An investigation into vietnamese generation z undergraduates perceptions towards using mobile assisted language learning ( mall ) devices

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY --- Nguyen Thi Kim Thao AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAMESE GENERATION Z UNDERGRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS USING MO

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY -

Nguyen Thi Kim Thao

AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAMESE GENERATION

Z UNDERGRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS USING MOBILE ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY -

Nguyen Thi Kim Thao

AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAMESE GENERATION Z UNDERGRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS USING MOBILE ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING (MALL)

Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, PhD

Ho Chi Minh City, 2021

RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS

I hereby state that I, Nguyen Thi Kim Thao, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL) accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited

in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for thesis

Ho Chi Minh City, October, 2021

NGUYEN THI KIM THAO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to my research supervisor: Dr Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang who encouraged me during master’s thesis accomplishment Without her invaluable support and guidance, I could not complete the research Thank you for your suggestions that were very useful for me to improvise my thesis as well as your patience to respond all of my questions

Furthermore, I would like to seize the opportunity here and record my gratitude

to my proposal committee members: Dr Le Thi Thanh Thu, Dr Bui Thi Thuc Quyen and Dr Le Thi Thuy Nhung who reviewed my proposal and provided valuable comments to improve the quality of my project Their advice before conducting the research really helped me to go into precise directions

My completion of this project could not have been accomplished without the support of my classmate: Mr Dang Duc Tue who helped me dramatically in sending

my survey to his students at HUFI Without his assistance, I might face a lot of difficulties to find expected participants to collect quantitative and qualitative data for

my research

Many thanks also to Mr Bui Nhat Huy who helped me to conduct the pilot test

at HCMC Open University I have never been supported by such a considerate teacher like him before His assistance did make me increase a great deal of confidence before conducting the project

Finally, I would like to express my warmest thanks and deepest gratitude to one

of my classmates: Mrs Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong She was the one easing my stress whenever I encountered problems in doing research Without her encouragements, I might not have enough the initiative to complete my thesis promptly

Doing this research is a good chance for me to have such a precious experience and valuable memory Now, I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life

Z undergraduates’ perceptions towards MALL devices in learning English as well discover their perceptions of the lecturers’ roles in supporting their use of mobile devices for English learning The study was constructed as a mixed-method, embedded design with 108 non-English major tertiary students (N = 108) at HCMC University of Food Industry (HUFI) taking part in the survey, and six of them were approached to conduct the interview The survey revealed that smartphones were the device having the highest number users among Generation Z undergraduates, applications related to vocabulary and meanings of words were the most popular English apps students at HUFI were using Moreover, the frequency of practicing English activities on handheld devices of tertiary students at HUFI was just at nearly sometimes In general, Generation Z students had slightly positive perceptions towards the use of mobile devices in learning English, in which students’ perceptions towards MALL outside classrooms were more positive than those of inside classes In terms of lecturers’ roles,

a half of participants demonstrated that MALL lecturers at HUFI set up homework which required the use of apps or online resources For informal learning, nearly 40% participants believed that MALL lecturers should play a role as a guide in informal learning, which included recommending resources and monitoring learning efficacy In addition, most of the interviewees agreed that lecturers’ roles as a person who helped

students to be familiar with MALL devices, as the one who guided students’ learning process, the one who integrated learning materials with proper mobile devices creatively, and the one who were able to fix technological problems were all important This study also confirmed that MALL lecturers could not be replaced by MALL devices in the future

Key words: MALL, Generation Z, higher education, Vietnamese undergraduates, EFL teaching and learning, perceptions

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction 11

1.1 Background Information 11

1.2 English Learning Practice with MALL 33

1.3 Gap and Rationale of the Research 55

Chapter 2: Literature Review 88

2.1 Trends in Mobile Learning 88

2.2 Definitions of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) 99

2.2.1 MALL as a Tool/ Device 99

2.2.2 MALL Involves the Use of Portable Devices for Language Learning 1010

2.2.3 Other Definitions of MALL 1111

2.2.4 Features of Learning and Teaching with MALL 1111

2.3 The Development of MALL 1414

2.4 Generation Z 1717

2.5 Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) 1818

2.5.1 Affordances of MALL 1818

2.5.1.1 Flexibility in Time and Places 1919

2.5.1.2 High-Cognitive Development 2121

2.5.1.3 Language Skills 2323

2.5.1.4 Learning Achievements 2424

2.5.2 Perceptions of Students towards MALL 2525

2.5.2.1 Positive Perceptions 2525

2.5.2.2 Negative Perceptions 3131

2.5.3 Lecturers’ Roles in MALL 3535

2.5.3.1 A Tailor 3535

2.5.3.2 A Facilitator in Familiarization 3636

2.5.3.3 A Guide or a Director 3737

2.5.3.4 Other Roles 3737

2.6 Conceptual Framework 3838

Chapter 3: Methodology 4141

3.1 Research Design 4141

3.2 Participants 4141

3.3 Sampling method 4242

3.4 Instruments 4242

3.5 Procedures 4545

3.6 Data Analysis 4545

3.7 Scope of The Study 4646

Chapter 4: Results 4747

4.1 Current Practices of Generation Z Undergraduates towards Using Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) Devices in Learning English 4747

4.2 Perceptions of Generation Z Undergraduates About Using MALL Devices in Learning English 5151

4.3 Lecturers’ Roles in Supporting the Students’ Use of MALL Devices 5656

4.3.1 General Findings of Lecturer’s Roles 5656

4.3.2 Interviews 5959

Chapter 5: Discussions on Findings 6767

5.1 Discussions on Current Practices of Using MALL Devices in Learning English of Generation Z Undergraduates 6767

5.2 Discussions on Undergraduates’ Perceptions towards Using MALL Devices 7070

5.3 Discussions on Lecturers’ Roles in MALL 7676

5.3.1 Lecturers’ Roles in General 7676

5.3.2 Lecturers’ Roles in Interviews 7878

5.3.2.1 The Role of Helping Students to Get Acquainted with MALL Devices 7878

5.3.2.2 The Role of Guiding Students 7979

5.3.2.3 The Role of Being Creative 8080

5.3.2.4 The Role of Fixing Technological Problems 8383

5.3.2.5 Lecturers’ Roles in The Future and Students’ Expectations 8484

Chapter 6: Conclusion 8989

6.1 Interpretations of Findings 8989

6.1.1 Current Practices in English Learning 8989

6.1.2 Students’ Perceptions Towards Use of MALL Devices 8989

6.1.3 Lecturers’ Roles in MALL 9090

6.2 Recommendations 9393

6.3 Limitations 9595

6.4 Further Research Studies 9696

References 9898

Appendices 121121

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Graph of Identified Studies by Continents From 2010 To 2020 1616

