EFL Learners’ Motivation in Using English in CMC: A case on Facebook
Fenty Natalia
ABSTRACT
Motivation has an influence on language learning. In other words, language learning and motivation are related issues and cannot be separated. As technology advances and CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) is now a common practice. When people communicate in social media, such as Facebook, it is an example of CMC. Therefore, it was interesting to see the connection between CMC and learners’ motivation.This study was conducted to investigate the types of motivation that EFL learners employed when communicating using English on Facebook. The data were collected from 8 students of Satya Wacana Christian University that used English on Facebook. The instruments used for data collections were observations and interviews. The participants were observed to find out about their use of English on Facebook, and later they were interviewed for their motives to use English on Facebook. This study revealed that both types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic (Harmer, 2007), played a great role in the learners’ use of English in their Facebook posts. Interestingly, the result also shows that almost all participants said that Facebook could be a medium for learning, where they could practice their English. In other words, the students used English on Facebook, not only for social purposes, but also for educational purposes.
