Exploring the influencing factors of EFL students’ intention to use Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL): the mediating role of L2 motivation

As a novel language learning and teaching method, mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has drawn great attention recently. While much research has been conducted on the potential benefits of MALL, relatively few studies have examined the factors influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ intention to use MALL, especially among EFL postgraduates. To address this gap, this study intends to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of MALL among Chinese postgraduates by integrating the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Data were collected from a university in Central China, where a total of 358 postgraduates voluntarily participated in an online questionnaire survey. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data and examine the factors influencing Chinese postgraduates’ behavioral intention to use MALL. The results disclosed that Facilitating Conditions (FC) showed direct influence on behavioral intention to adopt MALL among Chinese postgraduates, whereas Performance Expectancy (PE) and Social Influence (SI) displayed indirect influence. By contrast, Effort Expectancy (EE) had no significant impact on their MALL adoption. The study also demonstrated that L2 motivation was a substantial determinant of MALL adoption and was identified as a significant mediator between PE, SI, FC, and postgraduates’ behavioral intention. The research findings clarify the psychological mechanism through which technological perceptions translate into behavioral intention to adopt MALL. The study contributes to the MALL literature by integrating a language-specific motivational framework and offers practical insights into enhancing postgraduates’ behavioral intention to adopt MALL and further improving their English learning outcomes.