SPECIAL SECTION ON NOVEL LEARNING APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES FOR SMART CAMPUS

Received January 18, 2018, accepted February 9, 2018, date of publication February 13, 2018, date of current version March 15, 2018.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2805758

Investigating Learners’ Technology Engagement -

A Perspective From Ubiquitous Game-Based
Learning in Smart Campus
XUESONG ZHAI 1,2 , (Member, IEEE), YAN DONG1 , AND JING YUAN3
1 Facultyof Education, School of Educational Technology, Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
2 Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Building and Building Energy Saving, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei 230022, China
3 School of Foreign Study, Anhui Sanlian University, Hefei 230601, China

Corresponding author: Yan Dong (yan.dong@bnu.edu.cn)

This work was supported in part by the Anhui Education Department through the Anhui Provincial Social Science Project under
Grant SK2017ZD42 and in part by the Anhui Educational Reform Project under Grant 2015zdjy115.

ABSTRACT With the increasing development of information technology and emerging of modern mobile
devices, researchers have been shedding light on the integration of ubiquitous learning and online games in
the construction of smart campus, aiming to enhance the online users’ learning performance and perceptions.
However, challenges of such blend learning model, for example, how to avoid the learners’ distraction from
online games, triggered many concerns from software engineers and educators. This paper investigated
the factors and driving mechanism to construct a learner’s technology engagement (TE) model towards
ubiquitous game-based learning (UGL) in the smart campus context. Based on the technology acceptance
model and the media system dependency theory, this paper identified the relationships among individual
expectation (IE), facility environment, social environment (SE), and TE. A total of 168 participants, who
were randomly assigned in the UGL settings, took part in the investigation. SPSS 19.0 was employed to
analyze factorial validity, internal consistency reliability, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The
result shows that learners’ TE toward UGL was influenced directly by IE (including fragmented learning
and infotainment learning) and SE (including peer coaching and parental supports). In addition, the ease of
use significantly moderated the fragmented learning and TE in the context of smart campus, while it was
an insignificant moderator of infotainment. Besides, the ease of use significantly moderated the coaching
of peers and TE, while it failed to moderate the parental supports and TEs. The theoretical and practical
implications are finally discussed in terms of the development tendency of the construction of smart campus
with UGL model.

INDEX TERMS Technology engagement, ubiquitous game-based learning, smart campus, fragmented
learning, infotainment learning.

I. INTRODUCTION that digital games could be an effective way for acquiring

New technology are enabling novel learning models in smart
campus environments, developing a novel ubiquitous learn-
ing model [1]. Specifically, with the rapid development of
computer and multimedia technologies, increasing attentions
have been paid to the investigation of the game-based learn-
ing [2]. Also, the mobile technology is promoting the integra-
tion of the ubiquity and infotainment evoking the Ubiquitous
Game-based Learning (UGL) model. Participants sometimes
were found to be largely engaged and indulged in the digital
games for hours on end with little or no awareness of the phys-
ical context around them [3]. Previous studies have revealed
knowledge in a more flexible and entertaining learning envi-
ronment [4]. Besides, the ubiquitous game-based learning
was a new approach by which students could gain specific
technical skills, novel ways of thinking, and varied learning
preferences [5], which enhanced students’ learning interest
and motivation. It was indicated that digital games have the
potential to draw students into the learning process and to
encourage them to participate through a more interactive
environment [6].
Although the recent years have witnessed a research ten-
dency on the positive influence of UGL on online learning

