Open AccessIncorporating Facebook in an Intermediate-Level Chinese Language Course
Author(s) -
Shenggao Wang,
Deoksoon Kim
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the iall journal of language learning technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1050-0049
DOI - 10.17161/iallt.v44i1.8534
Subject(s) - psychology , class (philosophy) , perception , social media , computer mediated communication , willingness to communicate , mathematics education , computer science , social psychology , world wide web , the internet , neuroscience , artificial intelligence
This qualitative case study examined four undergraduates in anintermediate-level Chinese language class. We investigatedparticipants’ perceptions of Facebook as a pedagogical tool in Chineselanguage learning and their engagement in free posting and onlineChinese communication on Facebook. Data include all participants’Facebook posts and comments, a semi-structured survey questionnaire,semi-structured interviews, and researchers’ online observations andfield notes. Our analysis revealed that participants engaged in a freeFacebook posting activity mainly through (a) affective expression, (b)interactive communication, and (c) group-oriented salutations. TheseFacebook-supported social interactions offered many opportunities forlanguage-learners to use Chinese in a relatively authentic environmentwhile carrying out familiar on-line activities. Participants alsoreported that they favored both the concept of free writing in Chineseand its integration into Facebook posting. The study suggests thatlanguage-learning tasks should be authentic and that the use oftechnological tools such as Facebook can provide such tasks.