The Use of Social Media by Higher Education Lectures in a Language Teaching Course during Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to explore the use of social media by higher education lectures in a language learning course. This study involved 85 lecturers from across Malaysia who were purposefully selected. This mixed method study used a survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions to collect data. The survey data was analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS 23, while the qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis and emergent coding. The findings show that they use social media for formal academic communication, using different types of social media platforms (Google Meet, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram, etc.), where they are used for different purposes including social media usage (teaching and learning, student support, building community & connection). The findings of the study have implications for language learning in particular and education in general in view of the pandemic global crisis.