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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.62.02.7
How to Cite:
Yucedal, H.M. (2023). Integrating mobile assisted language learning (MALL) into EFL classes at a tertiary level. Amazonia
Investiga, 12(62), 92-14. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.62.02.7
Integrating mobile assisted language learning (MALL) into EFL
classes at a tertiary level
Yükseköğretimde Mobil Destekli Dil Öğreniminin (MDDÖ) EFL sınıflarına
entegrasyonu
Received: January 19, 2023 Accepted: March 3, 2023
Written by:
Hur Mustafa Yucedal1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8246-3214
Abstract
Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)
practices have gained increasing popularity thanks
to the advancements in mobile technologies.
Accordingly, a growing number of initiatives have
been taken to integrate it into language learning
process. However, a gap in the literature has been
observed to measure the effects of MALL on
students’ writing competence at a tertiary level in
Iraq. To this aim, it was sought to pinpoint the
influence of MALL on 60 Language Preparatory
School students’ writing competence at TISHK
International University by employing snowball
sampling technique within 12 weeks in 2021-2022
Academic Year. The study was conducted in an
Academic Writing course that required the students
to write an essay weekly. The data were collected
via exams, a questionnaire, an interview and a
survey which were analyzed either by SPSS 23. or
MAXQDA software applications in this mixed
methods design study. Control group students
received a traditional instruction, while
experimental group students were trained based on
the procedure of MALL. The findings unearthed
that MALL practices increased students’ marks
dramatically, boosted students’ motivation and
increased students’ overall attitudes towards
learning English. The findings of this study can
have some implications for the educators who
consider the implementation of MALL practices at
educational institutions.
Keywords: Mobile Assisted Language Learning,
Academic Writing, Writing Competence.
Introduction
Mobile assisted language learning (MALL
hereafter) has gained considerable momentum
1
Ma, Instructor, English Language Teaching Department, Faculty of Education, Tishk International University, Erbil/Iraq.
since the 2000s when a wide spectrum of
portable electronic devices such as laptops,
Yucedal, H.M. / Volume 12 - Issue 62: 92-104 / February, 2023
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mobile phones, tablets and PDAs were widely
available to serve people at educational
institutions. Additionally, modern teaching
methods such as collaborative learning,
gamification and project-based learning have
required the educators to adopt the shift from
teacher centred to student-centred approach
which can be accelerated with MALL (Bernacki
et al., 2020; Kara, 2023). Modern teaching
methods emphasize that learners can construct
their knowledge in a community where they can
exchange their ideas freely. Moreover, they
emphasize that learners can assume more
responsibility in the learning process rather than
staying passively. In addition, learners are
encouraged to research by different sources, so
they can grasp details out of curiosity. In this
regard, mobile assisted language learning offers
ample opportunity to meet the needs of the
students and teachers. Mobile devices offer
several advantages to users such as portability
and connectivity which increases the value of
them in education (Rocque, 2022). Once the
learners have portable devices which are
equipped with an internet connection, their
motivation and engagement increase
correspondingly (Celik et al., 2022). It can be
assumed that the utilization of mobile devices
can help unlock the full potential of learners with
a well-balanced and monitored plan.
Mobile devices are versatile to satisfy users’
needs in many fields. They have increased their
popularity in social life recently. Users are able
to text, send an email, do online shopping, watch
videos, make a video call, follow the latest news,
activate the navigation, book a room at a hotel or
table in a restaurant etc. Similarly, mobile
devices have been widely used in education
(Grigoryan, 2022; Kara & Yildiz, 2022). For
example, mobile devices have been employed to
offer or receive online or hybrid education.
Additionally, teachers can upload their video
lessons to be watched by the students or general
public. Thus, viewers can have ample
opportunity to watch several times and fill the
knowledge gaps if they miss some points during
regular courses. In addition, teachers can send
some links to take online quizzes. Once they take
the quizzes, item analysis can be sent, so students
can be granted the rights to see their mistakes and
get valuable lessons in order not to repeat them
in the following quizzes. Offering some quizzes
online can help save the environment as well as
saving time and energy. Furthermore, parents
can benefit from mobile devices to get detailed
feedback about their children via learning
management systems (LMS). Mobile devices can
be of greatest importance to monitor the children
and communicate with the teachers instantly
(Alamer & Al Khateeb, 2023; Kara, 2020).
