Gebethner, Shaily2026-04-102026-04-102026-04-10http://hdl.handle.net/10393/51515https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-31844This doctoral thesis examines how Mobile-Assisted Seamless Learning Environments (SLEs) can support adult ESL/EFL learners in Canada by enhancing motivation, engagement, and socially collaborative learning. The study is guided by the following research questions: (1) To what extent does the implementation of a seamless learning environment impact the motivation and engagement of adult ESL/EFL learners in Ottawa? (2) Does the use of technology support the principles of social constructivism and the distributed cognition framework in an SLE for adult ESL/EFL learners in Canada? If so, how? and (3) What are some of the "best" and/or "promising" practices that emerge from the design and implementation of an equitable and inclusive SLE for adult ESL/EFL learners in Canada? Grounded in plurilingual and multicultural education, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), social constructivism, and distributed cognition, the study employs a two-phase Critical Participatory Action Research (C-PAR) design. Phase 1 involved a semi-structured focus group used to identify learners' goals, challenges, and expectations within formal language programs. Findings revealed the need for flexible multimodal access, authentic real-world communication, reduced affective barriers, increased peer support, and learning spaces that respect cultural and linguistic identities. These insights informed the participatory co-design of a mobile Seamless Learning Environment implemented through Telegram. In this study, a seamless learning environment (SLE) is understood as a digitally mediated learning context that intentionally connects formal and informal learning spaces, modalities, and social interactions, enabling learners to move fluidly across contexts, activities, and technologies in support of sustained engagement and language development. Unlike more bounded online learning environments, the SLE foregrounds continuity of learning experiences across time, space, and social settings. Phase 2 examined learner experiences within the SLE through observational data and post-intervention interviews. Results indicate that the SLE positively influenced learner motivation by supporting autonomy, continuity across formal and informal spaces, and culturally responsive, identity-affirming learning. The environment fostered distributed cognition by enabling collaborative knowledge construction, peer scaffolding, and shared problem-solving across devices, contexts, and modalities. Learners reported lower anxiety, heightened confidence, and sustained engagement due to the SLE's flexible structure and multimodal pathways. The study offers three key contributions: (1) an empirically informed model of mobile seamless language learning, (2) evidence demonstrating how SLEs operationalize social constructivist and distributed cognition principles in adult ESL/EFL contexts, and (3) a set of promising design practices for developing equitable, inclusive, technology-enhanced learning environments. Collectively, the findings underscore the potential of SLEs to bridge classroom learning with real-world communication, promote intercultural competence, and support more empowering pathways for adult language learners in Canada.enAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/digital and mobile language learningseamless learningdistributed cognitionUniversal Design for Learning (UDL)plurilingualismmulticulturalismThesis