Enhancing Chinese Heritage Language Education Through Technology: A Two-Part Design and Evaluation Study

Abstract

This dissertation addresses critical gaps in Chinese Heritage Language (CHL) education by exploring the role of technology in bridging literacy-oracy disparities and supporting instructional practices. The project comprises two distinct but interconnected manuscripts that collectively aim to enhance the learning experiences of heritage students and the professional capabilities of CHL educators. The first manuscript, a design case study, evaluates the implementation of the I Chinese Reader mobile application at a Chinese language school in Virginia through a mixed-methods approach involving 142 students, the study assesses the app's impact on reading proficiency, vocabulary acquisition, and student engagement. Findings indicate significant improvements in reading scores, particularly among intermediate learners, and highlight the importance of culturally relevant content and dialect support features. The study identifies key design principles for heritage learner applications, including the necessity of addressing disconnects between sound and writing systems and providing offline functionality for rural access. The second manuscript adopts a design and development research methodology to create a research-based CHL Teacher Toolkit. Recognizing the challenges of "material overload" and the lack of structured guidance for technology integration, this study details the systematic design, development, and formative evaluation of a digital resource for K–12 CHL teachers. The toolkit operationalizes theoretical frameworks such as TPACK and SAMR into practical lesson plans and decision-making matrices. Formative evaluation with practitioners confirmed the toolkit's usability and effectiveness in helping teachers select appropriate digital tools to scaffold literacy and affirm student identity. Together, these manuscripts contribute to the fields of instructional design and heritage language education by providing empirical evidence on the efficacy of mobile-assisted language learning and practical resources for educators navigating the digital landscape.