Telegram Group Research Articles

Supporting English As a Second Language (ESL) Teachers’ Professional Development Through Multi-Platforms’ Online Affinity Space

<p class="Abstract">This paper narrates the use of multi-platforms’ online affinity space called Teacherfiera.com to support ESL teachers’ professional development. Teacherfiera.com utilizes three online platforms which are BlogSpot, Facebook Group and Telegram Group that works in parallel with each other. Each platform is readily available to be used for free by the public and provides contextualized personal as well as group interactions. These platforms which have been integrated into Teacherfiera.com also work as a bank for English Language Teaching materials which are accessible 24/7 and allows users to respond to specific materials or engage in a general topic of discussion. The creation of Teacherfiera.com started as a response towards the need for teachers’ support in the dissemination and implementation of the new CEFR-aligned English Language Curriculum.</p>

SOCIAL MEDIA AND STUDENT INFORMATION LITERACY IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES

This study aims to explore and compare several popular social media platforms used to develop student information literacy in learning activities and to describe information disseminated through the popular social media platforms used. The intended social media platform, which is whatsapp group, facebook group, telegram group, google classroom, and edmodo. The data was collected by triangulation techniques through observation, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Data analysis was carried out qualitatively with interpretive and argumentative techniques based on the percentage of trends in the use of various social media platforms obtained from questionnaires and mapping of information literacy that occurred. The results showed that the most popular social media platform used and most preferred in the development of student information literacy was whatsapp group. Information literacy that is disseminated in the WhatsApp platform is a central issue that occurs in the community and the fields of education, religion and culture according to the background of the study program students, as well as the content of lecture material. The findings indicate that based on the characteristics of STKIP-AH students who vary in terms of age, level of IT ability, and economic ability; WhatsApp group's most relevant social media platform is used to develop student information literacy. That happens because WhatsApp is easy, practical, and affordable for students. The information developed through the social media platform is in accordance with the needs of students and central issues that need critical thinking from students.

Application of social network in traditional sciences education on the vocabulary acquisition of secondary English learner students

Learning vocabulary is probably the most challenging and time-consuming part of learning a foreign language. Researchers argue that social media could affect learners’ vocabulary acquisition. It is hypothesized that teaching science concepts could accompany vocabulary acquisition. We investigated the possible role of social networks (i.e. Telegram) in the improvement of vocabulary knowledge among undergraduate students from the Iranian University of Medical Sciences during September and October 2017. We conducted a quasi-experimental controlled before-after study and allocated female students to intervention and comparison groups at their academic major level (32 public health students as intervention, vs. 29 subject from nutritional sciences as a comparison). The intervention and comparison groups attended 6 lectures. The learners in the intervention group received additional video and text material through Telegram on a weekly basis and we had an open discussion regarding the important word and concepts. Students in both conditions were given a pretest at the beginning and a posttest at the end to measure growth in vocabulary acquisition. We used a linear regression model, adjusted for concept score, pre-test vocabulary score, lecture attended, education and marital status with pretest scores serving as a covariate. We have investigated 61 subjects, where, 32 participated in the Telegram group discussion related to the science concept. Six standard educational videos delivered through a filmed lecture distributed among the intervention group, each of which was approximately 500 words (ranging from 450 to 707) long. We have observed significant improvement in the vocabulary score of participant in intervention (before = 34.37 vs after = 46.03) and comparison groups (before = 32.79 vs after = 36.31). However, the intervention group significantly outperformed the comparison group, P < 0.05). the current study showed that online collaborative learning (i.e. using Telegram), as an assistance tool in education, can increase the communication between teaching faculty and students in such a way that resulted in significant improvement in the vocabulary score of SLL.

