Mobile Devices for English Language Learning: An Exploration of Student and Faculty Member Skills and Attitudes in a Saudi Arabian Context

Abstract

Mobile technologies offer new possibilities to provide effective learning and teaching in language education. Despite this potential, little research appears to have been done investigating the attitudes of students and English language faculty members towards adopting mobile learning in language education. This study used a mix-method approach to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Preparatory Year students and English Language faculty members towards integrating mobile technology to support English language learning at the University of Hail, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Findings from this study indicated that both students and faculty members have a good range of mobile device skills. This study also showed that computer skills and mobile device skills do not overly influence intentions to adopt mobile learning. Attitudes towards mobile devices and the use of mobile devices in English language were positive among both students and faculty members. Further evidence suggests that faculty members in particular, are becoming increasingly predisposed to the use of mobile devices in the classroom. The study also identified seven main barriers to the implementation of mobile devices to support EFL teaching and learning at the study site that need to be considered in order for effective adoption of mobile technologies to occur. Four of these barriers: cost of mobile devices, mobile network costs, lack of mobile device training, and poor Wi-Fi infrastructure, were identified as being responsible for the negative attitudes towards mobile devices which itself was acting as a barrier. These negative attitudes were responsible for two responses which further acted as barriers: control of mobile devices and policies restricting usage. Importantly, it is argued that two interventions could act to either negate or mitigate the barriers in operation at the study site. These two interventions are user training and improved infrastructure. Overall, results from this study suggest that the formal introduction of mobile devices as tools of instruction for English language learning would be positively received by both students and faculty members at the University of Hail.