Figure 2.2 Generation Z Students’ Perceptions Towards Using MALL Devices 3939

Figure 4.1 The Most Popular Mobile Devices Generation Z Owning 4848

Figure 4.2 Common English Learning Applications used by Generation Z Students 4949

Figure 4.3 How MALL Lecturers Monitor Students’ MALL Devices 5656

Figure 4.4 MALL Lecturers’ Roles in Out-Of-Class Learning 5757

Figure 4.5 Roles Students Have Received Most from Their Lecturers in MALL

Lessons 5858

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Distribution of Commonly Investigated Topics in The MALL Studies From

2004 to 2012 1414

Table 3.1 Instruments Employed for Data Collection 4444

Table 4.1 The Frequency of Using MALL Devices to Practice English 5050

Table 4.2 Perceptions of Generation Z Students Towards MALL Devices 5353

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 3G : Third Generation of Wireless Mobile Telecommunications

Technology Apps : Applications

BBM : Blackberry Messenger

CALL : Computer Assisted Language Learning

CSE : Computer Science Engineering

EFL : English as a Foreign Language

HUFI : HCMC University of Food Industry

ICT : Information and Communications Technology

iOS : iPhone Operating System

IT : Information Technology

LMS : Learning Management System

MALL : Mobile Assisted Language Learning

SAELL : Smartphone Apps for English Language Learning

SMS : Short Message Service

SNSs : Social-Networking Sites

SPSS : Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

PCs : Personal Computers

PDAs : Personal Digital Assistants

PDF : Portable Document Format

QDA : Qualitative Data Analysis

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background Information

There are numerous changes in the 21st century, a majority of such changes is resulted in technology advances It is no doubt that the influence of technology upon our lives has become gradually acute In educational fields, technologies are considered

as tools “to help in the process of teaching and learning” (Taj et al., 2016, p 82) In EFL environment, technologies play roles as providers to meet learners’ needs and as

an assistant to support them in learning English as well (Chakir, 2018) Furthermore, technology development also emerges novel learning methods which supplement existing learning methods These learning theories intend to focus on learner-centered and personalized ways of learning (Çakmak, 2019)

It is a fact that mobile technology is one of the fastest technologies developing

in the age of information Nicolas and El-Aly (2018) asserted that the development of smartphones brings “information, communication, and creative productivity to our fingertips” (p 441) In the next few years, smartphones are believed to be soon outnumber laptops, and wireless platforms can be browsed online without any difficulties (Sun, 2019) Metruk (2019) reported that the number of smartphone users was expected to increase from 2.1 to 2.5 billion in 2019 along with the rapid increase

in smartphone penetration rates, furthermore with 10% of the world’s population used smartphones, it was forecasted to jump into 36% by 2018 (as cited in Lee & Kim, 2019)

With the strong development and influence of mobile devices, educators must follow the trend of using portable devices into teaching and learning Teachers in general and lecturers in particular are those must engage with technology in their teaching process (Taj et al., 2016) EFL teachers/lecturers should be trained on using mobile devices for their students in a wide range of educational stages because

language learning technologies has gradually become “mobilized, portable, and personalized” (Helwa, 2017, p 138) In the view of Sufi and Shalmani (2018), EFL teachers need to not only be aware of employing mobile tools in education but also show their learners their interests in teaching with mobile technologies Teachers and lecturers themselves have to be aware of related forms of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), especially MALL applications since they are considered as supplementary tools in education along with the conventional teaching tools (Ghorbani

& Ebadi, 2020) The current English teaching design form is believed to be diversified and combine multi-functions viz video, audio, pictures, and text, which relatively enough to meet EFL students’ needs (Li & Tu, 2021)

In the next few years, people who were born from 1995 to 2010 (Generation Z) will be the main labor According to Mohr and Mohr (2017), Generation Z owns attributes making them distinctive from previous generations By way of illustration, they intend to work collaboratively with open-mindedness They view their future workplace as a spot to solve problems and the most special feature is they “live” with technology With mentioned characteristics of Generation Z, Poláková and Klímová (2019) suggested that “the nature of education should be innovated, i.e., in order to meet the needs of current students and to help raise the level of learning” (p 3) Along with the distinctive attributes compared to previous generations, Generation Z also shows their unique preferences in learning, especially English learning Typically, a study of Chiang (2020) revealed that college students enjoyed the game-like learning environment like Kahoot application The researcher pointed out a reason for his finding was because “students in the digital age are able to access a variety of online content and communication methods, such as social media, videos, games, email and text” (p 41) With the strong coming of Generation Z, it is clearly that education in the future needs changing dramatically, or else it will lag behind them

According to Ngo and Eichelberger (2019), there is a growing trend in number

of Internet users in Vietnam: from 36% of Vietnam’s population in 2013, then 45% in

2015 (as cited in Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency, 2015)

In a study of Pham et al (2019), this number jumped to 50% in 2018 (as cited in CIEM, 2018) Along with the Internet users, Pham et al (2019) also revealed that mobile devices were also increasing dramatically in Vietnam with the number of 129 million mobile phone subscribers (as cited in CIEM, 2018) It can be seen that mobile technology has been developing widely in Vietnam so it will bring overwhelming advantages towards Vietnamese education Internet and mobile phone users are two fundamental elements for Vietnam education to successfully implement Mobile learning, especially Mobile Assisted Language Learning Although studies about mobile learning in Vietnam have not been undertaken appreciably, there are several highlighted achievements acknowledged According to Pham et al (2019), there are 20 universities offering online education programs in Vietnam (as cited in Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training, 2015) In addition, Nguyen (2019) claimed that E-learning programs in Vietnam has great potential with sales growth rate up to 40% year

by year E-learning attracts not only domestic businesses, but also Asian investors such

as Japan, Korea, or Singapore Ngo and Hoang (2020) stated that Vietnam stood fourth all over the world about E-learning development rate during 2013-2018 With such achievements, it is strongly believed that mobile learning will spread throughout Vietnam in the coming years