TEACHERS EXPECTATION OF STUDENTS’ THINKING PROCESSES IN WRITTEN WORKS: A SURVEY OF TEACHERS’ READINESS IN MAKING THINKING VISIBLE

The trends of teaching mathematical thinking and the existence of two thinking skills (critical dan creative thinking) the required by 21st-century skills have created needs for teachers to know their students’ thinking processes. This study is intended to portray how mathematics teachers expect their students showing their thinking processes in students’ written work. The authors surveyed Whatsapp and Telegram group of mathematics teachers. First, the authors shared the result of the literature review and the governmental regulations about the need to develop thinking skills. Second, the authors stated that the potentials of students’ written works as a tool for knowing students’ thinking processes. Third, the authors sent a simple mathematical problem with the topic of algebra and asked the mathematics teachers how should their students answer that problem such that they can easily monitor and assess their students’ thinking processes. A total of 25 teachers participated voluntarily in this survey. Results of the survey were triangulated with direct trial data in lecture classes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The result indicates that participating mathematics teachers do not expect too much for their students to show their thinking processes in written work. Teacher’s focus is mostly on the accuracy and the correctness of their students’ mathematics answer.

Telegram group quality measurement by user behavior analysis

Telegram is a cloud-based instant messenger with more than 200 million monthly active users. The new features introduced in Telegram such as channels, bots, supergroups, and advanced sharing mechanisms have risen up the instant messenger to a higher level. Telegram is now a new paradigm between social networks and instant messengers. Telegram is very popular and growing rapidly in many countries such as Iran, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Russia. The importance and popularity of Telegram are even more highlighted by the fact that after censorship in Iran and Russia, users did not start using other messaging apps, but instead turned to VPN services to circumvent the block, rendering the censorship ineffective. A detailed analysis of Iranian users’ behavior in Telegram is shown in this research for the first time. The analysis and statistics may help interested parties in comprehending a deeper insight into Telegram users’ behavior. More than 900,000 Persian channels and 300,000 Persian supergroups have been discovered, crawled and inspected in this study. Based on our explorations, we devised a noble method to measure group qualities in Telegram. Group quality measurement is accomplished by several features we have extracted and studied in this paper.

What Drives Cryptocurrency Prices?

The Google Trends 1 search analysis service and the Telegram 2 messaging platform are investigated to determine their respective relationships to cryptocurrency price behaviour. It is shown that, in contrast to earlier findings, the relationship between cryptocurrency price movements and internet search volumes obtained from Google Trends is no longer consistently positive, with strong negative correlations detected for Bitcoin and Ethereum during June 2018. Sentiment extracted from cryptocurrency investment groups on Telegram is found to be positively correlated to Bitcoin and Ethereum price movements, particularly during periods of elevated volatility. The number of messages posted on a Bitcoin-themed Telegram group is found to be an indicator of Bitcoin price action in the subsequent week. A long shortterm memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network is developed to predict the direction of cryptocurrency prices using data obtained from Google Trends and Telegram. It is shown that Telegram data is a better predictor of the direction of the Bitcoin market than Google Trends. The converse is true for Ethereum. The LSTM model produces the most accurate results when predicting price movements over a one-week period.

The impact of training through the telegram's virtual network on promoting women's knowledge and perceptions in preventing osteoporosis

Introduction: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of training through the Telegram network on increasing the knowledge and perceptions of women in preventing osteoporosis. Methods: This study was an educational intervention, pretest and posttest type with randomized control group. Sixty women who referred to the marginal health centers of Yazd were randomly selected and assigned to intervention and control groups. After completing the questionnaires, a package of educational messages was sent to the intervention group through the Telegram group. A month later, the questionnaires were completed again, and the data were analyzed by SPSS 18 software and Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney test. Results: The mean age of participants in intervention and control groups was 30.46 ± 5.71 and 29.93 ± 5.02, respectively. The findings showed that the median score of knowledge (3 scores, P= 0.001) and subscales of women's beliefs (perceived sensitivity [1 score, P= 0.046], perceived severity [1 score, P= 0.001], perceived benefits [1.5 scores, P= 0.031], and cues to action [6 scores, P= 0.000]) increased significantly after intervention in the intervention group. The median score of knowledge was significantly higher than the control group (4 scores, P= 0.000). Conclusions: Use of Telegram training and virtual training spaces is effective in promoting women's knowledge and perceptions in the prevention of osteoporosis and contributes to the advancement of women's health beliefs. Therefore, the adoption of this type of training is recommended to overcome the limitations of traditional education in the prevention of osteoporosis.