Assignments are learning exercises assigned by
teachers to promote student growth. Likewise,
mobile devices can help individuals to expand
their knowledge in many fields (Dayan & Yildiz,
2022). For instance, a cook can learn about
unique recipes; an engineer can grasp some tips
on how to construct stronger buildings; an artist
can figure out how to draw more creatively; a
retired person can be inspired on how to take up
a new hobby; an enthusiastic learner can master
a new language; parents can be guided on how to
raise good children etc. It can be argued that
mobile devices are at the heart of people`s lives
with varying functions in many aspects.
MALL opportunities have arisen to improve
learner`s four core skills of English Language
Learning. MALL occurs when traditional
classroom teaching is supported by mobile
devices (Bernacki et al., 2020). There are many
reflections of it to develop different skills. For
instance, learners can listen and take relevant
revision tests with their mobile devices.
Additionally, they can read e-books to develop
their pronunciation and enhance their
comprehension. After that, they can improve
their speaking in a video conference by
expressing their ideas individually or as a team.
Apart from other skills, MALL is activated to
develop learners’ writing skills. For instance,
learners can read the sample paragraphs and
essays electronically before writing, so they will
be familiar with the overall organization or key
words to insert into their own writing works. In
addition, learners can submit their works
electronically via Google Form, WhatsApp or
Viber. Once they submit their works
electronically, the teacher can manage and
highlight them with ease. Additionally, learners’
enthusiasm increases when they submit
electronically because typing is expected to take
less time than writing on the paper. Furthermore,
teacher can send his/her feedback to evaluate
their writing electronically. Moreover, peer-
learning can be used once the teacher can display
a student’s work and wait for the feedback from
his/her classmates via their mobile devices
(Abubakr & Kara, 2022). Considering these
positive implications in education, MALL
initiatives are expected to increase at educational
institutions on a global scale.
This study investigated the effects of MALL on
enhancing students’ writing performance. In this
respect, mobile devices and online writing
submission applications were employed as
primary instruments to receive students’ writing
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works periodically based on the pre-defined plan
by the researcher. Considering this framework,
following research questions were formulated:
Does MALL enhance students’ writing
performance at a tertiary level?
Does MALL pave the way for changing students’
attitudes towards Academic Writing course?
Literature Review
Educators struggle to instill a love of reading in
technology-obsessed students (Yildiz, 2020).
However, MALL has arisen as the combination
of mobile learning and computer-assisted
language learning to assist educators. In other
words, it has come out to enrich students’
traditional learning atmosphere with some
information and communication technology
tools such as laptops, cell-phones, tablets and
PDAs. Although there were tiny steps to
implement MALL in classes earlier, the process
accelerated dramatically after the 2000s.
Pioneering attempts to increase the use of MALL
in education include Dicky`s teleconferencing to
teach English conversation to Korean students,
Stanford University’s lab to teach Spanish with
mobile technologies, Thornton and Houser`s
course management system Poodle, Wisconsin
University’s several language course enriched by
mobile technology, Duke University’s decision
to provide free iPod for freshman students
(Abdulameer, 2021). Upon noticing their
positive influences on language learning and
teaching environment, they have been used
widely in increasing numbers (Ulker et al.,
2021).
Currently, proliferation of mobile technologies is
transforming traditional teaching practices all
over the world accordingly. There are several
theoretical foundations of MALL expressed by
scholars. To name a few, Norbrook and Scott
(2003) assert that portability and immediacy are
key factors to employ MALL practices in
educational institutions. Additionally, McNicol
(2004) attests that MALL is convenient for
learners as they are flexible to watch any content
at any time with their hand-held devices. After
that, Kara (2023) contends that mobile learning
allows individuals to receive online education
throughout the world, so it offers unmatched
opportunities for learners to earn a degree,
certificate or expand their knowledge for life-
long learning. However, it does not necessarily
mean that MALL does not pose any risks. To
illustrate, Chinnery (2014) states that having a
tiny screen, unaffordability, the necessity of
recharging, unable to type efficiently, the
possibility of distracting the attention with other
notifications or websites, unable to develop
digital literacy skills are some barriers which are
prevalent.
A growing volume of research has been
conducted to measure the effectiveness of MALL
in different contexts globally. To name a few,
Gheytasi et al., (2015) found that MALL yielded
better results to develop reading comprehension
skills of Iranian high school students. Similarly,
Plana et al., (2013) investigated university
students who were taking English classes in a
mobile enriched atmosphere which revealed that
MALL enhanced students’ reading scores.
Likewise, Ishikawa et al., (2014) examined the
influence of a mobile reading application
employed in a Japanese university which
unearthed that e-reading activities helped
students expand vocabulary and improve reading
comprehension.
