Utilizing Social Media Platforms in Teaching and Learning English Language: Perceptions of PTSB Students

Abstract

The purpose of this research paper is to illustrate on students’ view on the use of social media in English language learning. With the widespread availability of numerous social media platforms, educators and content creators use them to teach and share in English classes. The teachers able to maximize it’s usage through education approaches. To narrow down, this study identifies Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah (PTSB) students' perceptions on the usage of social media applications in English teaching involving a total of 100 Diploma students who are taking DUE50032 Communicative English 3  course. They are required to engage in social media-based activities conducted on the course's e-learning site for 10 weeks. Throughout the 10 weeks, they were instructed to complete several assignments, quizzes and tasks to be assessed. At the end of the 10th week, a questionnaire was given to the students to identify their perception of the activities that had been carried out. The findings of the study show that students think Wiki has helped them in improving their writing, while YouTube videos are widely used to improve speaking skills. Additionally, Facebook discussion groups are considered useful for learning grammar and vocabulary. Twitter is only used to receive information about the definition of words. A discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of social media in learning English language learning and suggestions for increasing the potential of such applications are also included. While attempting to encourage information sharing through collaborative learning via social media, educators should also enhance students' understanding of academic integrity and give appropriate training.