Attitudes of Nepalese higher secondary and MBA students towards using social networking sites for English language learning

Abstract

The rise of social networking sites (SNS) opens a big prospect in informal language learning, especially in the case of nepal, where english proficiency is a major means to socioeconomic mobility. The research paper explores the perceptions of the nepalese students in higher secondary and in the MBA course on the use of SNS in learning the english language under the theoretical context of the language learning strategies (LLS). The survey design was the quantitative, descriptive type on the basis of a structured questionnaire, which was developed on the LLS taxonomy developed by Oxford (1990) and was used with 61 purposely selected students. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results indicate very positive attitudes of the students (M=4.26/5.00) towards SNS, where they value it as a source of authentic content and low-pressure practice. The most common ones were Social and Metacognitive strategies, which showed active participation and self-regulatory intentions. Although students felt great improvements in receptive skills, such as listening and reading, a critical digital self-regulation gap was found: a high level of strategic awareness was hindered by distractions and information overload to learn effectively. The research paper finds that despite the fact that SNS are mighty triggers of strategic language acquisition, their effectiveness is dependent on the digital self-management abilities of learners. It is advised that curricula be coupled with digital self-regulation education and capitalise on the use of SNS by using well-organised learning hubs to have the most productive results.