A Survey of MALL Curriculum Integration - What the Published Research Doesn’t Tell

Oct 15, 2026

Despite a large volume of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) research over the past two decades, published work rarely addresses how mobile technologies are integrated into curricula beyond early pilot efforts. An online survey of MALL practitioners examined implementation realities. Nearly 60% of initial projects progressed to curricular integration, driven mainly by initial-project success and supportive institutional conditions, while financial and technological shortcomings and weak curricular flexibility hindered integration.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages20

Reading Time50 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Literature Review

A Survey of MALL Curriculum Integration: What the Published Research Doesn’t Tell JACK BURSTON Cyprus University of Technology ABSTRACT Despite the large number of published articles dealing with Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) applications over the past two decades, very few relate to the curricular integration of mobile technologies beyond initial projects. This situation raises a primary research question as to whether or not MALL implementation publications reflect the actual extent to which MALL has been incorporated into the curriculum . In order to determine the actual state of curricular integration, an online survey of published MALL practitioners was conducted. The survey established that nearly 60% of initial MALL projects had subsequently led to curricular integration . The factors that most facilitated the integration of MALL into the curriculum are all directly related to the success of the initial project. Institutional factors likewise played an important part in the subsequent incorporation of MALL into the curriculum, with the encouragement of the administration, financial support and technological infrastructure being the most positive in this regard. On the other hand, the lack of financial and technological support was deemed to constitute a substantial negative factor . Likewise, when it existed, curricular flexibility played a major positive role in making MALL integration possible, whereas the absence of curricular flexibility was considered a significant negative impediment. So, too, overall the willingness of colleagues to engage with MALL, their pedagogical training and technological expertise were all viewed as contributing positively to MALL integration, though not without a notable level of negative influence . KEYWORDS MALL, MALL Publications, Mobile Learning, Curricular Integration, Mobile Devices INTRODUCTION Proponents of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) have been heralding for many years the educational revolution that the use of mobile devices would bring. For some (Cavus & Ibrahim, 2008 ; Fallahkhair, Pemberton, & Griffiths, 2007), the MALL revolution was already a fait accompli even before the end of the past decade: Integrating Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) technology (personal multimedia players, cell phones, and handheld devices) into the foreign language curriculum is becoming commonplace in many secondary and higher education institutions . (Abdous, Camarena, & Facer, 2009, 76) Such claims, however, are at variance with the accounts of MALL application projects that have been published over the past 20 years . While it is certainly true that between 1994-2012 over 345 experimental MALL implementations were undertaken, few of these have actually been integrated into the curriculum in any substantial way and even fewer have been pedagogically innovative, let alone revolutionary ( Burston, 2014) . As detailed in Burston (2013), with regard to the context of MALL implementations, it is important to note their overwhelming short-term research orientation . Only about a third of MALL applications have actually formed part of a course curriculum, and nearly all of these as a voluntary complement. The remainder consists of pure research, limited class trialing, design descriptions, prototype testing, lab experiments and field testing (Table 1) . CALICO Journal, 31(3), p-p 303-322. doi: 10.11139/cj.31.3.303-322 © 2014 CALICO Journal Table 1 MALL Project Types | Project Type | | | --- | --- | | Other
Prototype
Design
Class trialing
Class complement
Research | | Likewise, only about a quarter of all MALL implementations have taken place over an entire academic term or more (Table 2) . About 30% were trialed for only a week or less, with more than three quarters of these lasting less than three hours and some no more than five to ten minutes . Table 2 Duration of MALL Projects | More than 1 semester
1 term/se

FAQs

What research gap does the paper identify in published MALL work?

Published articles largely focus on MALL applications but rarely address curricular integration beyond initial projects.

How was the current state of curricular integration assessed?

An online survey was conducted with published MALL practitioners to determine the extent of curricular integration.

What factors most strongly facilitated or hindered MALL integration into curricula?

Integration was most facilitated by success-linked factors from initial projects and supportive institutional conditions, while lack of financial/technological support and limited curricular flexibility were major negative factors.

Oct 15, 2026

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