The use of mobile devices for self-directed learning outside the classroom among EFL university students in Saudi Arabia

Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is increasingly shown to facilitate self-directed learning (SDL) outcomes as part of a blended approach to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning. However, further research is required to demonstrate how certain elements of MALL and mobile devices themselves are used by learners, including the sorts of applications (apps), websites and activities they use to achieve their desired learning goals and outcomes. This would provide the foundation for in-depth examinations into the connections between MALL, SDL and EFL learning processes. To do so, this study examines the experiences of female EFL learners at a university in Saudi Arabia. It identifies current issues around language learning in the Saudi context and examines how MALL might help learners more deeply engage with EFL learning by actively using mobile devices and online resources outside the classroom. The study’s theoretical framework was based on the work of influential SDL theorists and a wealth of literature about how SDL facilitates language learning. It used a two-phase, sequential mixed methods approach whereby both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Phase 1 involved a 43-item survey questionnaire undertaken by 362 participants, while Phase 2 involved multimodal journaling – a relatively new form of data collection connected to studies of online learning – and face-to-face interviews with 27 participants. The study revealed that learners who used MALL for EFL were self-directed learners who were personally motivated to undertake study due to the accessibility and usefulness of MALL, particularly in relation to smartphone use, as well as the learning motivation, self-awareness and self-confidence they experienced as a result. They were able to self-monitor and self-manage their learning, to set goals and engage in active learning and, in doing so, developed the four main language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as the fifth skill of translation through their use of MALL outside the classroom. While such usage had connections to in-class learning, the data more specifically showed the breadth of learning that could occur in the learners’ own time. This pointed to the need for educational institutions to understand how EFL learners use mobile devices, such as smartphones, for learning and how they might better integrate MALL and online resources into EFL curricula. The study presents certain recommendations for educators, governments, universities and app/website developers aiming to facilitate such integration, showing that the focus needs to be on implementation and scaffolding, whereby educators are trained to encourage the use of mobile devices in the classroom. Rather than viewing them as potential sources of distraction, devices such as smartphones could present a forward step in terms of developing blended learning practices that truly speak to the needs of EFL learners. The study specifically discusses these implications for language learning in Saudi Arabia and highlights the important role that mobile devices, apps and websites can play in empowering Saudi women, who often have restricted access to education. The research showed that female participants experienced pleasure and a sense of freedom through MALL, a finding which along with the others in this thesis, points to a future for Saudi education with equal opportunities fostered through the use of mobile technologies and online resources