The Optimization of Telegram Bot in Improving the Cohesiveness of Bandung Raya Confero Community

A computer program that can perform many tasks automatically, the Telegram Bot is able to facilitate our activities. One of them is improving group cohesiveness. A newly-formed community in West Java, Bandung Raya Confero Community (BRCC) uses the Bot as a means of communication in its official Telegram group ‘barayaconfero.org.’ Using descriptive case study approach, this study sought to describe the optimization of Bot in barayaconfero.org Telegram group in improving the cohesiveness of its members. The data were collected through direct observation, interview, and literature study. The results showed that the Bot of barayaconfero.org was identified as “Abah.” As a Telegram Bot, Abah can help BRCC members to identify other members’ data based on vehicle registration plate number or hull number registered through BRCC’s official website. In addition, Abah is also able to identify all official activities in the official website www.barayaconfero.org. Thanks to these abilities, all up-to-date official activities can be delivered to the Telegram group, so the members will be informed. The study concludes that the optimization of Abah as a Bot in barayaconfero.org Telegram group can increase the cohesiveness of BRCC.

A comparative analysis of face to face instruction vs. telegram mobile instruction in terms of narrative writing

The emergence of computer technology in English language teaching has paved the way for teachers’ application of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (mall) and its advantages in teaching. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the face to face instruction with Telegram mobile instruction. Based on a toefl test, 60 English foreign language learners with intermediate level of language proficiency were selected and randomly assigned to the class attendees group, which received the intended treatment program in a classroom environment, and the Telegram group which received the treatment in a virtual environment. Two pre-tests and posttests were administered before and after the treatment. Related non-parametric statistics were applied, and the results were encouraging for the Telegram group. Moreover, the findings of the study might support the claim that innovative instructional approaches and Telegram mobile-learning/teaching specifically could provide new opportunities for the teaching-learning process and that teaching/ learning through new mobile-based methods, Telegram m-learning/teaching in particular, helped Iranian students to perform better on narrative writing tasks. The result of this study would be valuable for methodologists, teachers, and learners.

Exploring the Potential of a Mobile Messaging Application for Self-Initiated Language Learning

With the rapid expansion of deploying mobile instant messaging applications such as Telegram for the purpose of language learning, it is quite apparent that language research in this regard is lagging behind the trend. This study addressed the matter by exploring how language learners utilize a Telegram group for the purpose of language learning. In this regard, the activities of a Telegram language learning group with 74 active members was observed and recorded for a week. To capture the patterns of utilization of the group, a thematic analysis was conducted on the compiled corpus of approximately 45000 words gathered by recording the messages posted by the group’s members. The analysis indicated that the themes of utilization of the Telegram language learning group were discussing content-based topics, seeking and sharing resources, recommending conversation opportunities, sharing learning strategies, and giving corrective feedback on each other’s language. The findings of this research illustrated the potential of mobile messaging applications for creating opportunities for self-initiated and collaborative language learning.

MAXIMIZING TELEGRAM APPLICATION FOR TEACHING READING

Curriculum, syllabus and technology are the educational terms with their certain components and importance. They are also could be said as the guidelines for gaining educational goals. The use of mobile phone has become an essential part of nowadays students’ lives in the world. That is why the role of technology is also could not be separated with the content of the syllabus. This article aims to discuss the use of technology−in the form of Telegram as one of the mobile phone application−by inserting it in the syllabus related to the teaching and learning English especially for teaching reading. At the end of the discussion, it is found that those variables are influencing each other. Curriculum is as the reference of syllabus whereas syllabus is as the implementation of curriculum and technology supports them. A teacher could use Telegram by setting up a certain group discussion in a single classroom to maximize the learning process. When the teachers provided a Telegram group discussion with its interesting and appropriate context for students, it is possible to make students curious. When the students’ curiosity occured, the habitual process of reading begins. This could be one of a problem solving of students’ laziness of going to the school library. By the time the students have read several books or articles or another media that they like, the teachers could encourage them to share it with their classmates in some ways by maximizing their Telegram group.

