International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences

Vol-7, Issue-3; May-Jun, 2022

Journal Home Page Available: https://ijels.com/

Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijels

The Role of social media in Developing English Language

Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University as a Case Study
Mounim Lakhal

Faculty of Letters, Languages and Arts. Ibn Tofail University. B.P. 242, Kenitra – Morocco
* [email protected]

Received: 22 May 2022; Received in revised form: 15 Jun 2022; Accepted: 22 Jun 2022; Available online: 26 Jun 2022
©2022 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— The use of social media in the field of education has taken effect for quite some time. Social
media applications offer learners good learning opportunities of using the language. The most important
thing they provide learners with is that they promote authentic language use making it possible for students
to improve their grammar knowledge and writing skills. Social media, as a learning platform, offers online
platforms for users to generate and share information with other users and to interact with them
synchronously or asynchronously by written and spoken word. Research has indicated that social media
apps could be an efficacious platform for language learning. This study, therefore, comes to explore the
effects of social media in the development of university students’ English writing skills and see how EFL
students perceive social media in terms of usefulness and ease of use.It also examined whether or not there
is any correlation between these variables. The sample consisted of 153 EFL university students using the
convenience sampling technique. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and descriptive
statistical tools were used to gain an in-depth understanding of the research topic. The results reveal that
social media plays a key role in the development of EFL university students’ writing performance.
Keywords— social media, EFL university students, writing Skill.

I. INTRODUCTION students have grown up with them. These

Over the last few years, the Internet and social students have both a need and a desire to
media in particular, have dramatically affected the life of learn differently and mobile devices (…) are
Moroccans, in general, and the educational community, in seen as a perfect platform for this to occur
particular.It is ascribed to the proliferation and expansion (McCaffrey, 2011, p.26).
of modern technologies in all corners of the globe. Online Many scholars (e.g.,Saunders & Klemming,
tools such as social networks, search engines, Blogs, chat 2003; Smith & Craig, 2013; Lee 2016) aver that social
rooms, mailing and web-sites offer great learning media tools pave the way, if rightly used, for an appealing
opportunities for users to log in, construct their own mode of learning whereby students become active and
profiles, create a community with whom they can connect lifelong autonomous learners. Social media platforms offer
and communicate via online platforms, share thoughts and a space wherein students can authentically hone their oral
interact with other users, comment on their posts, and so and written communication skills. Writing is one of the
on and so forth. Recent reports indicate that the Web 2.0 four language skills that demands special importance and
applications,on top of which come social media, blogs and requires greater attention. It is a significant productive skill
wikis, have reached an unprecedented universal popularly which plays a vital role in effective communication
among students worldwide. (Kellogg, 2008) as it serves to transmit the message
Mobile technologies, including Internet properly and immaculately. Its proficiency has always
access, are already ubiquitous and today’s been and still remains an elusive goal for most students.