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performance and perception in smart campus [7], there still
exists a research gap in the analyses of contributing factors
and driving mechanism of learners’ technology engagement
in the context of ubiquitous game-based learning. More-
over, the abuse of UGL may result in a suit of problems
which need to be avoided. Some researchers have pointed
out that the negative impact in, for instance, increasing the
players’ self-alienating behaviors [8], and it is proposed that
the situation can worsen when mobile devices were used,
because of the lack of supervision. Synthesizing above lead
to the conclusion that although researchers and educators
are consistently advocating the idea that digital games could
stimulate students’ interest and motivation [9], few studies
have been carried out to investigate learners’ technology
engagement model in the ubiquitous game-based learning
context.
The current study is proposed to employ the Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM) and Media system dependency
theory (MSD) as the theoretical foundations. Because, TAM
is a typically model to examine users’ technology acceptance,
with with the technology engagement has close relation,
while the ease of use may be not a antecedent but a moderator
because of the increasing mature nature of easy controlling of
multimedia technique. Besides, MSD is an adaptable theoret-
ical background in the current research, since the UGL model
is mainly conducted in the various formats of multimedia,
which are popularized among college students. Synthesizing
above, the current research aims to fill the following two
research gaps:
1). What are the contributing factors relate to the learners’
technology engagement in the UGL model?
2). What is the driving mechanism among the proposed
variables to predict learners’ effective technology
engagement?
II. RESEARCH BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES
A. UBIQUITOUS GAME-BASED LEARNING
With rapid change in the educational technology, students
are trying multiple ways of promoting their learning per-
formance, and ubiquitous digital games are widely taken as
effective tools as the supplementary extra-curriculum activi-
ties in the conception of smart campus. According to a report
from Pew Research Center [10], the researchers discovered
that a large proportion of Americans children were engaged
in online-games. Owing to the increasing of students’ interest
in games and acquaintance with digital media, digital games
provide possibilities for educational research in smart campus
age. Although online digital games were initially designed
for entertainment with few connections with education, grow-
ing new digital games was built specifically for education
domain [11], which have made great impact on students’
learning outcomes and satisfaction as well as the construction
of smart campus. The possible explanation may be that the
contents of knowledge were integrated and designed into the
story of games, and learning skills are developed while they
conducted the game strategies [12].
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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE
Digital game-based learning combines the motivation of
games with curricular goal and content [13]. Digital games
also offer many particular benefits for constructing powerful
learning environments for many reasons: 1) Digital games
involving challenge, curiosity, control and fantasy increase
students’ interest and intrinsic motivation for learning [14].
2) It embed practice and drills assisting students in retaining
information more easily [15]. 3) It activate prior knowl-
edge by requiring players to use previously learned informa-
tion in order to advance to higher levels of the game [16].
4) games have been shown to foster development of crit-
ical thinking and problem –solving skills [17]. Therefore,
many researchers working on smart campus have adopted
digital games as learning tools and have developed inter-
esting and challenging instructional strategies for ubiqui-
tous game-based learning. The literature review on UGL
demonstrated that digital games are motivating and educa-
tionally effective [18], and improving science self-efficacy in
particular [19].
B. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
Two theories, Media system dependency theory (MSD) and
Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), were introduced in
the current research to investigate the framework and spe-
cific domain of learners’ technology engagement model in
the UGL context. Media system dependency theory (MSD)
based on classical sociological literature suggested that the
study of both media and their audiences should be consid-
ered in the settings of larger social system. It is promoted
that three relationships should be took into consideration:
society and the media, society and audience, media and audi-
ence [20]. The new media rich the definition and the relation-
ship among them, since audiences communicate approach
changed to virtual community and their society environment
seems strengthen through ubiquitous connections. Therefore,
when it comes to discuss the media dependency in the context
of new media, there exited three notable domains: 1) indi-
vidual expectations, 2) Social environment, 3) Technology
environment.
Another theory the researchers introduced in this paper is
technology acceptance model (TAM), which has been proved
as valid scale to predict how users’ acceptance of certain kind
of technology were formulated. TAM verified that perceived
usefulness and perceived ease of use are identified as the main
antecedence for individuals’ behavior intention to use infor-
mation system. TAM has become one of the most widely used
and empirically validated models within information systems
research [21], and it has been applied to different technologies
and has been tested in various contexts. Thus, the definition of
technology acceptance may be adapted according to various
contexts. In the current research, it is proposed that the use-
fulness of ubiquitous game-based learning is feature with the
