Abstract
This study was mainly grounded in the researchers’ personal experience of using WhatsApp as an interaction tool in an English classroom. This platform was used to enhance the communicative interaction between the students and their teachers. WhatsApp group was created during the first semester in 2018/2019 at the College of Science and Arts at Najran University - Branch of Sharurah, and the College of Sciences & Arts at Qassim University - Branch of Alasyah. The participants were bachelor degree students of English. The study employed a quantitative exploratory research approach, whereby a questionnaire was distributed to students who used WhatsApp as an interactive tool in their course of study. Data was obtained through a questionnaire with (40) purposively selected students of WhatsApp group. Data were analyzed quantitatively based on the SPSS program. The results show that WhatsApp had a positive effect in enhancing interaction between students and their teachers, WhatsApp makes interaction between teachers & their students easier than in the classroom. As a result, shy students can freely communicate & interact through WhatsApp with each other and their teachers, WhatsApp creates a friendly relationship between students and their teacher, and WhatsApp is an efficient tool of interaction in cases of distant learning. Therefore, student-teacher interaction becomes more effective in WhatsApp than inside the classroom.
Highlights
The popularity of SNSs among university students might suggest that they would be suitable and valuable tools which could be used for educational purposes
The average responses to this statement (4.63) whereas the standard deviation is (0.54). This result was supported by [26] study conducted in Hong Kong (2016) which proved that the students agreed that WhatsApp can be a useful learning tool
These studies have shown that WhatsApp is popular among university students and that students use it constantly for different purposes in different parts of the world
Summary
The popularity of SNSs among university students might suggest that they would be suitable and valuable tools which could be used for educational purposes. SNSs have been used to: facilitate online and blended education; provide easy and flexible access to educational materials; provide students with administrative information; facilitate communication among students and between students and instructors; replace learning management systems; and motivate students. WhatsApp like other social media platforms constitutes several features which contribute to the learning process, such as encouraging collaborative learning, active participation in class, learning any time, any place, enhancing relationships, improving learning, motivation and offering personalized course material. [2] the aim of this paper is to explore classroom communication between lecturers and students using WhatsApp at the College of Business Education (CBE) in Albloy, A. Perceptions And Attitudes of Saudi Arabia University Students Towards Using WhatsApp As Studentsteachers Interactive Tool. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(11) 93-109
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