AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SELF-PERCEIVED USE OF MOBILE PHONES AND THEIR IMPACT ON EFL STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN CONTEXT

Abstract

The availability of mobile phones has provided opportunities for researchers to explore their impact on education. English language teaching is not an exception in this matter. The literature review indicates that mobile phones provide improved opportunities for portability, social interaction, contextualization of learning, and personalization. The study used a quasi-experimental research model to explore how students perceive the use of mobile phones and how this use impacts student’ engagement and can facilitate the learning process at an English Language Institute (ELI) at a Saudi Arabian university. The data collected from Forty-four male students doing the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) shows that the use of mobile phones in the classrooms can enhance students’ engagement. Based on the evidence from empirical research, it is concluded that the use of mobile phones in the teaching and learning process enhances students’ engagement