artiCle review

Title      : Investigating the use of social networking services in Japanese EFL classrooms

Volume : The JALT CALL Journal.2008 Volume 4, No, 1, pp, 40-52 Copyright  
Source  :  http://www.jaltcall.org/journal/articles/4_1_Kikuchi.pdf

Authors:  Keita Kikuchi ,Waseda University, Japan.

                Toru Otsuka, Shizunai Senior High School, Japan.

          The article is about investigating the effectiveness of using social networking services in Japanese EFL classrooms. In this rapid changing world,  Social Networking Services (SNS) such as electronic mail (e-mail) and blogs are getting more attention not only in the United States and Europe, but also Japan. Therefore, the researchers intended to investigate some aspects of the participation's perceptions of SNS and make clear the nature of students' underlying motivations for writing blogs.
          The aim of this research was to identify forces that may make students want to learn English using blogs in Social Networking Services and indicate their reactions to the application of the use of SNS in their English classes. This research had been conducted on ninety two university students  in three EFL courses offered  in two Japanese universities. They all were taught by the same teacher and had been invited to participate in  an invite-only network. In this class, students were instructed to post any information that they wanted to share with their classmates in their blog. They were also promoted to make friends with anyone on the SNS  who they could communicate in English. The methodology of the research employed both quantitative and qualitative form of study, where questionnaires and one open-ended question had been used. The questionnaires consisted three parts featuring; (1) general background questions; (2) questions concerning the frequency  of computer use; (3) thirty items arranged in a 5- point Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree to statement about their motivation for using computers in blog writing in the second language classroom. The questionnaires were formatted into online survey whereby the students were asked to complete the questionnaires through the website. The questions were all in Japanese so that the students could understand the content of the questionnaire sufficiently.
          The first finding of the research was underlying characteristics of motivation toward SNS. There are three factors which ; (1) Firstly, it was communication and empowerment through the use of computers whereby the computers facilitate communication between learners both inside and outside the class; (2) secondly, some respondents see the use of computers in English classes is useful though they recognize that it may be easier to write papers by hand; (3) thirdly, it was reluctance to use computers. The second finding of this research was participants' reactions to the practice of using SNS in their English classes. There were five feedback that the participants had given; (1) Appreciation of having the opportunity to type in English; (2) Appreciation of the commenting function of the blog; (3) Appreciation of increased opportunities through blog writing assignments; (4) Negative feeling towards blog assignments; (5) Negative feeling towards the use of computers in English classes.
          In my opinion, this study still did not cover the use of social networking services in Japanese EFL classrooms as a whole. It covered only some items in motivating the students to use SNS in English language classes. I suggest that if the research will be conducted in the future, the researcher need to emphasize on the pros and cons of using SNS in the English language classes.
           In relation to the Malaysian context, learning using the technology can only be observed in certain schools in the urban areas.  The real situation of learning second language by students today is the inability to relate what they learn in written form and their daily usage of second language that they have learnt in the classroom. Despite of lack of proficiency in second and foreign language among students, the use of social networking services can increase level of motivation in learning language. I strongly feel that language teachers in Malaysia should adapt this form of teaching language not just to give more exposure to the learners on how the target language is used but also to strengthen and improve  language learning.
         All in all, I believe that language teachers can make a big difference in learners’ learning by using the social networking services in the classroom.