Instant messaging and the facilitation of collaborative, student‐led learning and teacher‐support: the NZCEL EAP scenario

Abstract

In the last couple of decades, the increased use of technology in the education sector has led to smartphone use becoming more prevalent in supporting students' learning.Apart from applications (apps) specifically designed for language educational purposes, such as Duolingo, there are also instant messaging apps that are not specifically designed for education purposes, but that can be useful in supporting learners. These include instant messaging apps such as, WhatsApp and WeChat. Instead of relegating phone app use to merely a source of entertainment and distraction, teachers increasingly use them as a vital form of communication to enhance education, including language learning. Apps have thus shifted from a tangential position to the forefront of the learning space. For the purposes of this research project, WeChat was used as the messaging app. This article focuses on the initial findings of a pilot study and concentrates on the perceived purposes for the participants' posts as they relate to the use of the app as a tool for collaboration, peer-support, and knowledge sharing. Data was gathered through an online survey, semi-structured interviews, and an analysis of the WeChat posts. Analysis of the posts and comments made by students during the interviews suggest that the tool formed a vital link between them, their classmates and teachers, and, at times, served as a social platform underlying the key educational purposes of the programme.

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“…Teachers generally use learning media in the form of videos on YouTube, which are displayed using a projector screen or seen by students on their respective smartphones. The obstacles experienced during the learning process were that when learning theory (Abuhmaid & Abood, 2020;Aguilar, 2018;Fester & Horvath, 2022), students got bored easily and lacked focus in paying attention to the theory being explained (Abramova, 2023;Akyeampong dkk., 2021;Al Ayub Ahmed dkk., 2022), and they were unable to analyze or find solutions related to the material being discussed. in addition, students also easily experience difficulties participating in learning because there is no discussion to analyze or present related materials or assignments with their peers (Ademuyiwa dkk., 2023b;Almalki dkk., 2020;Alptekin & Temmen, 2020).…”