Enhancing students’ involvement in the process of education through social applications

Abstract

Findings presented in this paper contribute to the exploration of the evolving role of social applications in teaching/learning languages in engineering education. Utilization of internet sources, language websites and applications in the survey is approached from the perspective of students; it is based on ‘Students’ Language Needs Analysis’. The aim of the paper is to present selected findings relating to current language needs of students, which are relevant to the long-time explored issue on utilization of Web 2.0 in the university environment. The sub-goal is to propose ways of students’ engagement into the studies reflecting their needs formulated in the ‘Students’ Language Needs Analysis’. Three quarters of students use the Internet for language study purposes. Website ‘Help for English’ is the most frequently used language portal, because it is a Czech portal and students know it from secondary school. Each participating respondent has his/her profile on the Facebook. But Facebook doesn’t seem to be the proper place for systematic language use in the university setting because of many disturbing factors. A convenient solution might be a G + and its offer. A great deal of students has their profile on this net due to the Android but they use Facebook as a main communication channel. We believe that creation own classroom in this environment is a new challenge for both tutors and students.