The acceptance, readiness, affordances, and challenges of mobile-assisted language learning: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Although mobile technologies are commonly used to support language learning, there is a lack of research to comprehensively determine the acceptance, readiness, affordances, and challenges in this area. To address this gap, this systematic literature review selected 49 articles indexed in the Scopus database between 2013 and 2022. This study found that TAM and UTAUT are the two most used models to examine the acceptance and readiness of MALL users. Besides, respondents generally have a positive acceptance and readiness for MALL, and they have sufficient knowledge and experience with MALL. This research classified three categories of the affordances of MALL, namely technology-based affordances which are related to the variety and application of mobile apps and the enhancing features of multimedia, the functional affordances of MALL which are related to the dynamic and flexible learning environments and the accessibility of mobile devices, and various aspects of language learning-based affordances. Regarding the challenges of MALL, this study has found that infrastructural and technological challenges, e.g. the insufficient ownership and accessibility of mobile devices, the limitations of mobile devices, the shortcomings of user interface and the instructional design of mobile apps, user-related issues, e.g., lack of technical and language skills, and application concerns, e.g. pedagogical concerns, health, privacy, and security concerns, and other real-world application concern could affect respondents’ acceptance and readiness of MALL. Both practical and theoretical implications are highlighted in this research.