Apart from reading, some studies have been
conducted about the effects of MALL on
listening skills. For instance, Alabsi (2020)
conducted a study in Saudi Arabia at a tertiary
level which concluded that assigning students to
add subtitles to the video with their mobile
devices increased their listening scores and
overall English proficiency. Likewise, Terantino
(2016) carried out a study in the USA on pre-
school children who were exposed to an
instruction with their tablets. The study revealed
that students increased their word-power and
listening comprehension tremendously.
Subsequently, Abdulrahman and Kara (2023)
conducted a study to watch movies and read
books simultaneously in Iraq context at a tertiary
level which unearthed that students’ speaking
skills have developed substantially once they
integrated mobile tools into traditional
classrooms. Similarly, Almadhady and Bahrum
(2020) conducted a study in Iraq to receive
university students’ perceptions on MALL which
revealed that students have positive views about
the effects of MALL on their speaking
enhancement.
Regarding the influence of MALL on writing
performance, several studies have been carried
out as well. To name a few, Dwigustini, et al.,
(2021) offered a hybrid education at a university
in Indonesia in a writing course which revealed
that students’ writing marks increased
dramatically once they used their mobile devices
to enhance their learning. Likewise, Morchid
(2020) found that Moroccan university students
progressed considerably in terms of writing after
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being subjected to a MALL based instruction
including texting, transcribing the podcasts and
taking notes while playing educational games.
Likewise, Wang and Smith (2013) integrated
MALL into their classes in Japan which revealed
that the students who received reading and
grammar materials via mobile devices showed
remarkable achievement at the end of the study.
Considering the aforementioned studies, it can be
argued that MALL offers many advantages in
different contexts at different stages of education.
Regarding grammar, Azeez and Al Bajalani
(2018) investigated the relationship between
grammar marks and MALL in Iran context on
university students which revealed that recording
sentences and forwarding to the teacher to get a
valuable feedback via mobile devices increased
students’ accuracy in multiple choice format
grammar tests.
Methodology
A mixed methods design was adopted in the
present study which required using Quantitative
and qualitative research methodologies
consecutively, so limitations of each method
could be compensated and positive sides of each
research method was emphasized. Two writing
exams, a questionnaire and a survey and an
interview were held to collect data. The exams
were designed to collect, quantitative data,
whereas the questionnaire and the survey were
activated to collect qualitative data. Bentahar and
Cameron (2015) attest that the implementation of
a mixed methods design allows researchers to
collect, cross-check and validate results reliably.
Participants, Setting and Sampling Procedure
This study was undertaken at Tishk International
University (TIU henceforth) in Erbil, Iraq, where
around five thousand students studying in twenty-
nine departments were enrolled in 2021- 2022
Academic Year. This private institution provides
instruction in English, allowing diverse groups
from many ethnic backgrounds to obtain a top-
notch quality education. This study included one
hundred students who graduated from TIU
Language Preparatory School's intensive English
training program. Snowball sampling technique
was employed in this study which required the
initial participants to invite other students with
shared qualities to join. Initial participants
expanded the number of sample students based on
students’ tendencies to write enthusiastically. In
other words, the students who could write
passionately became the hosts to invite other
enthusiastic students in terms of writing. Etikan et
al. (2016) assert that snowball sampling alleviates
the difficulties encountered while choosing the
sample because this non-probable sampling method
helps the researcher to reach the participants with
the common characteristics, so participants can
exchange their ideas and contribute to the study
equally. In the present study, the researcher
assigned ten students who earned the highest marks
in Academic Writing course. Subsequently, each of
them chose five more students who were eager to
progress in terms of writing in their circle of friends
at Language Preparatory School. The rationale to
choose snowball sampling technique was to reach
the best candidates who could join writing activities
within 12 weeks actively. Otherwise, boredom,
anxiety, feeling exhausted issues could force the
researcher to finalize the study before the expected
time. Thus, 60 students were chosen from the
population and split into two groups equally to
represent control or experimental group. The
students were chosen from 14 different departments
which could be observed below in Table 1:
Table 1.
Distribution of participants’ departments
Departments
Frequency
%
Accounting
3
5
Architectural Engineering
4
6.8
Banking and Finance
3
5
ManagementBusiness and
4
6.8
Civil Engineering
3
5
Computer Engineering
4
6.8
Dentistry
3
5
Information Technology
5
8.3
Interior Design
4
6.8
International Relation and Diplomacy
3
5
Mechatronics Engineering
4
6.8
Medical Analysis
8
13.3
Nursing
3
5
Pharmacy
9
15
Total
60
100
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Table 1 illustrated that participants’ departments
ranged from accounting to pharmacy.
