STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES AND SELF-REGULATED BEHAVIORS TOWARD USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Abstract

This paper examines Vietnamese EFL students' social media use, language learning, and self-regulated learning. An immersion study with 253 A2-level non-majored English students used mixed methods approach to examine students' opinion on social media as a language learning tool and its support for self-regulated learning. The attitudes are typically positive, considering social media for language learning due to its motivation, engagement, and convenience. More importantly, the study shows that social media use is a precursor to self-regulated learning practices by students searching for resources, practicing autonomy, and participating in online communities. However, diversions and lack of native speaker interactions can be a restriction, requiring discipline and creativity in social media language acquisition. The study also suggests that educators and researchers consider how social media can enhance and hinder language development.