The Effect of Computer-mediated Communication Tools in Online Setting on Iranian EFL Learners’ Teaching, Social and Cognitive Existence

This study was conducted to explore the effect of computer-mediated communication tools in online setting on Iranian EFL learners’ teaching, social and cognitive existence. The population of the study included 60 English Language Teaching students (B.A) of Zanjan Islamic Azad University using convenient sampling method. Experimental group included half of the participants (n=30) and other half of the participants (n=30) was assigned to control group. As a pretest, participants were asked to fill in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) questionnaire in both experimental and control groups. The learners in the experimental group were taught through electronic mail and chat and the assignments and homework were sent to the learners by E-mail. The teachers asked the learners to answer the questions and send the fulfilled assignments in the telegram group. The learners in the control group were taught conventionally. After the treatment, the questionnaire was re-administered among the learners in the both groups as posttest. The learners who received synchronous online communication tools, compared to the respondents who received no treatment, gained higher mean scores on social, teaching and cognitive presence. The findings of the present study can have implications for ESL/EFL contexts from several aspects.

Using Social Network of TELEGRAM for Education on Continued Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding of Children among Mothers: a Successful Experience from Iran

Background: Distanceeducation for mothers with suckling babies can have a high effect and more proponents due to short time of such mothers as well as other problems like bringing infant with themselves. Authors of this research have shared an experience on application of social network of Telegram for educational intervention in field of continued breast feeding and complementary feeding of children among Iranian women. Materials and Methods: In this research, social network of Telegram was employed to provide teachings associated with continued breastfeeding and complementary feeding of children to mothers based on the model of Center for Diseases Control of USA (CDC). 90 members, out of 125 mothers who were informed, became member of Telegram group voluntary with informed consent,namely that the participation rate was 72%. The Telegram group called love - Mother’s milk was designed on August 2016 and has been active for 6 months until this date. The group has been active under the management of an experienced physician and consultation with a pharmacist. Results: Participants of this research reported cell phone, internet, physician, books, and journals as the most-used sources, respectively, to access to information about breast feeding and health of their children. Only five mother of group-member mothers were uneducated or had elementary education level. Also, it was determined that the higher percentage of women who joined Telegram group were housewives compared with the group who had no tendency to join group. 100% of members evaluated membership in Telegram group and subjects related to complementary feeding beneficial and 39 of 41 (95%) participants in an E-survey, were satisfied with learning, and 35 members (85.4%) were satisfied with teaching. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of social networks as potential educational field. Usage of this media, particularly among women groups under specific circumstance of pregnancy, can be beneficial.

The Effect of Social Network and Short Messages through E-Content on Reducing Negative Thoughts in Women

Background Nowadays, there is an ongoing development in virtual social networks and their application for patients' support, diagnosis, self-care, and education. On the other hand, applying short messages as the easiest, simplest, and cheapest way of presenting information would be helpful in this regard. Thus, in this study the effect of social network and sending short messages was assessed on negative thinking status of women. Methods This was an experimental study with pretest-posttest design performed in 2015. Out of 1165 women in Mohajeran city, 75 were randomly assigned into three groups of social network, short message, and control. The participants received a compact disc containing e-content about reducing negative thoughts. They filled out the Crandell cognition inventory (CCI) before and immediately after the intervention and also one month later for assessing their negative thoughts. A Telegram group was established for the social network group while follow-up short messages were sent for the other intervention group. SPSS V.21 was used for data analysis by paired t test, one way analysis of variance, analysis of covariance and repeated measures tests. Validity (in terms of content and structure) of the questionnaire was confirmed by comments from experts and professors and Bartlett test (KMO = 0.846, p and lt; 0.001); the reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.69) and test-retest coefficient (0.928). Results There were significant differences between pretest and posttest scores in social network, short message, and control groups (P value 0.45, 0.001 and lt; 0.001 and lt; respectively). There were also significant differences between pretest and follow-up scores in the abovementioned groups (P value 0.003, 0.012, 0.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in the follow-up scores between three groups (P = 0.917). Conclusions The results showed that multimedia e-content merely would reduce participants’negative thoughts. Therefore, providing multimedia e-content could be beneficial in improving the effectiveness of public health education.