CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
F. Theoretical Framework
3. Social Media
Life in today's era cannot be separated from the role of social media because social media has helped people in carrying out various activities such as communicating directly remotely, making transactions, seeking the latest information, promoting merchandise, seeking entertainment, exchanging information and so on. Therefore, there are several definitions of social media from experts and in several perspectives.
a. Definition of Social Media
According to Kaplan and Haenlein, Social media is a medium that people use on a variety of electronic devices and rechargeable devices, including mobile phones, computers, tablets, other newly invented electronic gadgets, and a variety of other ways to make it easier for people to share ideas and communicate with one another quickly and systematically. Around the world, it is mostly utilized for communication and awareness.20 Meanwhile, according to Yadav Social media makes
19 Ibid
20Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68
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communication easier by disseminating the most recent data, files, images, and videos, as well as fresh concepts, ideas, and proposals to online groups and networks. As a result, a social media user may quickly share with everyone on Earth.21
In addition, according to Van Dijk in Setiadi, Social media is a type of media platform that emphasizes users and makes it easier for them to interact and work together. Because of this, social media may be viewed as a tool or online facilitator that improves user relationships and social ties.22
According to Meike and Young in Setiadi, Social media is a fusion of private communication, where information is shared between people, and public communication, where information is shared with everyone without any individual distinction.23. Meanwhile, according to Boyd &
Ellison, websites that permit the establishment of user profiles and the display of user relationships have been referred to as social media, as have web-based programs that offer functionality for sharing, relationships, groups, chats, and profiles.24
21 Ibid.
22 Ahmad Setiadi, ―Pemanfaatan Media Sosial Untuk Efektifitas Komunikasi,‖
Cakrawala-Jurnal Humaniora 16, no. 2 (2016).
23 Ibid.
24Kuning, ―Applications of Social Media to Learn Speaking: Applications of Social Media to Learn Speaking.‖
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Meanwhile, according to Boyd in Setiadi, Social media is a group of programs that people and groups may use to interact, share, communicate, and occasionally work or play together. User-generated content (UGC), which is created by users as opposed to editors like in traditional mass media organizations, is strength of social media.25
b. Types of Social Media
There are several types of social media that are related to the learning speaking, according to Safitri research,26 among others are as follows:
1. Instagram
According to Erarslan, Instagram enables students to create a cooperative, collaborative, and sharing atmosphere, supporting the formal classroom setting in addition to sharing class materials. Supporting by some features like photo timelines, profile interface & content as well as navigation tools, students can exchange views and opinions of various topics by commenting on photos and videos using English.27
25 Setiadi, ―Pemanfaatan Media Sosial Untuk Efektifitas Komunikasi.‖
26Kuning, ―Applications of Social Media to Learn Speaking: Applications of Social Media to Learn Speaking.‖
27 Erarslan, A. (2019). Instagram as an education platform for EFL learners.
Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 18(3), 54–69
26 2. YouTube
It is a website where people can view and exchange videos of all kinds, but particularly English ones. Based on a study conducted by Nofrika in Safitri, analyzed YouTube's contribution to the improvement of English proficiency. Her research found that viewing English music and movies helped students improve their listening abilities, watching grammar videos helped students learn more vocabulary, and watching native speakers helped students polish their pronunciation.28
3. WhatsApp
It is a web-based instant messaging program that allows users to communicate by exchanging text, images, videos, and music. La hanisi et al. conducted a study as cited by Safitri carried undertaken a research looking into WhatsApp-based group communication in English classrooms. The results emphasize the potential for WhatsApp to enhance the English classroom since it is simple to use and allows students to interact in English with teachers and other students wherever they are. It can help the instructor learn more about the pupils and determine whether or not the students have a grasp of the material. WhatsApp may be used
28 Muetia Safitri, ―Students‘ Perception of the Use of Social Media for Learning English (A Case Study at the Eleventh-Grade Students of SMA Al-Hasra in Academic Year 2020/2021)‖ (Jakarta: FITK UIN SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH JAKARTA, 2021).
