235 © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 R. Moloney, H.L. Xu (eds.), Exploring Innovative Pedagogy in the Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Foreign Language, Multilingual Education 15, DOI 10.1007/978-981-287-772-7_13 Digital Tools for Chinese Character Acquisition and Their Impact on Student Motivation Anne E. McLaren and Mat Bettinson Abstract This research examines the use of newly-developed software applica- tions such as e-dictionaries, digital flash cards, and digital character writing pro- grams in the L2 Chinese language classroom in higher education. The acquisition of literacy in a character-based language such as Chinese can be difficult and time- consuming for the Second Language Learner. The objective is to investigate the extent to which these digital tools can reduce learner frustration, stimulate student motivation, and thus enhance student learning. This study reports on the introduc- tion of a character-learning software application to provide spaced repetition learn- ing at beginner level Chinese in a Western university. A student questionnaire, focus group and data analytics were used to assess take-up, frequency of use, and Chinese character acquisition. It was found that digital tools for Chinese character learning have the potential to enhance student engagement with their learning and allow for a broader range of strategies in the learning of Chinese character script. Challenges remain in adapting digital learning based on space repetition to the typical class- room schedule. 1 Introduction Researchers in learning methodologies for Chinese character acquisition generally agree that the acquisition of literacy in Chinese presents particular difficulties for the non-background learner. Each Chinese character represents a single morpheme, that is, the minimal unit of meaning. Traditionally, the script has been regarded as either ideographic or logographic in nature. More recently scholars have adopted the term “morphosyllabic” to express the notion that a Chinese character represents A.E. McLaren (*) Asia Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia e-mail: a.mclaren@unimelb.edu.au M. Bettinson School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia e-mail: mbettinson@unimelb.edu.au