Social Communication and Language Use in Digital Era: A Critical Multiliteracies View

Abstract

This study explores how social communication and language use among university students are shaped by digital media, using a critical multiliteracies perspective. In an era where online interaction dominates daily communication, especially among youth, understanding the evolving nature of language practices becomes crucial. The study involved 40 EFL undergraduate students from Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang who participated in project-based tasks in-volving digital literacy, reflective writing, and multiliteracy activities. Data were collected through student-created digital artifacts, observations, and reflective interviews. The analysis revealed that students used a blend of formal and informal language, frequently engaging in code-switching, digital slang, and multimodal expressions to construct meaning and identity. While digital tools facilitated creativity and expressive freedom, challenges emerged in maintaining academic tone and critical awareness. The findings highlight the importance of integrating multiliteracies pedagogy into language education, enabling students to critically navigate digital discourse while developing communicative competence. This study contributes to the growing body of research on digital literacies by offering insights into how multilingual learners make sense of social interaction in technologically mediated environments. It also offers pedagogical implications for language teachers seeking to bridge traditional literacies with the evolving demands of the digital age.