1.2 English Learning Practice with MALL

As defined by DeKeyser (2010), practice is “specific activities in the second language engaged in systematically, deliberately, with the goal of developing knowledge of and skills in the second language” (as cited in DeKeyser, 2007a, p 8) The author agree that practice is not a mere element to make perfect but when it is considered as “opportunities for meaningful language use (both receptive and

productive) and for thoughtful, effortful practice of difficult linguistic features, then the role of practice is clearly beneficial and even essential” (as cited in Lightbown, 2000,

p 443) Practice can take various forms and students appear to play a decisive role in its effectiveness (DeKeyser, 2010) In MALL teaching and learning, the praxis of practice is diverse because portable tools themselves own many functions which increase the personalization of their learning process With the growing trend in using mobile devices in daily activities, it has influenced the practice of EFL learners enormously

Alzu'bi and Sabha (2013) claimed that the trend of carrying mobile devices and checking emails anytime and anywhere among learners has an explosive growth; furthermore, most of the learners prefer to use digital dictionaries on their mobile phones (Cakir, 2015) What Alzu'bi and Sabha (2013) and Cakir (2015) contended can

be concluded that learners themselves form habits from employing mobile devices in regular activities, which is no doubt an overwhelming advantage for English learning practice In addition, there are more and more schools using portable devices such as laptops or tablets as well as the substantial increase in mobile apps for teachers to support their teaching process (Coello-Vásquez, 2019) Gonulal (2019), on the other hand, found that English language learners suggested social network like Instagram should be a peripheral language learning tool instead of being an informal way of learning English It means that students in the digital age have high level of acceptance towards MALL They highly demand mobile devices or mobile platforms to be officially employed in education

Hoang (2018) revealed that 100% tertiary students at Thuong Mai University owned computers or mobile phones as well as connected to the Internet Another positive finding was that 65.8% of the students used Internet for English learning, and most of them studied on the Internet to prepare for their future jobs Hoang (2018) conclude that tertiary students have certain motivation for English learning through the

Internet, which is particularly important in any teaching and learning methods Vuong

et al (2018) contributed to the positive background of Vietnamese university students,

in particular, sophomores found no difficulty in using Moodle e-learning platform and they felt that IT illiteracy was not a challenge for them Sophomores in the study of Vuong et al (2018) are obviously Generation Z students, and mentioned findings can

be implied that Generation Z undergraduates in Vietnam are now good at IT skills and they are not afraid of using e-learning platforms Furthermore, Ngo and Eichelberger (2019) showed that non-English major college students had high level of comfort in utilizing the Internet Most of them strongly believed that the use of ICTs for EFL learning would increase in the future Through findings from mentioned studies in Vietnam, it would be better to say, Vietnamese students or Generation Z undergraduates have motivation for learning English through the Internet, have good ability in ICTs, and have strong belief in learning with technology in Vietnam hereafter

It is the fact that more and more educational applications are being emerged considerably to assist teachers in their teaching process (Coello-Vásquez, 2019) Beside internet connection, apps are one of significant issues needed investigating since the more apps available, the more various of the resources that learners can access to However, designing apps is not easy as it sounds because teachers and designing-apps experts need to be collaborated A lack of close collaboration between them will fail to attract learners One more problem pointed out by Fox (2019) was that undergraduates’ possession of mobile devices was high but those devices were not used effectively (p 252) Obviously, there are a number of matters in the use of handheld devices in teaching and learning practices should be taken into consideration 1.3 Gap and Rationale of the Research

With the high ownership of mobile devices of tertiary students as well as the

growing trend in using portable devices in education, it can be suggested that flexible learning like mobile learning has been the accelerating trend in language learning (Guo

& Wang, 2018; Hayati et al., 2011) Furthermore, mobile-assisted tasks prove their positive impacts not only in language skills but also in transversal skills such as positive perception, interpersonal skills, teamwork, etc (Krasulia & Saks, 2020) In Vietnamese education, Ngo and Hoang (2020) emphasized that applying e-learning at universities is yet a significant activity; therefore, Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in Vietnamese higher education has a very great potential for researching in the future In addition, most of Generation Z are young learners so investigating them have great potential in the field It is prominent to understand how Generation Z perceives mobile learning, especially MALL Because a small part of Generation Z just enters university, there is little discussion on perceptions of Generation Z learners towards MALL, especially in Vietnamese context

The objectives in this study are:

1 to investigate theuse of mobile devices by the Generation Z students in their English learning practices so that MALL lecturers can consider suitable approaches in their teaching process

2 to investigate Generation Z undergraduates’ perceptions towards MALL devices in learning English

3 to discover Generation Z students’ perceptions of the lecturers’ roles in supporting their use of mobile devices for English learning

Based on the above objectives, the following three research questions are raised:

1 What are current practices of Generation Z undergraduates using Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) devices in learning English?

2 What are the perceptions of Generation Z undergraduates about using MALL devices in learning English?

3 What are the perceptions of Generation Z undergraduates towards their lecturers’

roles in supporting the use of MALL devices?

In summary, mobile technology has been developing sharply and affecting people life progressively Generation Z are those considered to grow up with the development of technology Their technology literacy appears to outweigh previous generations; furthermore, the number of Generation Z students is growing quickly and they will soon enter universities and labor market as well Education, therefore, must apply mobile technology as soon as possible to meet students’ needs In English teaching and learning, employing portable tools in English teaching and learning has developed and gained considerably positive results In Vietnam, the number of Internet and mobile devices users is increasing rapidly year by year; however, research on Mobile Assisted Language Learning has not been conducted greatly as other countries Hence, MALL research and Generation Z students deserve to be taken into consideration more in the future The following contents of this paper will be covered

in four main chapters: Literature Review, Methodology, Results, Discussions on Findings, and Conclusion

Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 2 will address highlighted features of teaching and learning with MALL devices, which contains four main issues It starts with background information about the growing trends in Mobile learning based on influence of mobile devices on human lives, and the demands of mobile learning for teaching and learning will be following that The next issues involve definitions of MALL from numerous researchers including highlighted attributes which make MALL differs from other teaching and learning methods Besides, a brief history of the development of MALL from the beginnings until recent years will also be chronicled The third issue will be about introducing Generation Z which consists of the origins of that name as well as its highlighted characteristics of Generation Z students The last matter will regard reviews from previous MALL studies comprising four sub ideas: affordances, factors may affect MALL teaching and learning, students’ perceptions, and lecturers’ roles

