EFL Instructors’ Perceptions and Implementation of Mobile Assisted Language Learning The Case of Three Universities in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

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This study aimed to assess EFL instructors’ perceptions and implementation of mobile assisted language learning, focusing on three government universities in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The study employed a descriptive survey design in which data were gathered from 73 EFL instructors currently teaching different English language skills courses in the three universities: Debre Markos, Injibara, and Bahir Dar universities. A questionnaire of 34 items (29 closed-ended and five open-ended items) was employed for collecting the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data. The quantitative data from the close-ended questionnaire items were analyzed through descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and percentage), one sample t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient, whereas the qualitative data from the five open-ended questionnaire items were analyzed and categorized into already determined themes that are aligned to perception, practice, and challenges of using mobile assisted language learning. The results revealed that EFL instructors have a positive perception (understanding) of the significance of mobile phones for assisting language teaching and learning. The one sample t-test result showed the grand mean of participants’ perception was significantly higher than the population mean (t (.53) =6.948, p<.05). However, the result also revealed that instructors’ practice of using mobile phones to assist English language instruction was very low (t (-.61) =-4.74, p<.05). The relationship between the instructors’ perception and practice of mobile assisted language learning was also calculated via Pearson’s correlation analysis, which showed a low relationship, r (71) = 0.029, p > 0.05. In addition, the qualitative data analysis confirmed the quantitative finding and pinpointed different challenges attributing to the low level use of mobile phones to support conventional English language teaching and learning, such as lack of information communication knowledge technology knowledge, interest, training, and the unaffordability of smartphones among students as well as instructors. Based on the findings, recommendations were forwarded to different bodies.