flexibility and the entertainment, the former refers to learners
could make good use of fragmented time in learning, while
the later refers to the infotainment settings learners could
enjoy.
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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE
C. HYPOTHESES AND RESEARCH MODEL
1) INDIVIDUAL EXPECTATION AND
TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE
Usefulness was typically defined as the degree to which a
person believes that using a particular system would enhance
his or her job performance [22]. In traditional TAM, it is
hypothesized that the evaluation of its usefulness has sig-
nificant correlation with individuals’ intention to use tech-
nology. In the current study, usefulness is specified with the
learning settings and defined as the usefulness of fragmented
learning and usefulness of infotainment learning in the smart
campus. Students using mobile devices to perform learning
activity usually seems more flexible compared in authentic
phenomenon, thereby their expectation of knowledge acqui-
sition are probably more self-directed and individualized,
which may strengthen learners’ technology engagement.
Moreover, from the perspective of innovation, the infotain-
ment atmosphere may significantly trigger students’ innova-
tive behavior, and leaners with innovation appear likely seek
information from technology and engage in using it [23].
Therefore, it can be hypothesized that:
H1a. Usefulness of fragmented learning positively relate to
learners’ technology engagement in UBG.
H1b. Usefulness of infotainment learning positively relate
to learners’ technology engagement in UBG.
2) SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
ENGAGEMENT
Technology engagement was largely influenced by external
variables, and according to media dependence theory, social
networks, such as external supports, is an antecedence to
learners’ engagement of technology. In terms of ubiquitous
game-based learning, the social environment is fundamen-
tally categorized into parental supports and peer coaching,
since in the ubiquitous context parents rather than teachers
may take more roles as supervisor, and peers are their com-
municatees in the virtual communities.
From the perspective of supervision arrangement,
researchers have attempted to find out how parenting styles
and rules affect media use of children and adolescents [24].
Parental beliefs have gradually been an important factor
influencing the UGL, and parental view and support on infor-
mation technology have extensively affected the application
of UGL. Discussing from the perspective of educational
context, research on information technology integration has
traditionally considered the home environment as a basis for
extending school activities beyond classroom [25].
Additionally, peer coaching was considered as another
vital extrinsic factor to predict learners’ technology engage-
ment in the context of smart campus. UGL is totally per-
formed in the virtual community in the current research,
because in VSC learning climate, the frequency of user’s
interactions decided the level of the dynamic and vitality for
the participants’ VSC group. Since VSC group is established
by learners who own a similar and particular expectation, and
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students who are in the same class would probably be the
largest body of a VSC group. They can upload or download
digital files in VSC with the individuals of same interest.
Therefore, learners can not only share information with
members, but also conduce to knowledge building in virtual
self-organized community [26]. It is thus suggested
that the support from classmates’ social network con-
tribute to learners’ acceptance toward virtual self-organized
community. Therefore, the following hypotheses are
proposed:
H2a. Peer coaching has positive relation with technology
engagement
H2b. Parental supports positively predict the technology
engagement.
3) EASE OF USE AS A MODERATOR
In this survey, ease of use was selected as a vital mod-
erator instead of antecedence, because the current mobile
devices and applications were almost installed with users-
friendly interface and manipulation, so that ease of use may
be not an decided factor to technology but still may exist
moderating effect. Perceived ease of use is a crucial factor
for behavior intention in conventional technology acceptance
model. It is defined as ‘‘the degree to which a person believes
that using a particular system would be free of effort’’ [27].
TAM speculated that ease of use has a direct influence on
behavioral intention. However, it did not get consistency for
the reasons that several researches and studies did not confirm
a direct effect from ease of use on behavioral intention and
actual technology use [28], mostly because ease of use is
relatively featured with stability compared with usefulness as
the draft development of technology, and users are attempt
to focus more on the ever-developed factors than stable trait.
However, once the neglected stability was changed, users’
fixed and accustomed habits would be invaded. Thus, this
research proposed that ease of use may be a moderator than
antecedence in ubiquitous game-based learning settings, and
the above conclusion lead to following hypotheses:
H3a. Ease of use positively moderate fragmented learning
and technology engagement.
H3b. Ease of use positively moderate infotainment learning
and technology engagement.
H3c. Ease of use positively moderate peer coaching and
technology engagement.
H3d. Ease of use positively moderate parental supports and
technology engagement.
4) RESEARCH MODEL
Synthesizing above hypotheses, the proposed model shown
in Figure.1 predicts the driving mechanism of learners’ tech-
nology engagement in the context of UGL. The domain
of individual expectation including fragmented learning and
infotainment learning was proposed positively relate to tech-
nology engagement, and the domain of social environment
including peer coaching and parental supports were both
hypothesized as predictors to technology engagement; ease
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TABLE 1. Sample demographics n = 168.