2.1 Trends in Mobile Learning

It is generally accepted that mobile technologies have been growing sharply over the last ten years Mobile technologies influence people’s life tellingly and some even stick to their mobile devices a whole day As Yagci (2014) explained, mobile devices such as smart mobile (cellular) phones, tablet PCs (gadgets simply combine the best aspects of smartphones and laptop PCs), notebooks and handheld devices become

a part of our personalities because of their “ubiquitous, wireless connectedness, portable, ambient features” (p 49) Farangi et al (2017) stated that mobile devices affect all dimensions of our lives because of their variety of usages At the age of the 21st century, accessing information quickly and communicating easily are priorities of daily occurrence It appears that they are “survival activities” that make people move faster Information accessibility and communication become much easier after the emergence of social networking, blogging and YouTube; therefore, future generations,

especially students appear to be receptive to employ and embrace new technology (Coello-Vásquez, 2019) Another important statistic reported by Wu (2019) reveals that the number of portable devices accessed to the Internet worldwide reached over seven billion This figure has meaningful implication for educators, especially EFL educators to leverage the great potentials of mobile devices in teaching and learning

With the advance of mobile technologies as well as their influences on dimensions of our lives, education has to follow the trend In education, especially teaching and learning languages, forming habits for learners is crucial but it sometimes takes time and may be objected by learners From the urgent issue of reformation in EFL teaching and learning, there are a number of researchers agree that mobile learning will play an important role in the next few years Qing (2016) demonstrated that mobile learning is one of learning methods using technology going deeply in our lives, thus “the application of technology in language learning has changed to mobiles” (p 115) As claimed by Ozer and Kılıç (2018), mobile learning will indubitably integrate with mainstream education in the next 15 years It is easy to understand why Ozer and Kılıç (2018) predict the integration of mobile learning with the mainstream education in such a relatively short time because mobile technologies are one of the swiftest technologies developing in education (Al Zieni, 2019)

multi-2.2 Definitions of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)

2.2.1 MALL as a Tool/ Device

Referring to the definition of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), Ataee et al (2015), Mussa and Izkair (2017), Tai (2012), Taj et al (2016) considered MALL as a device or tool supporting learning English Although referred to the same thing, those researchers emphasized various aspects of MALL Specifically, Tai (2012) defined MALL as a device “without pre-crafted design” to communicate in language learning (p 228) Tai acknowledges the convenience of existed functions of mobile

devices; hence it appears to be an advantage in language learning, especially EFL learning Ataee et al (2015) and Taj et al (2016) viewed MALL as an instructional tool and a potential assistive tool respectively Those authors emphasized the guiding function of MALL which facilitates learners “in the complex process of language learning” (Taj et al., 2016) Mussa and Izkair (2017), on the other hand, defined MALL

as “a valuable learning tool” (p 7) It is not a bias when the authors used the word

“valuable” because they had been based on the positive impacts from the previous studies of MALL to language learning In addition, Mussa and Izkair (2017) considered MALL as a modern tool, it means that MALL is emerged along with the development of technology Overall, mobile devices in language learning occupy various affordances, thus giving a fixed definition about MALL is not easy, and researchers had better consider various aspects around MALL when conducting their studies

2.2.2 MALL Involves the Use of Portable Devices for Language Learning

Beside perceiving MALL as a tool, other researchers refer it to the involvement

of using mobile devices or handheld devices for language learning purpose To make it more simply, Demirel et al (2013) addressed the benefit of MALL to the integration of

“contextual clues and visuals into vocabulary learning materials” (p 74) It is likely that those portable devices enable teachers to make their lessons more vivid by using images without costliness For teaching vocabulary, replacing illustrations without the aid of technology, especially mobile devices may prevent teachers from being flexible

in preparing teaching materials since it can be costly to replace printed pictures Brown (2014), and Mussa and Izkair (2017) expanded the affordances of MALL towards language skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) when defining it MALL is the use of mobile devices to enhance or develop language skills and it is referred that during the development of technology, MALL has been being applied to not only vocabulary with the support in illustration but also various skills with the aid in

multitasks required different technologies Audio/Visual technology for listening or speaking, computers for digital form of exams to name it a few On the other hand, Haggag (2018) showed the general use of “any sort of mobile technologies” (p 190) in learning language when defining it On this given basis, it can be stated that mobile technology has emerged into many kinds of devices, so it leads to the flexibility of selecting devices Its flexibility of selecting devices is an advantage for teachers and learners because they can choose probable one as they afford

2.2.3 Other Definitions of MALL

As mentioned above, there are a number of mobile devices emerged everyday which means that learning languages with handheld devices have different attributes

As a result, defining MALL becomes a challenge for some researchers In particular, Naz et al (2019) demonstrated that learning languages using portable devices is very effective The reasons for that can be explained with distinguishing features of MALL itself As Çakmak (2019) pointed out, MALL owns attributes of Mobile learning and attributes outweigh CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) For Mobile learning, MALL focuses on “contextualized learning, flexibility and active community participation of the learner”; for CALL, “personal use and portability across different contexts” are key features which make MALL ubiquitous (p 37) On the other hand, mobile learning applications are further subdivided into two groups: a comprehensive application-oriented application and a task-driven application (Wu, 2019) The latter focuses on enhancing a specific ability such four language skills, which means that MALL is considered as a branch that plays a key role in the development of mobile learning

2.2.4 Features of Learning and Teaching with MALL

Moghaddas and Bashirnezhad (2016) pointed out five salient features that make MALL different from non-MALL learning and teaching The first characteristic

involves in Mobility of learning setting Moghaddas and Bashirnezhad (2016) showed the highlighted function of portable devices in education as to decrease the shortage of learning location Mobile technology is considered as “a valuable technology resource” for students being inadequate in accessing technology after school (Sufi & Shalmani,

2018, p 98) It would be better to say, portable devices are one of the most abundant choices for students when they want to learn outside school because handheld mobile tools can support MALL learners even when they change their learning setting frequently (Hasan & Islam, 2020) This trait makes MALL become favorable gradually

in education, especially EFL learning and teaching

The second feature of MALL learning and teaching regarding Interactivity of the learning process According to Taj et al (2016), mobile technology provides connectivity in a pervasive learning environment Specifically, MALL enhances integration among mobile devices, the Learning Management System (LMS), and rapport between teachers and students (Khubyari & Narafshan, 2016) Interactivity of MALL also shows through diverse modes of interaction such as face-to-face or online (Helwa, 2017) Compared to traditional classrooms, physical contact is the dominant mode for teachers to communicate with their learners, which has been a severe restriction after class

