Document Details

Document Type : Thesis 
Document Title :
‘‘Communication on WhatsApp Platform in the EFL Higher Education Academic Context: Analysis of Language and Function”
التعليم التفاعلي من خلال التواصل عبر منصة (الوتساب) في السياق الأكاديمي للتعليم العالي: تحليل للغة والوظيفة
 
Subject : English Language Institute 
Document Language : Arabic 
Abstract : This study aims at exploring the purpose and functions of using WhatsApp in a preparatory English as a foreign language (EFL) context at a Saudi University; both from teachers’ and learners’ perspective. The research design used in this study consists of a mixed-methods approach consisting of both quantitative and qualitative instruments. A questionnaire is used on learners and teachers who were randomly selected, thereafter a sample of teachers are interviewed for further analysis. The participants were 144 EFL students, from the English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University and 41 English Language teachers consisting of both native and non-native speakers of English. Furthermore, 6 teachers were randomly selected from the above sample and are interviewed. All the participants have a common interest, in that they are all from the ELI and are either learning or teaching at the foundation preparatory year program. The results show that the WhatsApp technology is one of the most popular communication technologies that can create room for better learning when put into practical use. The analysis also shows that this technology can improve learning and knowledge acquisition in an EFL environment owing to the ability to induce interactive learning among the learners and teachers. Although, most of the interaction between learners is in Arabic, it is then translated into English when communicating with the teacher, it is still deemed an influential tool. The major finding in this study is it establishes that both teachers and students from KAU have the perception that using the WhatsApp mobile app in the EFL learning environment is deemed as a system improvement initiative as it makes English learning easy and enjoyable for the foreign non-native speakers of the language. Keywords: WhatsApp, ELI, EFL, Surveys, Interviews, Native, Non-native, Foreign, Interaction, Communication, Technology, Application, Mixed Methods 
Supervisor : Dr. Fatima Al-Ghamdi 
Thesis Type : Master Thesis 
Publishing Year : 1440 AH
2019 AD 
Added Date : Wednesday, July 24, 2019 

Researchers

Researcher Name (Arabic)Researcher Name (English)Researcher TypeDr GradeEmail
خلود محمد العبسيAl Absi, Kholoud MohammedResearcherMaster 

Files

File NameTypeDescription
 44796.pdf pdf 

Back To Researches Page