FIGURE 1. The proposed technology engagement model in UGL.

of use, is hypothesized as a moderator between the fore

antecedents and descendant.

III. METHODOLOGY
A. PARTICIPANTS AND INSTRUMENTS
Totally 168 students (aged 20-25years) from varied grades
and different departments of four Universities, all of which
have conducted the provincial smart campus projects, were
recruited to participate in the research, and the procedure of
the study employed both quantitative and qualitative mea-
surements. The sample demographics shown in TABLE 1
suggested that the participants are relatively representative.
Aiming to guarantee the quality of the questionnaire, the par-
ticipants were required to completed the questionnaire anony-
mously and some gifts were offered in return to ensure that
all participants seriously treated the survey. The question-
naire was constructed on a five-point scale ranging from
‘‘strongly disagree’’ to ‘‘strongly agree’’, which consisted
of 20 items belonging to 6 variables. Although self-reported
scales are relatively subjective measurements, they are suit-
able for exploring learners’ psychological ideology and men- B. DATA ANALYSES
tal orders. SPSS 19.0 was utilized to conduct the measurements of
The scales of fragmented learning, infotainment learning, the collected data. The examination of the proposed model
ease of use and technology engagement was modified and included reliability, convergent validity, discriminant valid-
developed by the prior study [29]. The original scales were ity, and mediating analysis. Firstly, Cronbach’s alpha and
respectively employed to test perceived usefulness, ease of composite reliability (CR) were used to evaluate the internal
use and learning perceptions, which is adaptable to the con- consistency of each variable, and the accepted level of 0.70 is
text of UGL. Additionally, the internal reliability index and recommended. According to Bagozzi and Yi’s research [31],
alpha value were adequate for the first three sub-scales, 0.82, there are three criteria to test convergent validity of the pro-
0.71, and 0.68, and for the entire scale, 0.81, which show posed model: (1) the factor loadings should not be under 0.50;
good reliability in internal consistency. Peer coaching and (2) CR Should exceed 0.70; and (3) the average variance
parental supports developed by Stichter et al.’s research [30], extracted (AVE) of every construct should be over 0.50.
was adopted in order to measure the influence of social Discriminant validity is used to test if the variables could be
environment on the technology engagement attitude. The fit discriminated independently to another. Typically, the square
indices of the structural model including RMSEA of 0.058, root of the AVE should be larger than the correlation effi-
a χ 2 /df of 1.82, GFI of 0.87, NFI of 0.94, and CFI of 0.97, ciency of each construct with any other constructs. In terms of
showed that the structural model has an acceptable model mediator testing, the research employed Edwards and Lam-
fit. bert’s regression framework [32], and all interaction variables