Following this, Immediate and urgent need of learning is the third feature of MALL In MALL learning and teaching, instant feedback is the one both teachers and learners prefer to Chakir (2018) and Kassem (2018) found that mobile devices enabled teachers and students to send and receive timely feedback that were necessary outside the classrooms, especially for vocabulary acquisition For classrooms without using portable devices, this feature appears to be impossible or costly due to the restriction of interactive modes as mentioned above

The next important attribute of MALL is Integration of instructional content

Wu (2015) reported that smartphones are potent devices for teachers to supplement

textbooks Furthermore, Xie (2016) confirmed that the value of mobile technology deals with “the integration and reconciliation of work-based learning and formal education experiences” (p 218) In other words, teaching and learning with MALL requires teachers to put endeavor to combine materials with appropriate handheld devices, which takes time and needs adequate expertise in ICT Traditional learning is relatively simpler with teachers since they at times need teaching expertise only

Finally, inventiveness of knowledge acquaintance is one of the most distinctive features of MALL Qing (2016) demonstrated that mobile technology supplement

“entertaining knowledge” for traditional classrooms (p 114) Entertaining knowledge

is featured as “bilingual EFL news, fashions, stories about culture shock, and various traditions across the world” (Zhonggen et al., 2018, p 12) Teachers and learners can share diverse materials with each other easily by their cellphones, notebook computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), etc Transferring knowledge by multiple devices is considered an inventive feature in teaching and learning with MALL Above all, this characteristic is showed clearly through functions of portable devices, namely making peer feedback colorful (Kayaoğlu & Çetinkaya, 2018); recording, clicking backward, reviewing or any related buttons (Ali et al., 2018; Zhonggen et al., 2018) In conclusion, employing various devices to access learning materials and the numerous functions of mobile technology itself make knowledge acquisition innovative dramatically

In this thesis, MALL devices are defined as portable tools to facilitate language learning will be used In addition, five salient features of MALL method pointed out by Moghaddas and Bashirnezhad (2016) will also be employed Mobility of learning setting, Interactivity of the learning process, Immediate and urgent need of learning, Integration of instructional content, and inventiveness of knowledge acquaintance are major elements that will be covered in literature review and analyze students’ perceptions

2.3 The Development of MALL

Oz (2015) reported that Mobile Assisted Language Learning emerged initially around 2005 when American undergraduates were allowed to use their mobile devices

in tertiary education (as cited in Chinnery, 2006) Following that, British Council developed mobile applications for language learning purposes and MALL has started

to spread widely since around 2009 (as cited in Hockly, 2013) On the other hand, Duman et al (2014) conducted research about the development of MALL studies from

2004 to 2012 It means that MALL perhaps appeared earlier than the time Oz (2015) mentioned A brief result of the study of Duman et al (2014) can be concluded in the following table:

Table 2.1

Distribution of Commonly Investigated Topics in The MALL Studies From 2004 to

2012

Note Adapted from “Research Trends in Mobile Assisted Language Learning From

2000 to 2012” by G Duman, G Orhon, and N Gedik, 2014 ReCALL, 27(2), p 202 (http://dx.doi:10.1017/S0958344014000287)

From 2004 to 2007, there were few studies published; however, the number of MALL studies rocketed in 2008 It means that MALL really drew public attention from

2008 onwards The trend can be explained by what Oz (2015) cited in Hockly (2013) is that mobile applications were strongly investigated since around 2009 In addition, perception/perception along with vocabulary and usability was one of three topics received most concern of researchers It is generally agreed that each generation may have different views about MALL so perception/perception of MALL teachers and learners deserves to be researched In other word, perception/perception of MALL teachers and learners can be seen as a continuum in the field

Figure 2.1

Graph of Identified Studies by Continents From 2010 To 2020

Note Adapted from “Mobile-assisted and Gamification-Based Language Learning: A Systematic Literature Review” by K Ishaq, NA Mat Zin, F Rosdi, M Jehanghir, S Ishaq, and A Abid, (2021) PeerJ Comput Sci 7:e496, p 13

(http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.496)

Over a half of MALL publications reported by Ishaq et al (2021) comes from Asian countries with thirty-nine studies This is strongly proved that MALL is a topic received more concerns in countries using English not as their mother tongue It is also implied that mobile technology significantly impacts language teaching and learning in Asian countries In terms of research methodology, Ishaq et al (2021) demonstrated that there were few studies used both questionnaire and interview to examine

perception and motivation, perception, affordance, usefulness and ease of use It would

be better to say, using both mentioned instruments in MALL studies needs to be employed more for further research because they support quantitative and qualitative data analysis Examining these two types enables researchers to collect large data and explore deep insights

2.4 Generation Z

As identified by other researchers, anyone who was born from 1995 to 2010 considered Generation Z (Mohr & Mohr, 2017; Seemiller & Grace, 2017) There are various names can also be given to Generation Z: Post millenars, Facebook generation, Switchers, Dotcom children, Netgeneration, C - Connection – generation, D - Digital – generation, R - Responsibility – generation (Csobanka, 2016), Digital Natives (Csobanka, 2016; Mohr & Mohr, 2017), iGeneration (Csobanka, 2016; Dimock, 2019),

or Homelanders (Dimock, 2019) a case in point Among those names, “Generation Z”

is reported as the one used the most by people when they search for information (Dimock, 2019 reported from Merriam-Webster and Oxford to the Urban Dictionary)

It is generally suggested that Generation Z has a very close relationship to the advance

of technology; gradually, it becomes a part of their daily life activities (Abdullah et al., 2018; Ding et al 2017; Seemiller & Grace, 2017) Seemiller and Grace (2017) demonstrated that accessing to the information of Generation Z is an advantage outweigh other generations due to the easy connection to the Internet through smartphones, broadband both at home and at school As pointed out by Ding et al (2017), the frequent use of the Internet and social media is a part of socialization It means that Generation Z has many opportunities to interact with people and that becomes one of significant inclinations to them Abdullah et al (2018) also mentioned the social interaction of Generation Z through the integration between “complex and sophisticated communication devices or gadgets such as iPads, PDA (Personal Digital

