Impact of Using WhatsApp and Facebook on Learners' Performance in ESP Contexts at Private Yemeni Universities

Abstract

The present study aimed at exploring the extent to which WhatsApp (WA) and Facebook (FB) are used in ESP (English for Specific Purposes) contexts and their impact on ESP students' learning performance. To achieve this objective, two questionnaires and a semi-structured interview were developed. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the questionnaires were administered online to a sample of 13 ESP male and female teachers and 406 ESP male and female students from eight Private Yemeni universities in Amanat Al Asimah and from four disciplines: engineering, computing and information technology, business, and medicine. The interviews with the teachers were also conducted via phone due to the restrictions imposed because of Covid-19.While SPSS was used to analyse the quantitative data, thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results of the study revealed that teachers' use and students' use of WA and FB in ESP contexts was moderate. The impact of WA and FB on students' learning performance was moderate from teachers' perspective while it was high from students' perspective. There was also a strong correlation between using WA and FB in ESP contexts and their impact on students' learning performance. The study recommended that universities train their teachers to use these applications and add a requirement course focusing on using technology tools for teaching and learning English language.