The Use of Mobile –Assisted Language Learning (MALL) by Iraqi EFL College Students' and their Attitudes Towards it

Abstract

Mobile -assisted language learning (MALL) is regarded as a fashionable topic in the educational technology to enhance learning, which has gained popularity among students because of the availability of the  various mobile technologies . It contributes a lot to the teaching and learning process and students are no longer satisfied with the traditional way of teaching and show tendency to gain the advantages of  technology in classes especially mobile devices.

The current study aims at investigating EFL students' attitudes towards the mobile devices in the language learning process. In addition, it explores their actual use of mobile devices as assisted tool for the learning  purposes.Two questionnaires have been constructed; first one for students attitudes towards  mobile assisted language learning. Second, a questionnaire of the use of mobile assisted language learning. Both questionnaires were administered to a sample of 237 students at the department of English. The results of the first questionnaire analysis have showed the students' positive attitudes towards mobile devices. And the second one revealed that mobile devices are excessively  used for language learning purposes by the students mostly as dictionaries , and for research and data collection.

Thus, it is recommended to make use of MALL in the teaching and learning process as a teaching aid and a supplementary source which can motivate students as well as actively involve them in the learning process. Consequently, the results of this study could be regarded as an inspiration for investigating in deep mobile learning approach practically and experimentally.