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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE
TABLE 2. Results of confirmatory factor analysis (n = 196).
of the proposed model were standardized to minimize multi-
collinearity.
IV. RESULTS
A. RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
The Cronbach’s alpha of each construct as shown in TABLE 2
ranged from 0.891 to 0.925, greater than the accepted level of
0.7. In addition, every CR scored above 0.9, and all indicator
factor loadings ranged from 0.823 to 0.938 exceed 0.5, which
suggested that the reality and convergent validity of these
scales are satisfactory. To test the discriminant validity of
each construct, the square root of the AVE of a construct
should be greater than the construct’s correlation with any
other construct. As shown in TABLE 3, the square roots of
the AVEs for all constructs were greater than the correlations
between constructs, which confirmed the discriminant valid-
ity of the measurement model. Therefore, the measurement
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TABLE 3. Means, standard deviation and correlation.
TABLE 4. Results of hierarchical regression analyses.
model in this study shows satisfactory reliability, convergent
validity, and discriminant validity [33].
B. HYPOTHESES TEST
Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted
to test Hypotheses H1, H2, H3. As shown in TABLE 4,
the results presented all the antecedents including frag-
mented learning, infotainment learning, peer coaching, and
parents supports positively related to technology engagement
(F = 4.876∗∗ ), which supports H1a, H1b, H2a, H2b.
Moreover, ease of use significantly moderated the fragment
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FIGURE 2. Significant moderating effect of ease of use on the
relationship between fragmented learning and technology engagement.
FIGURE 3. Significant Moderating effect of ease of use on the
relationship between peer coaching and technology engagement.
FIGURE 4. Insignificant moderating effect of ease of use on the
relationship between infotainment learning and technology engagement.
learning and technology engagement, and the modera-
tion effect still exit between peer coaching and technol-
ogy engagement, which were shown in FIGURE 2 and
FIGURE 3. However, the ease of use failed to play the
moderation effects between the infotainment learning and
technology engagement, additionally there still existed no
moderation effect between the parental supports and technol-
ogy engagement shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5, when ease
of use was employed as a moderator. The tested model of
technology engagement in the context of UGL is shown in
Figure 6.
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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE
FIGURE 5. Insignificant moderating effect of ease of use on the
relationship between infotainment learning and technology engagement.
FIGURE 6. The tested technology engagement model in UGL.
V. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
In this study, a proposed model of leaners’ technology
engagement in smart campus was explored in the con-
text of ubiquitous game-based learning settings. The scales
grounded in prior studies were developed, and the data were
collected and analyzed by using SPSS 19.0 to figure out the
predictors and driving mechanism of learners’ technology
engagement. The modified questionnaire has 20 items that
assess four dimensions, and the factorial validity and internal
consistency reliability have been tested followed by conduct-
ing correlation and multiple regression analyses.
The results of this study supported that learners’ expecta-
tion of the usefulness of fragmented learning and infotain-
ment learning are two significant antecedents, which further
support the TAM is a reliable theory foundation for the UGL
users in the context of smart campus. Because the ubiquitous
game-based learning is a creative integration of mobile learn-
ing and digital games in smart campus, which featured with
two basic components addressed learners’ focus on learning
flexibly in a entertainment phenomenon. There leaved impli-
cations for instructing designers that some specific learning
tasks adaptable for fragmented learning are required to be
enhanced, avoiding that the same learning tasks as physical
classes were assigned in the UGL model.
Additionally, the peer coaching and parental supports were
still significantly predicted users’ technology engagement
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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE

