Abstract
The 21st century learning has been a landmark in the use of digital technologies that serve pedagogical purposes, which includes the proliferating use of blended learning (Henceforth BL). A mixture of face-to-face (FTF) and online learning (Internet Synchronous and Asynchronous media), BL strategy has gained its popularity in the sphere of English language teaching (Hereafter ELT) due to its effectiveness in promoting learners’ language proficiency. However, the discussion on the extent to which e-learning mode plays role in English as a foreign language (Henceforth EFL) classrooms, particularly Indonesia, remains scantily documented; and a query on what can be an effective and efficient medium of e-learning in the strategy remains persistent in the foreignlanguage context. With its popularity and preferred medium of communication among teenagers across the globe, especially Indonesia, Facebook (hereafter FB) can be an answer to such a question. Hence, drawing on the Indonesian ELT context, this paper discusses the nature of BL; argues why FB can be aneffective and efficient add-on to e-learning mode in the Blended ELT context; and presents an example of its application as applied in one of the authors’ English-speaking classroom at a State University for Islamic Studies (UIN Mataram) and a reflection as the lecturer. This paper is expected to inform the English teaching practitioners or teachers on how to use social media, particularly FB, to enhance the students’ learning and learning outcomes particularly in Indonesian adult English classrooms.
Highlights
The 21st century learning has been a landmark in the use of digital technologies that serve pedagogical purposes, in the sphere of English Language Teaching (ELT, ), which includes the proliferating use of blended learning ( BL) (e.g., Ellis, 2008; Shih, 2012)
This mixture of Face-to-Face (Hereafter FTF) and online learning derives from industrial world, which has made its way into tertiary education and gained its popularity in the educational context (Macdonald, 2008), and it is currently prevalent in the ELT classrooms (Whittaker, 2013)
(2001) as cited in Whittaker (2013) enumerates three reasons why BL is employed in ELT classrooms: first, the preference of students to incorporate technologies into their classroom even though it is contextually dependent; second, adaptability it has for students, especially higher education and working students; third, the ministry education’s mandate to use blended learning
Summary
The 21st century learning has been a landmark in the use of digital technologies that serve pedagogical purposes, in the sphere of English Language Teaching (ELT, ), which includes the proliferating use of blended learning ( BL) (e.g., Ellis, 2008; Shih, 2012). There are a great number of reasons that advocate why FB is an effective and efficient e-learning means in the blended EFL classrooms in the Indonesian Higher education context, which include being the most favoured social networking site, straightforward use, being a Web 2.0 technology, and efficiency. We provide an example of FB deployment carried out in one of the authors’ speaking class (non-credit course) in UIN Mataram (Mataram State Islamic University), in Lombok Indonesia Having students practice their English with foreigners by visiting some tourism objects is a common practice in an Indonesian preservice EFL speaking classroom, in Lombok, given the fact that in the island is a plethora of majestic tourism sites. It can facilitate the teacher to share and plan materials in advanced where it remains as one practical and significant constraint in the Indonesian universities
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