Saudi EFL Students’ Attitudes Towards Using Facebook and Discussion Forums for Writing and Communication in English

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which computer-mediated communication (CMC) is used in language learning. The main focus is on the attitudes and motivation of Saudi EFL students towards using Facebook and discussion forums in language learning. The research method used in this study is a mixed-method approach, which involves questionnaire and interview. The questionnaires were collected from 65 participants, while the interviews were conducted with five participants. From the analysis of both the quantitative and the qualitative data, the participants appear to use computer applications, in general, such as word processing, emails and blogging. As for Saudi EFL students, using Facebook and discussion forums, the results reveal that Facebook is used more than discussion forums for language learning purposes among Saudi EFL students. From such findings, certain pedagogical implications are proposed for both language teaching and, in particular, the teaching of English in the context of Saudi Arabia.