An Analysis of Social Media Use Within and Outside of College English Classes in China

This case study explored how teachers and students use social media for English teaching and learning purposes within and outside of the College English classes in China. The theories of multiliteracies, new media literacies, and connectivism learning theory provided the theoretical underpinnings for this study. Data sources included classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with one teacher participant and 12 student participants in a university in China.Findings show that the teacher and students used various social media tools in multiple ways to facilitate English teaching and learning within and outside of the College English classes. Findings also reveal that although students acted both asnew media consumers and new media designers within and outside of the College English classes, their practices of new media designing were more often found in the outside-of-class practices. This study identified the affordances and constraints of using social media in College English teaching and learning. This study contributes insights into EFL curriculum and pedagogy with regard to integrating social media.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Gao, Yuze

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Zhang, Zheng

• Social media
• College English classes
• EFL
• new media literacies

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/28672

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/28672