The Role of Learner Self-Regulation in Mobile-Assisted Language Learning

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is an emerging technology-rich mode of learning requiring a high level of self-regulation. This study aims to investigate how MALL may help English learning for college students and to what extent their self-regulated learning skills may benefit their learning performances. Based on the cyclical model, quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews were designed to measure the critical dimensions of the learners’ self-regulated abilities. The results show that most participants (English-majored students in a Chinese university) are willing to take the initiative to adopt MALL in their language study. The learners had clear learning objectives and strategic planning. The study has pinpointed the key abilities that learners should improve in MALL and shed essential insights for designing MALL to engage online learners better.