Smartphone-Assisted Language Learning and Autonomy
This chapter discusses the advantages of using smartphones in an English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom from the perspective of motivation and autonomy among learners. The authors compared two groups of Japanese university students who were either prohibited from using their smartphones in the classroom or encouraged to use them for educational purposes, concentrating on whether those using smartphones in their EFL lessons would show tendencies toward being autonomous in their language studies. The results indicated that students who were encouraged to use their smartphones during class were inclined to study more in their free time as well as show signs of autonomy by taking charge of their learning and consider ways to improve their study habits and English proficiency. The conclusion is that language teachers and learners should be encouraged to use smartphones to create more productive classroom environments and as a means of fueling a desire to learn.