Additionally, it was observed that pharmacy
students were followed by medical analysis ones
in terms of the highest number of participants.
Apart from students’ departments, faculties of
students were visualized in Table 2.
Table 2.
Distribution of participants’ faculties
Departments
Frequency
%
Administrative Sciences and Economics
13
21.7
Applied Sciences
13
21.7
Dentistry
3
5
Engineering
19
31.7
Nursing
3
5
Pharmacy
9
15
Total
60
100
Table 2 depicted participants’ faculties which
encompassed six out of eight faculties at
university. According to the figures, it was
noticed that faculty of engineering students were
the highest ones with 19 members (31.7 %).
Additionally, dentistry and nursing students were
the least ones with 3 members respectively (5 %).
Participants` ages and genders were aslo given in
Table 3.
Table 3.
Participants` frequency in terms of gender and age
Variable(s)
Option
F
%
Gender
Female
24
40
Male
36
60
Age
18-21
42
70
22+
18
30
Total
30
100
Table 3 analysis revealed that male students
(60%) outnumbered female students (40%) with
36 and 24 members respectively. Along with the
participants' genders, the participants' ages were
also shown in detail, unearthing that 70% of the
students were between the ages of 18 and 21,
while 30% were 22 or older.
Data Collection Procedure
This study was commenced and finalized in an
Academic Writing course through which
students expanded their knowledge with a well-
planned syllabus as 3 hours per week because
TIU LPS administration acknowledged the
importance of spoken and written English and
designed the classes accordingly. In the first
semester, the researcher had laid the background
for Academic Writing, so the students were
exposed to writing 4 paragraph essays in this
study. The study lasted for 12 weeks when
students were required to write 5 essays
regardless of being in control or experimental
group. Although both groups were urged to write
5 common essays, the conduct of lessons was
considerably different in each group which was
illustrated below:
1. What are your reasons to watch movies?
2. If you took up a new hobby, what would it
be?
3. Will the life be easier in the 2050s?
4. What is the most harmful type of pollution?
What are some ways to eliminate it globally?
5. Do you prefer having online or in-person
classes to earn a degree at a university?
The Cycle of Lessons in Control Group
The instructor showed the examples of
traditional and MALL based writing instruction
within 2 weeks, so that the participants could
weigh the pros and cons of each at the end of the
study. In the third week, the instructor switched
to traditional writing instruction according to the
pre-defined plan. The instructor covered the
lesson by applying the rules of pre, while and
post writing. To illustrate, the instructor drew a
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mind map about the topic, so each student
contributed to the brainstorming process. They
learned how to organize their outlines by the
mind-map they drew in cooperation. In the next
phase, each student came to a decision about the
outline which would serve as a map while writing
for each student. The instructor examined each
student’s outline and offered feedback if there
were some parts which needed minor or major
modifications. In the subsequent stage, the
instructor and students wrote a sample essay on
the same topic in cooperation, so they learned
how to introduce, expand and finalize the essay
based on the regulations of Academic Writing
course. Upon completion of the sample essay, the
students commenced writing their own essays
within 30 minutes. The instructor set the timer to
train students on racing against time during the
exams throughout their education. Once they
completed writing, students submitted their
works on a piece of paper as in line with
traditional writing model. In the second lesson of
the week, the instructor offered feedback for each
student and highlighted common mistakes.
Afterwards, the instructor urged the students to
analyse some sample essays available on
different websites. They read and discussed some
details to write more creatively in the following
weeks. Finally, the instructor informed the
students about their marks based on the rubric
and suggested some students to rewrite the same
topic considering the instructor’s feedback on the
paper. The instructor justified his/ her decision to
urge some students to write one more time by
granting them a chance to learn from their
mistakes and master writing academically. It can
be stated that control group students were
exposed to a traditional based writing instruction
which was quite different in experimental group.