Assistant), smartphone, tablet, BBM (Blackberry Messenger) and other electronic devices” together with “Social media applications like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Wechat, Twitter” (p 375)

From the attachment to technology, there is no doubt that the behaviors of Generation Z are affected cogently Seemiller and Grace (2017) consider Generation Z learners as “observers” They prefer to watch other people doing tasks before they do tasks by themselves This behavior can be explained by the strong development of video platforms like YouTube There are thousands of videos on such platforms including tutorial videos, which appears to be sufficient for Generation Z students to seek necessary information Seemiller and Grace (2017) also confirm the ability of the nature of technology in helping Generation Z students to acquaint themselves with intrapersonal learning It can be inferred that the development of Generation Z seems

to be more sheer compared to previous generations because Generation Z has opportunities to develop collaboration and individualism as well Otherwise, Abdullah

et al (2018) reveal one crucial characteristic Generation Z has regarding thinking independently Generation Z can explore the Internet according to their own preferences so they can make their own decision and think about personal satisfaction

It means that they can develop critical thinking substantially when they access to the Internet

With mentioned attributes, Generation Z certainly deserves to be investigated more and more hereafter As Seemiller and Grace (2017) stated, investigating on Generation Z provides “insight into what has influenced the perspectives of this new generation of college students” (p 2)

2.5 Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)

2.5.1 Affordances of MALL

2.5.1.1 Flexibility in Time and Places It has been accepted that MALL brings benefits into flexibility for learners, especially time and locations Such researchers as Mussa and Izkair (2017), Redd (2011), Suwantarathip and Orawiwatnakul (2015), and Yang (2012) agree that learning with mobile devices enables language learners to work

at their own pace whenever they have spare time at any locations Suwantarathip and Orawiwatnakul (2015) in a study related to the support of mobile assisted exercises to vocabulary development found that participants took advantage of this feature in completing their assignments Donating how much time and when on doing tasks is considered a less pressure learning for students These mentioned traits should be highly evaluated for EFL teachers, especially those want to implement blended learning or flipped classrooms using portable devices since it will save teaching time dramatically

The flexibility in time and places of MALL allows learners to do variety of tasks in learning English One of the most ubiquitous domains in EFL related to MALL

is vocabulary Many researchers found that participants appeared to highly evaluate the benefits of portable devices towards learning vocabulary It would be better to say MALL provides learners a chance to learn or access the targeted words anytime and anywhere (Kassem, 2018; Zhang et al., 2011) Flexibility in time and places brought by MALL enables both learners and teachers to “search for information, collect data, and summarize findings” (Qing, 2016, p 117) In other words, learning with handheld tools may assist EFL learners and teachers in enhancing high-cognitive thinking High-cognitive thinking is basically crucial for self-controlled learning, so educators, especially educators in high institutions should take it into consideration On the other hand, Haggag (2018) specified the affordances of MALL regarding doing test and quizzes in flexible time and places In the fact that results of students’ tests and quizzes outside the schools may not satisfy teachers and educators because of the shortage of honesty Test makers cannot always identify the expected candidates or limit the

materials for their tests For this reason, tests and quizzes for students to do at home should be designed for reviewing lessons, doing extensive exercises or stimulating the enjoyment It is possible for teachers and educators to take the results creditably if the test requires candidates to use critical thinking In that case, searching for information, collecting data, and summarizing findings as mentioned by Qing (2016) are beneficial

to do tests or quizzes Haggag (2018) did not discuss these issues in his study so other researchers can examine them thoroughly

Along with the advent of portable devices, Internet has been steadily widespread It makes accessing language learning materials or delivering teaching materials effortless Al Zieni (2019), Çakmak (2019), Jung (2015), Kurniawan (2018), and Suwantarathip and Orawiwatnakul (2015) focus on the benefits of MALL for accessing resources in flexible time and locations In traditional learning environment, the number of learning materials may become burden and it even takes time to have a right to access a particular book; thus, MALL can be a supplement tool for traditional classrooms It would be better to say, the facilitation of the Internet enables MALL learners to increase “the possibility of obtaining valuable learning materials” (Jung,

2015, p 236) The flexibility in accessing materials is not simply about the number of resources but the capacity for exploiting learning materials (Çakmak, 2019) It is implied that learners do not need to be under pressure regarding time and location to

“explore” any resources made them delightful Consequently, motivation in learning English will increase gradually

In addition, the easiness of MALL devices in accessing resources sometimes provides learners with the possibility in downloading and sharing EFL information (Zhonggen et al., 2018) This advantage makes the number of resources on online classrooms increase considerably, hence learning environments will be diversified However, it will be a concerned issue if learners keep downloading and sharing anything without considering the reliability, and some may share unrelated materials

and make a mess on online classes If teachers do not examine this issue in advance, the implementation of their MALL classes will be probably unsuccessful As mentioned earlier, high-cognitive thinking practices mentioned by Qing (2016) can be applied step by step since they will have a positive effect on critical thinking for students Subsequently, the negative aspects in downloading and sharing resources may

be limited

2.5.1.2 High-Cognitive Development Many researchers found considerable benefits of MALL in relation to high-cognitive development of learners The first level showing the high cognition of learners is about awareness Most of the authors have preferred to adult learners when examining awareness since the quite simple in conducting studies However, there are few researchers found new understandings about young learners In particular, Ataee et al (2015) investigated the use of SMS (Short Message Service) on skimming and guessing strategies awareness in reading comprehension of high school students and found that the use of SMS on mobile devices had significant influence on the awareness of skimming and guessing strategies

of such young learners Moreover, mobile learning also makes learners aware of other significant skills Sun et al (2017) conducted a study on learners aged 6.5 averagely and they realized that mobile social networking increased awareness of the sense of authorship and audience in speaking skills It means that MALL makes young children eager to speak, to share their speech to audience, particularly to their parents Consequently, what the audience response will affect young learners’ speaking skills For college students, Kayaoğlu and Çetinkaya (2018) showed that undergraduates developed awareness between writer’s intention and reader comprehension when using mobile devices in writing lessons It can be concluded that MALL may facilitate the development of EFL learners’ awareness, even very young learners Allowing the use

of portable devices in teaching and learning languages can start from the young

learners to form high-cognitive development as soon as possible

Employing MALL learning also offers benefits for building awareness towards EFL teachers Zhonggen (2018) revealed that teachers raised awareness based on the feedback of their students in shared contents through mobile learning platform On the other hand, Kassem (2018) showed five reasons helped teachers foster awareness in vocabulary teaching through MALL applications: identifying a real need in teaching, stressing the educational significance of MALL, designing the content in an interactive mode which stimulates participation of learners, verifying hands-on activities, and providing technical support instantly Given this, it may be implied that raising teachers’ awareness in MALL requires stakeholders to consider various aspects surrounding teaching practices and teachers themselves have to interact with their students frequently to update what their learners need

