A Facebook Project for Japanese University Students: Does It Really Enhance Student Interaction, Learner Autonomy, and English Abilities?

Autor/in	Hamada, Mayumi
Titel	A Facebook Project for Japanese University Students: Does It Really Enhance Student Interaction, Learner Autonomy, and English Abilities?
Quelle	(2012), (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Social Media; College Freshmen; Computer Assisted Instruction; Second Language Learning; English (Second Language); Language Skills; Skill Development; Personal Autonomy; Independent Study; Writing Assignments; Student Attitudes; Computer Mediated Communication; Student Surveys; Friendship; Japan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Soziale Medien; Studienanfänger; Computer based training; Computerunterstützter Unterricht; Zweitsprachenerwerb; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung; Individuelle Autonomie; Selbststudium; Schülerverhalten; Computerkonferenz; Schülerbefragung; Freundschaft
Abstract	Facebook is the most popular social network service (SNS) in the world and a great platform for a link to the world. It can also be used effectively for language learning in EFL environments. However, that is not the case in Japan. The number of Facebook users accounts for less than 6% of the population. This is partly because the most popular SNS in Japan is MIXI, which is available only in the Japanese language. This study examined the potential of Facebook for Japanese university students to develop their English skills as well as student interaction and learner autonomy. It describes how to introduce and integrate Facebook into a freshmen English course in a Japanese university. The survey conducted at the beginning of the semester revealed that only 15% of the students had a Facebook account. In order to habituate the students to using Facebook and improve their English skills, a writing task on Facebook was assigned every week. The results of the project, based on the feedback from the students and two surveys conducted at the beginning and the end of the semester, will be presented. I will also discuss how Facebook can facilitate not only the language learning of students, but also the interaction between the students, and access to the outer world. [For the complete volume, see ED574893.] (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Research-publishing.net. La Grange des Noyes, 25110 Voillans, France. e-mail: info@research-publishing.net; Web site: http://research-publishing.net
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01