Exploring Vietnamese university students’ perception of using Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) to study English

Abstract

As a result of tremendous technological breakthroughs over the past several decades, there has been an unparalleled expansion of portable smart devices and mobile applications, especially for language learning purposes. Despite the amount of research on Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), little is known about non-English major students’ perceptions of the usage of MALL in Vietnamese universities. Using both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, this study explores the perceptions of non-English major university students at a Vietnamese university regarding the usefulness and ease of use of MALL in English learning based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). 219 first- and second-year students were given a questionnaire to collect data, which was then combined with qualitative data acquired from semi-structured interviews and critically examined and analyzed. The results suggest that the majority of students regard MALL to be beneficial in terms of vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation enhancement, and ease of use. Consequently, it is highly suggested that MALL be implemented in the context of English teaching and learning at Vietnam’s higher education institutions.