Influences on university students’ adoption of mobile phones for learning English as a Foreign Language in Vietnam

With the growing accessibility in today’s society and the characteristic of versatility, mobile phones have been emerging as a fertile ground for a paradigm shift in English language education. Understandably, of great importance is the pervasive acceptance of utilizing this newly-introduced learning tool by learners as end-users. Therefore, this study aims to explore factors impacting the adoption of mobile phones for learning English from learners’ perspectives, using Fred Davis’ Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the research framework. Beside perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use proposed in TAM, this study also examines computer self-efficacy, content richness and perceived playfulness as additional determinants of language learners’ behavioral intention to use mobile phones to learn English. Participants are university students who are studying English as a Foreign Language in Vietnam. Approximately 300 completed questionnaires will be analyzed using regression. The study will provide recommendations to educators, researchers and institutes in bringing mobile phones to language learning environment.  

 

Doan Nguyen Thi Le Hang is doing her MA degree in Applied Linguistics (TESOL studies) at the University of Queensland - Australia. She received her undergraduate degree at Quy Nhon University in Vietnam and taught English to college students for over three years in Vietnam.