The cycle of Lessons in Experimental Group
The instructor showed the examples of
traditional and MALL based writing instruction
within 2 weeks, so that the participants could
weigh the pros and cons of each at the end of the
study. In the third week, the instructor switched
to MALL based writing instruction according to
the pre-defined plan. The instructor covered the
lesson by applying the rules of pre, while and
post writing. To illustrate, the instructor drew a
mind map about the topic, so each student
contributed to the brainstorming process. They
learned how to organize their outlines by the
mind-map they drew in cooperation. In the next
phase, each student came to a decision about the
outline which would serve as a map while writing
for each student. The instructor examined each
student’s outline and offered feedback if there
were some parts which needed minor or major
modifications. In the subsequent stage, the
instructor and students wrote a sample essay on
the same topic in cooperation, so they learned
how to introduce, expand and finalize the essay
based on the regulations of Academic Writing
course. Upon completion of the sample essay, the
students commenced writing their own essays
within 30 minutes. The instructor set the timer to
train students on racing against time during the
exams throughout their education. Once they
completed writing, students submitted their
works on a piece of paper. In the second lesson
of the week, the instructor offered feedback for
each student and highlighted common mistakes
by displaying the screenshots of students’ works
without naming any student. The instructor
activated peer-learning, so students could find
their friends’ mistakes and offered a valuable
feedback to make corrections. Afterwards, the
instructor urged the students to analyse some
sample essays available on different websites as
a pair work activity. They read and discussed
some details to write more creatively in the
following weeks. Finally, the instructor informed
the students about their marks based on the rubric
and suggested some students to rewrite the same
topic considering the instructor’s feedback on the
paper via a Google Form link which was
available on TIU LPS Academic Writing Course
Lecture Notes. The instructor justified his/ her
decision to urge some students to write one more
time by granting them a chance to learn from
their mistakes and master writing academically.
The instructor welcomed second submissions
electronically on purpose because writing for the
second time on the paper can be tedious and time
consuming for a lot of students. On the other
hand, typing via virtual or on-screen keyboard
was more convenient for students all of whom
were digital natives. It can be stated that
experimental group students took advantage of
benefits of in person and online learning
opportunities equally.
Findings
Findings of this study were classified under 4
headings which were the questionnaire, the
survey, the interview and descriptive analysis, so
each instrument was elaborated to get detailed
analysis and make interpretations accordingly.
The Analysis of the Questionnaire
Table 4 shed light on students` opinions in the
questionnaire.
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Table 4.
Control group students’ responses
ITEMS
Mean
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
%
f
%
f
%
f
%
f
%
f
1. Receiving the
instruction traditionally
was a fruitful period for
me to improve my writing
skills.
2.13
7 %
2
7 %
2
23%
7
19 %
6
44%
13
2. I did not get bored
while receiving Academic
Writing course in a
traditional format.
1.8
0 %
0
0%
0
23 %
7
33 %
10
44
13
3. I did not lose my
enthusiasm towards
writing when I received
the instruction in an
orthodox format.
2.3
10 %
3
12 %
4
17 %
5
17 %
5
44%
13
4. I think integrating
mobile devices into
writing class has a lot of
drawbacks.
1.46
0 %
0
0 %
0
0%
0
47%
14
53%
16
5. I wish I had joined this
program earlier.
1.26
0 %
0
0 %
0
0 %
0
27%
8
73%
22
6. My instructor’s teaching
style was inspiring.
2.33
0 %
0
0 %
0
60 %
18
13 %
4
27 %
8
The participants in control group responded to
six items to pinpoint their sincere perspectives on
the implementation of traditional writing class
which was explored in detail below:
Item 1 analysis indicated that most students did
not consider this period as a fruitful one with a
2.13 mean score. To illustrate, two students (7 %)
chose strongly agree and agree options
respectively, however, seven students (23 %)
chose neutral; six students (19 %) chose disagree
and thirteen students (44 %) chose strongly
disagree. These figures hinted that students were
not satisfied with the instruction offered during
the study.
As shown in item 2, regarding feeling bored, the
mean score was only 1.8 which revealed that the
majority of the students got bored. To name a
few, no student chose strongly agree or agree
options. On the other hand, seven students (23 %)
chose neutral; ten students (33 %) chose disagree
and thirteen students (44 %) chose strongly
disagree. It can be hinted that motivational tools
were missing to capture students’ attention.
Item 3 was designed to pinpoint students’
enthusiasm which indicated that a lot of students
did not increase their enthusiasm considering the
mean score which was 2.3. To illustrate the
figures, three students (10 %) opted in strongly
agree, and four students (12 %) chose agree. On
the other hand, five students (17 %) chose
neutral; five students (17 %) chose disagree and
thirteen students (44 %) chose strongly disagree.
