Enhancing Grammar Learning with a Multimedia Instructional Module:Design and Teaching of“Shì...de”Construction for CFL learners

This pilot study examined the effectiveness and students’perceptions of a multimedia module on intermediate Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language(CFL)learners’understanding and use of the“shì...de”construction.The module was designed based on the First Principles of Instruction(Morrill,2002)and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning(Mayer,2009;2014).It provided a systematic and comprehensive approach to teaching the“shì...de”construction,one of the most challenging grammar points in CFL.Twenty-two CFL learners participated in this mixed-methods study.Data were collected using pre-and post-tests,a survey,think-alouds,and semi-structured interviews.Findings show that after using the module,students’understanding and use of the construction significantly improved,except for their understanding of the second usage.The students enjoyed using the module and appreciated how it was designed,the way it was presented,and its availability.The reasons for the effectiveness of the module were analyzed and led to suggested improvements to the design of the module.The detailed description of the design process and the research result contribute to the knowledge of designing grammar teaching modules with multimedia for online,blended,and flipped learning.