Unravelling the Paradox : Investigating the Inconsistent Findings in Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Research

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has gained widespread attention in educational research, leading to diverse investigations across multiple areas. A significant body of research has explored learners’ acceptance of and continued intention to use mobilemediated language learning. Numerous studies have also examined the impact of MALL on language skills development, focusing on vocabulary acquisition, listening, reading, speaking, and writing. However, findings suggest inconsistency on the effectiveness of MALL with both positive and negative results. The inconsistency entails further exploration on the MALL effectiveness on language skills enhancement. Beyond language skills enhancement, researchers have also investigated the broader impact of MALL on learners’ motivation, engagement, and overall satisfaction. Studies also indicate conflicting findings, and the issues of lacking of engagement and motivation were widely reported in the extant literature. Therefore, despite the growing body of research, gaps remain in understanding how MALL influences learning outcomes in different contexts and how MALL affects learners’ psychological states like motivation, engagement and satisfaction. This study provides a detailed review of existing literature on MALL, synthesising key findings and identifying areas that require further exploration to optimise the effectiveness of mobile technologies in language learning.