign language.