Language Preferences and Practices in Multilingual EdTech: Flexible Primary Language Use with Secondary Language Support

2026-04-09

AI Summary

This study addresses how the dominance of colonial languages in education systems often marginalizes local languages, limiting native speakers’ access to learning resources. Conducted as a quasi-experiment in Uganda, it allowed learners in a distance-learning course to choose between English, the local language Leb-Lango, or a mixed-language mode—the first empirical investigation into learners’ active regulation of language use in bilingual distance education. Analysis of platform logs and interviews revealed that participants who consistently employed the mixed-language mode demonstrated significantly longer course persistence. The findings underscore learners’ linguistic agency and offer novel insights and practical pathways for designing inclusive, multilingual distance education frameworks.

Abstract

The benefits of learning in one's mother tongue are well documented, yet colonial languages dominate education, marginalizing local languages and limiting access for learners who rely on their mother tongue for understanding. With the rapid growth of educational technology, there is potential to integrate multilingual instruction supporting both colonial and local languages. This study is part of a larger quasi-experiment conducted in Uganda, where learners could choose to learn in English, Leb-Lango (a local language), or in Hybrid mode (a combination of both) in a remote EdTech course. We examined how learners who chose the Hybrid option navigated English and Leb-Lango. While many Hybrid learners did not consistently use both languages, those who did persisted longer in the course. Learners also shared how they managed language complexities. We provide the first empirical evidence of learner agency in bilingual remote EdTech instruction and offer insights for designing inclusive multilingual learning solutions.

Problem

• multilingual EdTech
• language preference
• mother tongue
• colonial language
• inclusive education

Innovation

• multilingual EdTech
• learner agency
• Hybrid language mode
• mother tongue instruction
• inclusive learning design