Teachers’ Use of Facebook Motivating Vietnamese Students to Improve Their English Language Learning

Abstract

At the Ho Chi Minh University of Foreign Languages – Information Technology (HUFLIT) in Vietnam – students must enrol in eight intensive compulsory English courses (two credits, equal to 30 h per course) as required by their program. The National Language Project (2012–2020) uses the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) as a framework of reference and also requires all English second language teachers in Vietnam to reach an English level proficiency of B2 as indicated by the CEFR for primary and lower secondary school teachers and CEFR C1 for upper secondary, high school teachers. As part of the National Language Project, blended learning was introduced to modernising language teaching, but unfortunately, the learning outcomes were not as positive as expected. The researchers introduced a social networking site, Facebook, for language learning in an effort to improve learning motivation through mobile learning. This study is underpinned by Malcolm Knowles’ (The adult learner: a neglected species, 3rd ed. Gulf Publishing, Houston, 1984) principles of andragogy as the science of adult learning. During the course, the researcher observed and examined participants’ learning participation and attitude using data collected by both qualitative and quantitative methods. This case study demonstrated that learning connections made through mobile learning and virtual learning environments could have a positive effect on learning outcomes and also increase students’ motivation as well as a sense of community.