Once item 4, which was related to integrating
mobile devices into writing classes, was
examined, it was observed that the mean score
was only 1.46. To name a few, no student chose
strongly agree, agree or neutral. On the other
hand, fourteen students (47 %) chose disagree,
and sixteen students (53 %) chose strongly
disagree which unearthed that students had no
hesitation to expand learning with mobile
technologies.
Item 5 was designed to figure out whether
students regret not having joined such a program
earlier which revealed that they did not have
regret about not having joined such a study. In
the same vein, the mean score was 1.26 which
was the lowest in the questionnaire. Additionally,
no student chose strongly agree, agree or neutral
options. However, eight (27 %) and twenty-two
(73 %) students chose disagree and strongly
disagree respectively.
The last item was directed to evaluate the
instructor’s performance while offering
traditional writing instruction which revealed
that the satisfaction rate was quite low with a 2.33
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mean score. To illustrate, no student chose
strongly agree, agree options. However, eighteen
students (60 %) raised their concerns by choosing
neutral. Likewise, four (13 %) and eight students
(27 %) chose either disagree or strongly disagree
respectively. These figures hinted that the type of
instruction mattered although the instructor did
his/her best professionally in the classroom
atmosphere.
Table 5.
Experimental group students’ responses
ITEMS
Mean
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
%
f
%
f
%
f
%
f
%
f
1. Receiving the instruction
with MALL technologies was
a fruitful period for me to
improve my writing skills.
4.56
63 %
19
30 %
9
7%
2
0 %
0
0 %
0
2. I did not get bored while
receiving Academic Writing
course via MALL enriched
format.
4.83
83%
25
17%
5
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
3. I did not lose my
enthusiasm towards writing
when I received the
instruction in an unorthodox
format.
5
100%
30
0 %
0
0 %
0
0%
0
0%
0
4. I think integrating mobile
devices into writing class has
a lot of benefits.
4.96
97 %
29
3 %
1
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
5. I wish I had joined this
program earlier.
4.93
93 %
28
7 %
2
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
6. My instructor’s teaching
style was inspiring.
5
100 %
30
0 %
0
0 %
0
0 %
0
0 %
0
Experimental group students responded to 6
items as well which unearthed noteworthy
findings to consider meticulously.
Item 1 was designed to evaluate the effectiveness
of MALL enriched program which revealed that
the satisfaction rate was considerably high
considering the mean score 4.56. To illustrate,
nineteen (63 %) students chose strongly agree;
nine students (30 %) chose agree options and two
students (7 %) chose neutral. On the other hand,
no student chose neither disagree not strongly
disagree. These figures hinted that MALL
enriched writing instruction was a promising
period.
Considering item 2 analysis which was related to
measuring their boredom levels, it was observed
that the majority of students did not get bored.
Conversely, it can be inferred that they got
pleasure while joining activities with mobile
technologies. To illustrate, twenty-five students
(83 %) chose strongly agree; five students (17 %)
chose agree. On the other hand, no student opted
in other options.
As shown in item 3, regarding being enthusiastic
during the study, all students were enthusiastic
enough to join the activities eagerly. The mean
score which was 5 hinted that the students’
enthusiasm did not fade as the days went by.
Item 4 findings revealed that all students took
side with integrating MALL activities into
writing classes with a 4.96 mean score. It can be
inferred that mobile technologies can increase
students’ motivation dramatically.
Item 5 was designed to figure out whether
students regret not having joined such a program
earlier which revealed that they regretted about
not having joined such a study. In the same vein,
the mean score was 4.93 which was one of the
highest ones in the questionnaire. All students
opted in either strongly agree or agree options. In
other words, no student chose neutral, disagree or
strongly disagree.
The last item was directed to evaluate the
instructor’s performance while offering
traditional writing instruction which revealed
that all students appreciated the efforts of the
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instructor without any hesitation. These figures
hinted that the type of instruction and the
instructor’s efforts complemented each other to
develop students’ writing skills.
Considering all findings of the questionnaire, it
can be concluded that students’ overall
satisfaction rate was substantially higher than the
findings for control group students. In other
words, MALL yielded better results in terms of
earning students’ appreciation.
The Analysis of the Survey
Table 6.
Participants` opinions on traditional writing activities
Categories
Frequency
%
Boring
27
90
Monotonous
28
93.3
centred-Teacher
30
100
Tiring
25
83.3
consuming-Time
19
63.3
Losing enthusiasm
29
96.7
Based on the survey results in Table 6, the
participants emphasized some terms as the
distinguishing qualities of traditional writing
instruction. They emphasized them as teacher-
centred, losing enthusiasm, monotonous, boring,
tiring and time-consuming in a descending order
from 30 to 19.
