Students' Perceptions toward Weblogs in an EFL Class

Abstract

The explosion of technological developments with computer, and the Internet has
provided teachers and learners with the technological tools that can be implemented as
pedagogical instruments in the classrooms. There is a growing body of literature on weblogs or
blogs as an effective learning tool in education, in general, and in L2 learning, in particular.
This paper offers an account of how blogs were integrated as a pedagogical tool in an EFL
classroom and reports on the students’ feedback and perception on the use of this social medium
to enhance their L2 learning. Data was collected through a questionnaire and interview
involving a group of English majors. In so doing, they participated in some stages of the
blogging activities designed for the study. Then, they filled out the questionnaire and sat for the
interview. Analysis of data revealed positive responses from the students regarding the use of
blogs in their L2 learning activities. They perceived that the use of blogs had generally enhanced
their L2 skills such as reading and writing, developed their self-confidence, improved their
communication skills and reduced their anxiety when learning and using the language among
their peers. Given the advantages offered by weblogs, educators and teachers may invest further
in this area to create better environment for L2 learners to develop.