This chapter discusses a case study that integrated social networking sites (SNS) and critical language learning (CLL) for Japanese English learners over 14 weeks. 27 students used MySpace to blog, comment on peers' blogs, and create audio files. Data collection found that SNS fostered identity formation as students customized their pages. Collaboration and student empowerment increased as peers provided support. Learner autonomy was questioned as computer guidance was needed but students enjoyed the semi-autonomous nature. The project motivated students and allowed interaction with native English speakers.

1. SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND
CRITICAL LANGUAGE LEARNING,
A SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE?
ANDY HALVORSEN
ICT Course
Paula Rojas & Diana Ceballos
2013

2. WHAT’S THE CHAPTER ABOUT?
 This chapter addresses
the possibilities of
integrating SNSs
(social networking
sites) and CLL (critical
language learning)for
the purpose of
enhancing language
proficiency among
Japanese English
learners.

3. ASSUMPTIONS
 The growth of CMC
(computer mediated
communication)
allowed for SNSs to
become popular and
this phenomena
inspired teachers
across the globe to
think of it as a tool for
educational purposes.

4. ASSUMPTIONS
 As a result of this
process, new
technologies
contributed to the
development of CALL
(computer assisted
language learning)
taking into account
behaviorist,
communicative and
integrative aspects of
learning.

5. ASSUMPTIONS
 In the field of CALL,
Web 2.0 becomes a
popular concept that
holds all the
applications that allow
users to take
advantage of the
variety of possibilities
offered by internet to
interact with each
other.

6. SNSS: SOCIAL NETWORKING PHENOMENON
 As as result of CMC
(computer mediated
communication), social
networking has spread
through sites such as
MySpace, Facebook,
and Mixi, which allows
users to create and
recreate their own
identities (p. 240)

7. SNSS AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL
Because SNSs gives
users the possibility to:
 Interact with each
other by chatting,
blogging, messaging,
and file-sharing.
 Build peer groups
based on others’
recommendations
Educators started
considering the possibilities
to include these
applications in their
agendas.

8. SNSS’ BENEFITS FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS
1. Learner motivation
2. Collaborative learning
environments
3. Social constructivist
approaches to
education
4. Critical language
learning

9. A CASE STUDY INTEGRATING SNSS TO CLL
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Can the MySpace SNS function
effectively as a platform for
second language learning and
acquisition by Japanese
university students?
2. How would their use of MySpace
throughout the semester impact
and relate to the issues of
learner autonomy, identity
formation, student empowerment
and critical literacy in the two
groups?
3. What factors seem to impact the
students’ interest, or lack thereof,
in the process of using MySpace
for second language learning?

10. A CASE STUDY INTEGRATING SNSS TO CLL
PARTICIPANTS
 27 Japanese students learning
English (14 female and 13
male) from two separate
courses
TIME
 They spent 14 weeks using
MySpace SNS in and out of
the classroom.
CHARACTERISTICS
 Students had mixed English
proficiency ranging from high
beginner to upper intermediate.
 Six out of the 27 students
reported being “good” or “very
good” with computers; seven
students reported having “very
poor” computer skills.

11. METHOD
 Students were scaffolded
on the use of the basics of
MySpace platform.
 Discussions were held as to
the potential of MySpace to
students’ improvement of
English.
 Explanations were given as
to how to use the page’s
tools.
 The remaining time was
spent on training students
on how to blog and use
Audacity software for
adding sound to the pages.

12. DATA COLLECTION
 Students were required
to write comments on
both their blogs and their
peers’ on a regular
bases.
 They were asked to
create audio files by
choosing the content and
topic of the files.
 At the end of the project,
a questionnaire along
with some interviews
were carried out by the
students.

13. HOW CLL WAS EVIDENCED ALONG THE PROJECT?
IDENTITY FORMATION
Through the project,
students were able to:
 Develop a sense of
ownership of the second
language
 Portray their personalities
along the pages as they
used the tools to
customize them.
 The lack of computer
skills did not prevent
students from learning
about the others’
identities.

14. HOW CLL WAS EVIDENCED ALONG THE PROJECT?
COLLABORATION AND
STUDENT EMPOWERMENT
 Peer support was evidenced
in the project face to face in
the classroom and through
the website.
 Students were able to take
the role of educator of their
classmates de-emphasizing
the role of their instructor.
 A strong sense of community
was built within the group as
they devoloped the project
together.

15. HOW CLL WAS EVIDENCED ALONG THE PROJECT?
LEARNER AUTONOMY
 Autonomy was questioned
along the work for students
had to be guided with
computer literacy skills.
However, they reported to
enjoy the semi-autonomous
nature of the work (p.249).
 Autonomy was evidenced in
students’ awareness of
language learning and
acquisition processes along
with their own roles as
learners.

16. CONCLUSIONS
 This research study intends
to lay the grounds for future
research in the area of SNS’s
 The project empowered
students to express
themselves in a variety of
meaningful ways.
 The study left remaining
questions as to the degree of
autonomy that students really
reached through the project.
 The students level of
motivation in the learning of
the target language was high
as they were able to interact
with native speakers
throughout the process.