Table 7.
Participants` opinions on mall activities in an academic writing course
Categories
Frequency
%
Convenient
29
96.7
Portable
25
83.3
centred-Student
27
90
Modern
30
100
Interactive
28
93.3
Entertaining
21
70
Based on the survey results in Table 4, the
participants emphasized some terms as the
distinguishing qualities of MALL activities.
They highlighted MALL activities as modern,
convenient, interactive, student-centered,
portable and entertaining in a descending order
from 30 to 21.
The Analysis of the Interview
Control Group Students’ Interviews
I received a traditional instruction during the
study which was quite boring for me. Once we
wrote the essays for the first time, I did not
complain about it. I thought that my writing
would improve well while writing on the paper.
However, writing on the paper for the second
time after receiving the first feedback was quite
troublesome for me. I am very good at typing on
the virtual or on-screen keyboard. It is also less
time consuming for me. Additionally, I can zoom
in and out to see my mistakes easily before
submission. However, I suffered a lot during the
study when I had to write on the paper. I wish I
had had the flexibility to write on the paper or by
the keyboard. (Student 8)
It was not a typical period for me. I learned how
to write academically. Although it was
monotonous from time to time, I noticed the
improvement in my essays. Additionally, writing
one more time after the first feedback helped me
a lot to see my mistakes and eliminate them in
my second attempt. Personally, I prefer learning
in a hybrid way which necessitated employing in-
person and online learning opportunities.
However, I did not mind it. I realized that I
learned well when I followed the instructions in
a disciplined way. (Student 13)
This study could have produced better results if
we had been allowed to use our mobile devices
for educational purposes in an Academic Writing
course. We had to write and submit on the paper
every time, but it was so boring for me. I have no
problem about writing on the paper for the first
time. On the other hand, I like researching on the
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internet about the topic, getting some ideas and
composing my own essay for the second
submission. I believe that we should read more
sample essays before the second submission, so
we could expand our knowledge and write more
creatively. (Student 17)
My instructor graded my paper and showed my
mistakes individually. However, my friends in
the other group learned from each other because
the instructor displayed each submission on the
smart board and asked the students to correct the
mistakes. Additionally, they zoomed in and out
according to the need. However, we could not
learn from each other in the study. We wrote and
the instructor graded. I need more interaction and
collaboration to improve my writing skills.
(Student 25)
I read a lot of articles about the role of technology
in education. They assert that integrating
technology into classes can pay off if planned
and monitored successfully. However, the
conduct of lesson was so monotonous in our
study. We brainstormed, wrote, received
feedback and rewrote. The cycle could be
enriched with mobile devices to increase the
satisfaction of the students. (Student 29)
Experimental Group Students’ Interviews
It was a beneficial study for me because I
expanded my writing skills dramatically. I
noticed that MALL activities enriched our
learning and increased our motivation to write
more creatively. In addition, it was a piece of
cake to type and send the second submission
electronically. I used to write for long hours in
the past. Now, I compose my ideas within 20
minutes through the internet and merge my own
ideas harmoniously thanks to mobile
technologies which were allowed to use actively
in this study. I am glad to be a part of this study
which was memorable in many aspects. (Student
5)
I spend long hours surfing the internet, so I am
capable of typing fast. When my instructor
informed me about the study, I looked forward to
commencing it. When I typed on the keyboard, I
did not think that writing was a tiring and boring
process. Conversely, I realized that writing is at
the heart of our lives which will have many
reflections. In the same vein, I got so much
pleasure while writing on the keyboard because I
was familiar with typing academically. I can
assure you that mobile technologies can change
the quality of writing classes drastically. (Student
9)
My instructor offered the flexibility in this study
to send our submissions with mobile
technologies such as laptops, mobile phones and
tablets. Additionally, we did not race against time
for the second submission. We elaborated our
ideas, checked instructor’s feedback before
composing the final form. Additionally, we
learned from each other during peer-learning
period. As far as I am concerned, it was a
revolutionary technique to be implemented
globally. I wish everyone employed such a handy
method while teaching how to write
academically. Granting freedom to use mobile
devices broaden our horizons from different
sources. (Student 16)
One of the most fundamental gains of this study
was interaction for me. We interacted with our
friends in many cases. For instance, we corrected
the mistakes, brainstormed, composed the drafts,
researched in cooperation. Thus, we strengthened
our relationship to learn cooperatively and go one
step further in writing each passing day.
