The Role of Social Media in Teaching English

Abstract

With changes in various domains of life, each era has its impact on various age groups. It seems that this generation has been the most affected by technological trends and advancements. It is apparent nowadays that young learners, especially those studying at a tertiary level, are very much hooked on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Blogs, and more. This technology has affected students’ performance at the higher education institutions which has made parents and teachers alike fear that this technology may distract students’ attention. However, there is an opposing point of view arguing that technology could be used in the proper way so as to increase students’ achievement by utilizing it in teaching. To tackle this issue, the researchers have distributed a questionnaire among (22) Business majors at Ibri College-the Sultanate of Oman (IBRI CAS). The results were promising: though some students admitted that Social Media takes much of their time on personal and trivial things, still many seem to significantly benefit from it by using it in supporting their studies. Recommendations, discussion, and explanations will be highlighted in detail throughout this article.