in the UGL model. The results consisted with the Media enhance students’ learning performance, therefore the ease
system dependency theory (MSD) certified that the social of conducting the game software is neither their expectation
environment is a vital variable for individuals’ dependence nor their understanding range.
on the multimedia. Since UGL are conducted in the virtual
community, and the interaction only affected in the condi- VI. LIMITATIONS
tion that participants should share expectations similarly and The current study theoretically extent the technology engage-
particularly. Users may not only tend to share information ment model in the UGL context, and practically offering
with peers, but also conduce to construct knowledge frame- many instructive implications for educator and game design-
work in online context. It is thus suggested that the support ers to better utilize ubiquitous games enhancing users’ learn-
from peers’ social network contribute to learners’ technology ing performance for the construction of smart campus. How-
acceptance. Besides, parental supports provide more chances ever, the results of the present study should be treated with
for UGL, because UGL commonly is conducted after school, some cautions due to a number of limitations. Firstly, the sam-
and parents’ understanding and positive evaluation of digital ple size of our research was limited, and the experiment was
games would offer the possibility for learners to get access to conducted in only four universities which conduct smart cam-
mobile devices. pus projects. Therefore, it is suggested that future research
Ease of use appear to be an important moderator rather could be carried out with more samples from varied educa-
than antecedence for students’ technology acceptance in the tion backgrounds and ages. Secondly, due to the survey was
context of digital game-based learning in the smart campus, based on self-report instruments, it is difficult to generalize
which is distinct from the classical technology acceptance learners’ deeper motivation or attitude, and we warrant the
model. When deep into the investigation of the interview, objective measurements, such as learners’ biofeedback and
we found that the mobile devices have become sufficient peer’ interactive data, will be implemented in future studies.
intelligent and portable in the context of smart campus, which
make the ease of use become a basic feature among the APPENDIX
current mobile devices. It would be the possible explanation THE SCALES OF LEARNERS’ TECHNOLOGY ENGAGEMENT
to why ease of use is no longer an antecedence. IN THE CONTEXT OF UGL
However, ease of use still has moderating effect on frag-
mented learning and technology acceptance [34], which may
owe to that the fragmented learning activities were commonly
conducted in the short-term of temporary context, such as stu-
dents’ cafeteria, and the ease of using the intelligent devices
may enhance their manipulation leading to the perceptions
of technology engagement. Besides, the ease of use acts as
a moderator for the effect of peer coaching and technology
engagement. Previous studies have suggested that learners
prefer to perform UGL in collaborative settings, and the
current digital games typically embodied with some inter-
active functions such as BBS, chat room, and team games
settings, which makes the collaborative activities easier to
achieve. Thus, the moderating effect does work during the
peer coaching and technology engagement.
Surprisingly, the ease of use has no significant moderating
effect on the H3b and H3d. When reexamine the learning
behavior data in the digital games, it was found that learners
would rather participate in some challenging games than
basic level ones. The review data supported the hypothesis
that the basic-level digital games some time show only offer
the low taxonomy leaning activities such as remembering
and understanding, while the challenging games with a little
difficult operation will arouse the learners’ high taxonomy
such as evaluation and application of contents of knowledge.
To sum up, it is suggested that the ease of use may fail to
moderate the infotainment learning and technology engage-
ment in the context of smart campus. Additionally, the ease
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XUESONG ZHAI (M’18) was born in Jingxian
County, Anhui, China, in 1981. He received the
Ph.D. degree majoring in public management from
the School of Public Affairs, University of Science
and Technology of China, Hefei, China, in 2016,
and the Ph.D. degree in education technology from
the School of Educational Technology, Beijing
Normal University, Beijing, China, in 2016. He
is currently a Visiting Scholar with the School of
Information, University of North Texas, Denton,
TX, USA.
From 2004 to 2009, he was a Research Assistant with the School of
Foreign Study, Anhui Jianzhu University, and since 2009, he has been an
Advanced Lecturer. Since 2014, he has been an Associate Professor with the
Laboratory of Intelligent Building and also with the School of Foreign Study.
He has authored 20 articles and holds four patents. He rewarded 12 grants
in which three of them are key provincial funding. His research interests
include interactive learning, construction of smart learning environment, and
emerging technology-enhanced learning.
Dr. Zhai received many awards and prizes, including the Outstanding
Young Talent Fellowship from the Anhui Education Department, and is the
academic consultant in Hefei city, Anhui. He is a member of the Soci-
ety of International Chinese in Educational Technology and the Associate
Chairman in the workshop section of the Global Chinese Conference on
Computers in Education in 2017.
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X. Zhai et al.: Investigating Learners’ TE

YAN DONG was born in Dongyangmen Village,
Henan, China, in 1973. She received the Ph.D.
degree in education technology from the School of
Psychology, University of Beijing Normal Univer-
sity, Beijing, China, in 2007. In 2004, she joined
the Institute of Learning and Instruction, The Uni-
versity of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, as a Visiting
Scholar.
From 1998 to 2000, she was a Research Assis-
tant with the Department of Electronic, Beijing
Normal University, and since 2001, she has been an Advanced Lecturer.
Since 2006, she has been an Associate Professor with the Laboratory of Web
Education and also with the School of Information Science. Since 2015,
she has been a Professor with the Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal
University. She has authored 40 articles. She rewarded 15 grants in which
three of them are key ministerial and provincial-level funding. Her research
interests include teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge,
twenty-first century learning, technology-enhanced learning, and science
technology engineering mathematics project-based learning.
Dr. Dong received many awards and prizes, including the Excellent Paper
Prize from East China Normal University in 2017, and is the academic
consultant of educational informationization in Henan. She is a member
of the Society of International Chinese in Educational Technology and the
Chairman in the workshop section of the Global Chinese Conference on
Computers in Education in 2017.
JING YUAN was born in Mengcheng County,
Anhui, China, in 1980. She received the bachelor’s
degree in foreign study and education from Anhui
Agricultural University, Hefei, China, in 2004,
and the M.S. degree in linguistics education from
Anhui University, Hefei, in 2009.
From 2004 to 2015, she was a Research Assis-
tant and a Lecturer with the Department of Foreign
Study, Anhui Sanlian University, Hefei, where she
has been promoted to an Associate Professor since
2015. Her research interests include the technology-enhanced language
learning and smart learning environment.
Ms. Yuan received the Key Social Science Fund from the Anhui Provincial
Academic Department and participated in more than ten provincial academic
projects.

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