Article
Songxaba, S., & Sincuba, L. (2019). The effect of social media on English second language essay writing with special reference to WhatsApp. Reading & Writing, 10(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v10i1.179
Abstract
Background: The Eastern Cape province in South Africa is a multilingual province where isiXhosa is the most widely spoken indigenous language. Learners seldom use English at home, and it remains, largely, the language of learning and teaching used at school. With the advent of dynamic technology, learners are widely exposed to social media, and those who use the language of social media networks tend to include it in their academic activities at school.
Objectives: The purpose of this article is to report on the orthographic errors in English Second Language Grade 10 essay writing caused by the use of social media, particularly WhatsApp.
Method: The study was carried out at three randomly selected high schools in one district in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative approach to data analysis, but with a survey research design. Random sampling techniques were used to select 180 learners from three schools. The data collection instrument consisted of learners’ narrative essays. The data were analysed quantitatively and are presented using tables and graphs. The orthographic errors in the essays were identified and quantified.
Results: The findings of this investigation shed light on the influence of social media on learners’ writing. Some of the findings included use of abbreviations, unnecessarily shortened words, and use of numbers instead of the complete word form.
Conclusion: Recommendations are made on how teachers can help learners avoid this erroneous use of language in their writing. Suggestions are also made on how textbook writers and the Department of Basic Education can assist and support teachers in this process.
Thesis
Belal, A. (2014). Influence of digital social media in writing and speaking of tertiary level student [Thesis]. BRAC University.
Abstract
This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in English, 2014.Cataloged from PDF version of Thesis. Includes bibliographical references (page 37 - 41).The creation of digital social media has brought a huge change among the people of 20th century. This new technology carries much weight as a new medium for students and also for the educators to build social connections. Anderson (2008) says online learning, as a subset of all distance education, has always been concerned with provision of access to educational experience that is, at the least, more flexible in time and in space than campus-based education (p. 53). The purpose of that study is to find out how the digital social media influence the writing and speaking, how they motivate students to improve their productive skills, and in what extend SNS is useful for the students to improve English language. With the aim of exploring the influence of digital social media in writing and speaking of tertiary level student, this research was conducted at 8 private and public universities in Bangladesh. A sample of sixteen teachers and one hundred sixty students were respectively selected from five private universities and three public universities in Bangladesh. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied during data analysis. The results indicated that digital social media has several influence in the writing and speaking of tertiary level student with the positive effects outweighing the negative effects. The findings confirmed that students as well as the teachers can formulate group discussions where they can exchange their ideas, can share course related materials, appeal to their student about assignments which helping the students to enhance their writing as well as their speaking. However the findings affirmed that digital social media also has some negative influence. The students use short form of words, incorrect grammar and sentence structure in their formal writing and speaking unconsciously, which are the affects of digital social media as students are now much more familiar with those types of language. So the principal conclusion was that the use of digital social media has both positive and negative influence, but the student has to motivate themselves properly to utilize the use of SNS which will enrich their English writing and speaking.
Dissertations
Aristo, A. (2014). The Impact of Texting and Social Media on Students' Academic Writing Skills. ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI3683242.
Abstract
In the present, technology dominates student learning and communication. With the inculcation of literacy testing and the movement toward Common Core Standards, students are now required to write more often than students of previous generations. However, educators fear that students will draw upon their most frequently utilized form of communication, texting and social media, for their sentence patterns, grammar, punctuation, and word choice. Previous research indicates that writing trends associated with texting and social media are now infiltrating academic writing. The purpose of this study was to describe the types of academic writing errors being committed by students that are influenced by the utilization of texting and social media for communication. This study additionally sought to determine the prevalence of these academic writing errors. Another component of this study was the examination of the attitudes of students and teachers regarding the infiltration of texting and social media style writing into scholastic writing. Finally, this study described student and teacher opinions regarding possible solutions to these technologically influenced writing errors. Data were gathered through baseline questionnaires, teacher journals, student writing samples, teacher interviews, and student interviews. Through a grounded theory approach, this study provided a thick, rich description of the specific issues, attitudes and possible solutions to the concerns created by the student use of a writing style perpetuated by texting and social media style writing. Throughout the data sets, a grounded theory emerged explaining how the formal writing process is altered by the use of texting and social media. Findings from this study are integral for determining how educational stakeholders approach writing and the writing process.