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for language practice, and the teacher can provide real-time feedback to the pupils.29
c. The Role of Social Media in Improving Speaking Skill
There are many innovations from language teachers who utilize social media as English learning platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and others. Based on the results of a study conducted by Premana et al. that the role of video blogs can improve reading, listening, and speaking skills for students so that they can motivate them during the process of learning English and even video blogs are more effective than conventional media.30
In addition, social media such as Instagram also has a very important role in improving English language skills for students. Based on a study conducted by Arif at the University of Jambi, it was stated that when students have spare time at home or when professors permit it in class, especially for group discussion exercises, they most commonly visit Instagram as a social media platform for learning English. He added that social media encourages students to study English since it offers a variety
29 Ibid.
30 Agyztia Premana, Ubaedillah Ubaedillah, and Damar Isti Pratiwi, ―Peran Video Blog Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Dalam Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Bahasa Inggris,‖ Jurnal Teknologi Pendidikan (JTP) 14, no. 2 (2021): 132–138.
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of content relevant to learning materials that aids in students' improvement of their English language abilities.31
Social media also has an important role in reducing students' anxiety in learning English as a foreign language. Makodamayanti et al.
stated that because of the enjoyable experiences offered by digital media, students have been effectively aided in lowering anxiety using tools like Instagram, video games, audio, and video. This has helped students feel less anxious, more confident, and even more inclined to interact using English.32
Based on some of the explanations above, we can conclude that social media has a very important role in the language learning process if it can be used properly, both by a teacher and by the students themselves.
As an instructor, it is very important to consider the use of social media as a medium in the learning process for students because there are many positive results from previous research that social media is very effective in improving students' English skills. The availability of varied content
31 Tubagus Zam Zam Al Arif, ―The Use of Social Media for English Language Learning: An Exploratory Study of EFL University Students,‖ Metathesis: Journal of English Language, Literature, and Teaching 3, no. 2 (2019): 224–233.
32 Septiarini Makodamayanti, Deli Nirmala, and Catur Kepirianto, ―The Use of Digital Media as a Strategy for Lowering Anxiety in Learning English as a Foreign Language,‖ Culturalistics: Journal of Cultural, Literary, and Linguistic Studies 4, no. 1 (2020): 22–26.
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and features on social media can be utilized by students, especially in imitating, or practicing material related to English learning needs.
d. The Advantages of Using Social Media to Learn Speaking
The online learning process which also includes using social media has many advantages for students. Whether it's learning general knowledge or special learning in this case speaking. Some of the advantages that can be obtained from learning through social media include: first, it is more flexible because it does not require a specific special room and can be accessed anytime and anywhere, then social media is something that almost everyone has, especially for young people so that it can be easily accessed, learning to speak through social media can be more effective because students can listen directly to native speakers (authentic material), learning to speak through social media does not have time limits like studying in class, and so on. Based on the study conducted by Dung, he stated that there are some advantages of using virtual environment for learning such as: Protecting individual health and community safety, saving the travel time, exposing to new forms of learning, keeping up with the original plan of the semester, having extra time for self-study, and having easy access to online resources.33
33 Doan Thi Hue Dung, ―The Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Learning,‖ IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education 10, no. 3 (2020): 45-48
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Many previous studies have discussed the role of social media in improving English language skills so that many theories have emerged that can also support this research. Based on a study conducted by Arif entitled "The Use of Social Media for English Language Learning: An Exploratory Study of EFL University Students", that social media such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are the most popular types of social media used by English students as a language learning medium, namely with activities such as discussion and communication with friends using English. In addition, they also carry out assessments and do assignments through social media as activities in language learning.34 Through social media, students can also increase self-directed learning and also feel interested because they can share experiences, knowledge, and even assignments. In addition, they can easily practice with their own friends, so that they become more comfortable and enjoy the experience of learning English more.35 Moreover, social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are social media that make it easy to improve students' English skills such as speaking, reading and listening. They can easily practice speaking, reading and listening every day because of the various features available on social media. Finally, social media is very
34 Tubagus Zam Zam Al Arif, ―The Use of Social Media for English Language Learning: An Exploratory Study of EFL University Students,‖ Metathesis: Journal of English Language , Literature, and Teaching 3, no. 2(2019): 224-233.
35 Ibid
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effective as a medium for language learning because it is more effective, easy to understand, and easy to practice.36