Speaking independently, finding the mistakes
cooperatively, doing research as a team were key
points to increase the success rate of the study.
(Student 20)
Descriptive Data Analysis
Independent samples t test was employed to
measure whether there were a significant
statistical difference once initial and final results
were compared. The detailed analysis was given
below:
Independent samples t test analysis was
illustrated in Table 8.
Table 8.
Independent samples t test analysis
Variables
Groups
N
Mean
SD
t
df
Sig
Pre-test
Control
30
53.50
11.230
Pre-test
Experimental
30
53.33
12.753
.054
58
.957
Post-test
Control
30
54.50
18.305
Post-test
Experimental
30
68.33
13.979
-3.290
58
.002
Note. P<0.05
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Based on the values of pre-test in Table 5, there
was no significant difference between each group
because p-value was measured as .957 which was
greater than 0.05. Additionally, there was not a
significant difference between each group in
terms of mean scores which were 53.50 in control
group and 53.33 in experimental group. These
figures indicated that their levels were quite
similar initially. On the other hand, when the p
values were analysed in terms of post-test results,
it was measured as .002 which was significant.
This difference was also observed in the mean
score of experimental group which leaped from
53.33 to 68.3. However, the difference in control
group was only 1 point once pre-test and post-test
results were compared. Based on the post-test
results, it can be attested that experimental group
who followed a MALL enriched writing
instruction outperformed. However, control
group`s progress was not as substantial as
experimental group.
This study sought the effects of MALL enriched
instruction in an Academic Writing class via
exams, a questionnaire, a survey and an
interview. Based on the findings, several key
points were highlighted in each instrument. The
exam results revealed that MALL enriched
instruction increased students’ writing marks and
motivation substantially. This gain was in line
with Kara and Yildiz`s (2022) study which
indicated that using mobile technologies can
enhance students’ all linguistic skills.
Additionally, Bahari (2022) asserts that mobile
technologies can increase the quality of
education because students’ enthusiasm and
motivation can increase dramatically. Apart from
exams, the questionnaire indicated essential
points to consider. For instance, the majority of
students reiterated that it was a productive period
for students in many ways because they learned
in an engaging way. This finding was consistent
with Senel (2022) emphasized that digital
literacy can offer learners to learn in an engaging
way. The next instrument was the survey which
unearthed significant advantages of MALL
activities which were being interactive, modern,
portable, student-centered and entertaining. This
finding was common in Karakaya and Bozkurt’s
(2022) study which underlined distinguishing
qualities of MALL activities in language learning
and teaching process. The last instrument was the
interview which revealed key points as well on
the effects of MALL in writing. For instance, the
students who received a traditional based writing
instruction complained about boredom,
monotonous cycle and tiring activities, whereas
the students who were exposed to MALL
activities to write academically expressed their
compliments with various stark examples. In
addition, MALL gives teachers extra time to
check on students. Instructors can spend more
time with students because lecturing takes less
time (Daskan & Yildiz, 2020). This finding was
also supported by Kim (2022) and Yildiz (2022)
who emphasized that mobile technologies could
produce promising results to increase students’
attitudes toward writing academically.
Conclusion and Recommendations
This study investigated the effects of MALL
initiatives on students’ writing competence.
Based on the findings gathered through various
qualitative and quantitative instruments, it was
observed that students’ writing performance was
enhanced dramatically. In the same vein, they
were more eager to join the activities and submit
their works electronically via mobile
technologies. Furthermore, students’ relationship
with their instructors and friends strengthened
substantially. In addition, interaction was the
core part of the study which required the learners
to cooperate, discuss and come to the sensible
decision as a team. Subsequently, peer-learning
activities increased students’ retention rate as
they corrected their friends’ mistakes
collaboratively. Moreover, students’ overall
attitudes towards learning English by mobile
technologies changed positively. Based on the
aforementioned advantages of MALL, it can be
stated that mobile technologies can contribute to
language learning and teaching process in
increasing numbers for long years.
Some recommendations can be made for
stakeholders of education who are keen on
integrating MALL activities into writing classes.
This study sought the effects of MALL on
writing at a tertiary level in Iraq. Future studies
can be conducted to measure the effects of
MALL on different skills at different stages of
education. In addition, male students were higher
than female ones which can be equalized in
future studies to represent genders fairly. Finally,
this study lasted 12 weeks which can be
prolonged in future studies because writing skills
cannot be mastered within a short time. Longer
periods can yield more satisfactory results.
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