Al Zieni (2019) found that using mobile devices in language learning assisted students in developing learner autonomy through replacing memorization with higher levels of thinking skills, such as application, analysis, evaluation, and creation Of four mentioned thinking skills, application is likely to be addressed in many studies Huang

et al (2016), Poláková and Klímová (2019) investigated the impact of MALL on vocabulary learning Huang et al (2016) found that young learners could use the functions of MALL tools like automatically searching to understand the meaning of new words without reference to a textbook or dictionary Poláková and Klímová (2019) revealed the same findings with adult learners, but the authors showed further vision of the findings The authors claim that understanding the meanings of new words without references “leads to a further application of vocabulary knowledge in new contexts” (p 8) It means MALL helps learners to use new words in various contexts flexibility which requires high cognition Mellati et al (2018) in their study revealed the capability of the variety of applications and resources on portable devices to assist learners in adapting their learning process to their level Learners were allowed to

choose beginner, intermediate or advanced level which means that the adaptation is employed after evaluation of learners themselves Beyond autonomy in vocabulary, Morgana and Shrestha (2018) found that MALL students were good at moving one app

to the other while recording their voice as well as selecting appropriate parts of their recordings as a summarized part for their presentation These abilities could be considered as the benefits of mobile devices in enhancing students’ growing independence and autonomy

2.5.1.3 Language Skills In EFL field, MALL provides numerous advantages in improving language skills As Redd (2011) stated, using an app on mobile devices brings benefits in improving language skills which leads to the need to integrate

“mobile technologies with the curricula, the contexts, and the pedagogies synthesized

to make task-based language learning practice original and successful” (p 229) Not only task-based language learning has benefits from MALL, Chang et al (2017) and Hwang et al (2015) pointed out that game-based learning activities help learners to use language skills in the unpredictable environment of everyday life Nowadays, there are more people preferring life simulation games so designing games in EFL field is also being followed this trend Traditional learning materials take longer time to update information so they are easily straggled and students may feel no connection in their real life Such mobile games enable learners to apply language skills in virtual life with visual, audio aids On the other hand, the use of social-networking sites (SNSs) was found to improve young learners’ speaking skills through three domains: accuracy, fluency, and pronunciation (Sun et al., 2017) The study also revealed the dominance of fluency compared to its counterparts This finding may be explained by the study of Zhonggen et al (2018), the study suggested that MALL provided students with opportunities to practice four skills in the target language “without worrying about minor errors” (p 13) Practicing speaking skills on handheld devices allows learners to

practice at their own pace, they can repeat many times as they want and most importantly, students feel free to speak, express what they think without being embarrassed in front of the crowd As a result, fluency becomes a skill improved remarkably Another benefit MALL offering is noted by Hossain (2018), that is EFL learners can practice four language skills merely on one device A mobile device has multiple functions including audio, video, pictures, texting, etc so it reduces burden for learners from carrying too many learning materials Integration multiple functions into one device also reduces expenditure for learners Moreover, it can be implied from findings of Xu (2020) related to reasons for low development of speaking skills but not listening skills, that is productive skills are usually more challenging for EFL learners than receptive skills Accordingly, MALL tasks of productive skills should be designed longer periods of time for possible changes to occur

2.5.1.4 Learning Achievements A considerable number of researchers found the significant relationship between MALL and learners’ achievements in English learning in their studies such as Alkhudair (2020), Arain et al (2018), Chen et al (2019), Cho et al (2018), Farangi et al (2017), Liu et al (2014), Machmud and Abdulah (2018), Poláková and Klímová (2019), Qing (2016), Redd (2011), Refat et al (2020), Shadiev et al (2015), Tsai et al (2017), Zhonggen et al (2018) to name a some In a study of Shadiev et al (2015), the authors found a new finding that learning achievements could be predicted by the function of creating text annotations on mobile devices It was because students’ created annotations made them recall easily and connect learning content with target objects in familiar authentic context strongly On the other hand, Farangi et al (2017), Machmud and Abdulah (2018), Tsai et al (2017) confirmed the close relationship between learning outcomes and learners’ emotion The more teachers employ MALL effectively, the more students engaged in learning, thus, the better performance students will produce On the contrary, Zhonggen et al (2018)

emphasized on the easy access of mobile learning platforms through the interview with tertiary students The researchers considered the easy access as a solid foundation for improvements in learning achievements Refat et al (2020) demonstrated that the outcome of undergraduates associated with students’ level of concentration in learning process It would be better to say, different concentration in MALL learning would lead to different learning achievements The conclusion of Refat et al (2020) is understandable because mobile devices or platforms themselves contain a lot of novel functions, some of which may easily distract learners if they have low level of self-efficacy

2.5.2 Perceptions of Students towards MALL

According to Pickens (2005), perception is defined as “the process by which organisms interpret and organize sensation to produce a meaningful experience of the world” (as cited in Lindsay & Norman, 1977) This process, as interpreted by Pickens (2005), is based on prior experiences of an individual; therefore, “what an individual interprets or perceives may be substantially different from reality” (p 52) In the perception process, awareness and acceptance of the stimuli play a pivotal role Pickens (2005) points out two trends in perception process of individuals: selecting the stimuli satisfied their immediate needs, and disregarding stimuli caused psychological anxiety (p 52) In MALL learning, prior experiences with mobile technology is a concerned issue which may affect students’ perceptions including awareness and acceptance towards using mobile devices in language learning Creating an environment which meets students’ needs and decreases their anxiety has been focused significantly every day by MALL teachers and educational stakeholders

2.5.2.1 Positive Perceptions A number of considerable studies revealed that being customized or personalized in learning process makes learners have positive perceptions towards MALL learning Kondo et al (2012) found that freshmen used

