Investigating EFL Learners’ Self-Efficacy During the Integration of Online Learning Using Mobile Learning Experience

Abstract

This study investigates EFL learners’ self-efficacy during the integration of online learning using smartphone-based mobile learning experiences in Indonesia and Japan. The study was motivated by the growing use of smartphones as accessible learning tools in English language education and by the need to understand how learners’ beliefs in their own capabilities influence language learning and time management in online environments. The research aimed to examine how self-efficacy is manifested in smartphone-based online learning and to analyze how it contributes to the development of language skills and time management. This study employed a qualitative research design involving 35 EFL learners and 7 EFL teachers who had experienced or taught in mobile learning classrooms. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations and analyzed using data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that learners’ self-efficacy was manifested through technological confidence, learning confidence, and self-regulatory confidence. In Indonesia, self-efficacy was shaped more strongly by internet access, digital literacy, and institutional support, while in Japan it appeared more closely linked to autonomous regulation, disciplined task engagement, and self-monitoring. The findings also showed that self-efficacy contributed to language development by encouraging repeated practice, active participation, and strategic use of smartphone-based resources across listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities. In addition, it supported time management through better task planning, deadline control, and productive use of smartphones for academic purposes. The study concludes that self-efficacy is a central factor in understanding how smartphone-based online learning can support meaningful EFL learning outcomes across different educational contexts.