Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education

María Martínez Lirola

doi:10.30935/cedtech/11482

María Martínez Lirola ¹ ² ^*

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CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 1, Article No: ep346

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Submitted: 20 May 2021, Published Online: 03 January 2022

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Abstract

This article offers a proposal for integrating the social network Facebook into an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in tertiary education. The main objectives of this article are the following: 1. To offer a pedagogical proposal so that students can develop written skills and grammar at the same time that they acquire social competences using Facebook and 2. To know students’ opinions about the use of Facebook and the main social competences that they have acquired while using this social network in the teaching-learning process. The methodology is mainly qualitative-descriptive although some quantitative data is offered with the results of a questionnaire students completed. The data were collected through students’ posts in the Facebook discussions and a questionnaire.
The findings reveal the main grammar mistakes observed in students in the Facebook discussions and how Facebook is an appropriate social network for the participation of students in cooperative discussions on social topics and for the acquisition of social competences such as cooperation or communication. The results of the questionnaire show that students have a positive opinion about practicing the written skill in Facebook and they are aware that, apart from learning English, they also acquire social competences.

Keywords: English language online teaching, social networks, Facebook group, writing skill, social competences

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Citation

Martínez Lirola, M. (2022). Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(1), ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Martínez Lirola, M. (2022). Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(1), ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Martínez Lirola M. Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2022;14(1), ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Martínez Lirola, María. "Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education". Contemporary Educational Technology 2022 14 no. 1 (2022): ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Martínez Lirola, María "Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2022, ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482

Martínez Lirola M. Approaching the Use of Facebook to Improve Academic Writing and to Acquire Social Competences in English in Higher Education. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2022;14(1):ep346. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11482