MALL devices in personalized ways in reading and listening skills with extra freedom Being allowed to customize one’s own learning enables learners to find out what they like and what they can do best MALL becomes more entertaining, not academic feature gradually Alzu'bi and Sabha (2013) investigated in vocabulary domain and found that students made improvement in vocabulary learning because they liked leisure activities in mobile-based email According to Hsu (2013), perceptions of participants from Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan towards MALL were affected positively since mobile phones were considered as tools for entertainment, not learning Obari and Lambacher (2015) claim that easily customizing on portable devices creates “an emotional bond between the user and machine” (p 434) It is suggested that mobile learning can stimulate emotions of learners if they approach mobile devices or platforms allowed them to personalize their learning process For modern learners, typically Generation Z, being customized in learning process may encourage them to involve more Moreover, using digital and paper textbooks instead of traditional learning materials also helps students to create novel digital stories (Obari & Lambacher, 2015) Creating stories on portable devices means students will have more tools to be creative and thus, individualizing their learning products is easier Alamer (2016) confirms that the growing increase of mobile devices makes studies about MALL students’ motivation become more and more important Machmud and Abdulah (2018) suggest that learning English with portable devices, especially applications should be integrated with conventional teaching to reduce students’ anxiety On this basis, it can be concluded that culture affects what people think so the perceptions of learners towards MALL needs to be further explored in the future Furthermore, entertaining trait of MALL also impacts on students’ emotion significantly

MALL learners also increase their satisfaction and show their willingness if the design of learning platforms or applications meets their needs (Demirel et al., 2013) In

terms of designing learning programs, ease of use has been focused particularly as suggested by Alhabahba et al (2014), Cortez and Roy (2012), Demirel et al (2013), Gafni et al (2017), Howlett and Waemusa (2018), and Wu (2015) Specifically, Cortez and Roy (2012), and Gafni et al (2017) found that students would increase acceptance

if the design of applications was easy to use Ease of use is also contemplated being one of determiners of students’ perceptions in vocabulary learning because ease of use

is proved to be one of prominent predictors of students’ perception to use mobile devices for vocabulary learning (Alhabahba et al., 2014)

Beside the positive perceptions towards the design, EFL learners also perceive positively toward MALL learning when they approach various functions of portable devices In particular, mobile learning platforms or mobile devices can create game-based learning activities to stimulate EFL learners Liu et al (2014) emphasize that game-based instructional strategies can extend learning beyond traditional environment into authentic settings Authentic contexts play a key role in language learning so game-based learning can efficiently facilitate students’ speaking skills (Hwang et al., 2015) In addition, mobile technology provides learners different learning materials (Alwaely, 2018; Al Zieni, 2019; Ataee et al., 2015; Çakmak, 2019; Machmud & Abdulah 2018; Nalliveettil & Alenazi, 2016; Qing, 2016; Zhonggen et al., 2018) Specifically, Ataee et al (2015) claim that mobile phone-based language learning technology offers learners and educators not only authentic audio/visual language learning materials but also virtual classrooms With this kind of learning, MALL learners will have less panic of bringing laptops or setting up projectors and electricity supply Nalliveettil and Alenazi (2016) pointed out that handheld tools can access thousands of websites with a high degree of accuracy, which means students are able to create high quality contents easily and economically Mobile technology contains various forms such as text, images, videos, and voice notes (Alwaely, 2018), or animated movies, rich sounds, and colorful texts (Zhonggen et al., 2018) Approaching

wider functions such as surfing the net, connecting to the social networks, gaming, instant messaging and learning applications (Çakmak, 2019) by one device is an advantage making learners feel that creativity is not beyond their capacity

A study of Kang (2016) showed that students would devote more time on listening skills because multimedia mobile tools enable them to get access to authentic listening materials If EFL students from studies of 2016 backwards solely wanted to approach authentic materials, the needs of students in recent years, especially Generation Z have been diversified remarkably To illustrate, tertiary students were found to have a legitimate demand for establishing a class forum based on a particular social communication app such as Wechat, LINE, WhatsApp, etc (Zou et al., 2018) The authenticity undergraduates desiring is not just about existing materials, it now concerns with social media platforms, and such platforms are considered as authentic learning resources Al-Baekani and Ridwan (2018) concluded from their findings that students had more positive perceptions for MALL learning when they were allowed to approach authentic materials on mobile tools From previous studies, it is now generally recognized that taking advantage of learning resources in MALL education is extremely important because it can enhance learners’ perceptions significantly For MALL lecturers, they should make the best use of materials when proceeding technology-mediated activities to motivate students at universities (Hoang & Nguyen, 2019)

Learners will be also motivated less or more if they employ a variety of connection Gafni et al (2017) in a study about the influence of MALL application to the perceptions of learners revealed that learners preferred smartphones to tablets because tablets connected merely on Wi-Fi while smartphones can access to the Internet by wireless and 3G connection In a word, the more various ways to connect to the Internet, the more motivation learners will gain Therefore, selecting appropriate

handheld devices in teaching and learning shall be considered in advance by educators

to support teachers and learners to the best

Abarghoui and Taki (2018), and Chen and Lin (2018) found that learners perceived MALL positively because of the strong communication and interaction of handheld tools Recent research by Ataeifar et al (2019) shows that employing mobile technology in language education achieves the means and the goal of learning a new language: authentic communication activities and social interactions The reason for this is because mobile applications and social network are emerged from mobile technology development, and thus, quickly become the main means of communication for people, especially Generation Z Whether EFL learners use Twitter to communicate with native speakers (Ataeifar et al., 2019), or utilize Instagram to post comments, send and reply to messages, or interact with native speakers synchronously or asynchronously (Gonulal, 2019), they gain positive perceptions towards learning English with MALL devices On the whole, teachers should take advantage of this characteristic to attract students to do more activities

In MALL teaching and learning, MALL learners’ perceptions seem to be impacted significantly by countless domains which are emerged from the complex integration between mobile technology and traditional methods Technological problems (Hsu & Lee, 2011; Tayan, 2017), feedback shortage (Aghajani & Zoghipour, 2018; Gafni et al., 2017), instructions (Costa & Han, 2017; Jiménez, 2019), performance expectancy (Botero et al., 2018), recommendations from teachers, universities and peers (Ahn, 2018), to name a some Of mentioned studies, findings of Ahn (2018) contributes to a new aspect in the field The researcher found that college students increased their acceptance to M-learning due to recommendations from their teachers, universities and peers, especially Smartphone Apps for English Language Learning (SAELL) This finding can be connected with culture of Korean college students which shows high degree of respect for their lecturers Because of that culture,