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

Writing is a daunting task for quite many EFL students due communities of people who gather online to
to its multifarious nature (Ling, 2016). Learned from an share information, knowledge, and opinions
early school age, the act of writing enables success in using conversational media. Conversational
academic and professional life. In the field of higher media are Web-based applications that make
education, writing plays a significant role because a great it possible to create and easily transmit
part of students’ academic career is dedicated for writing content in the form of words, pictures,
academic documents (Fujii & Fukao, 2001; Zhu, 2004). videos, and audios. (p.6)
Students’ writing performances are judged in job And as far as Dabbagh & Kitsantas (2011) are concerned,
recruitments and promotions at the work place. This social media is
crucial skill is highly likely to be enhanced through social a 21st century term used to broadly define a
media platforms. Students can increase their confidence variety of networked tools or technologies
and even fall in love with the writing task if they are that emphasize the social aspects of the
exposed to a context wherein they are actively and socially Internet as a channel for communication,
involved in social interaction with others(Alvermann & collaboration, and creative expression, and
Phelps, 2005; Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, 2011). Social media is often interchangeable with the terms Web
play a major role in promoting language learning in 2.0 and social software. (p.1)
general and in enhancing the writing skill putting into Last but not least, one particularly useful and
consideration the fact that students practice writing only in widely used definition is conveyed by Kaplan and
class (Kiuhara, Graham, and Hawken, 2009). The majority Haenlein (2010) who identify it as a “group of Internet-
of students spend long hours online to keep in touch with based applications that build on the ideological and
friends and peers. Students may use online platforms and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the
develop a daily writing practice while conversing with creation and exchange of User-Generated Content” (p.61).
their peers. Apparently, learning how to write on social Put differently, social media is web-based and developed
media platforms would make the learning experience through Web 2.0 applications and ideologies where anyone
rewarding. can participate due to the democratic nature and the
expected equality of participation. Individuals participating
in social media are communicating, encoding, transmitting,
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
and decoding messages at a basic level. By and large, this
2.1 Key Definitions of SM communication takes the form of user-generated content
Having a glance at the provided definitions that (UGC) which is created, shared, and gathered.
exist in the literature on the concept of social media, one Communication is predominately efficient. The social
can find that it has no clear definition and that all of them process is distant through time and space; individuals can
share some common properties. Jacka and Scott (2011) participate anytime and anywhere. Social interactions can
assert that “there is no single recognized definition of equally assist individuals in completing a task or building
social media” (p.5). In fact, several scholars have put and maintaining relationships. Or more simply put, social
forward insightful definitions of the term ‘social media’. media are virtual places where people can share anything
To state but a few of these prominent ones: Carr & Hayes anywhere anytime.
(2015) identify it as an “Internet-based, disentrained, and Overall, there seems to be a general consensus
persistent channels of mass personal communication among scholars about the term social media. Generally, all
facilitating perceptions of interactions among users, the definitions provided by the literature on social media
deriving value primarily from user-generated content” seem to describe it as a channel through which knowledge
(p.8). McCay-Peet & Quan-Haase (2016) define it as is conveyed and transmitted between learners and
“web-based services that allow individuals, communities, communities. Likewise, all these definitions of social
and organizations to collaborate, connect, interact, and media imply use of Internet and online technologies. In
build community by enabling them to create, co-create, today’s modern world of technology, everything that we
modifies, share, and engage with user-generated content need to know is available online through the use of social
that is easily accessible” (p.17). Margetts, John, Hale & media. One can even express their opinions and thoughts
Yasseri (2015) opine that it is an “Internet-based platform instantaneously on things that have been written or
that allows the creation and exchange of user-generated advertised. It must be said that social media has made this
content, usually using either mobile or web-based world a paperless and open-sourced environment where
technologies” (p. 5). Safko & Brake (2009) define it as people are able to convey thoughts on certain issues with
activities, practices, and behaviors among less control as compared to newspapers or magazines

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

where comments are held for approval by editors. colleagues also found that chatting online and texting on
Social connectedness is also a key attribute that social media platforms helps improve their communicative
characterizes social media. It can be defined as skills in English. They also found that by chatting, the
“interpersonal, community, and general social ties” inferiority complex of writing and speaking is thus reduced
(Teixeira, 1992, p. 36). Interpersonal ties can be to the minimum. Another interesting study was conducted
maintained by these social networking technologies. In by Ahmed (2019) that he entitled: “Chat and Learn:
fact, what makes social media unique is that it enables Effectiveness of Using WhatsApp as a pedagogical tool to
users to make new acquaintances, spark meaningful enhance EFL Learners Reading and Writing Skills” to
conversations with strangers and extend their social examine the pedagogical role of WhatsApp as one of
network (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). In line with this idea, mobile-assisted language learning applications in
Mayfield (2008) asserts that “most kinds of social media developing reading and writing skills. Its findings revealed
thrive on their connectedness, making use of links to other that WhatsApp is a very effective application in
sites, resources and people” (p. 5). developing students’ motivation to improve their reading
and writing skills. Thanks to WhatsApp English-medium
2.2 Prominent studies on SM and students’ academic
groups, students were able to expand their vocabulary
performances
repertoires, improve their grammar, reading
Several studies have shed light on the important
comprehension and writing skills. The study also found
role social media plays on students’ academic
that students displayed positive perceptions of WhatsApp
performances in higher education. For example, a study
as a pedagogical learning tool. Likewise, Yunus & Salehi
conducted by Faizi (2018) entitled: “Moroccan Higher
(2012) undertook a study titled: “The Effectiveness of
Education Students’ and teachers’ Perceptions towards
Facebook Groups on Teaching and Improving Writing:
Using Web 2.0 Technologies in Language Learning and
Students’ Perceptions” to investigate students’ perceptions
Teaching” reveals that students and language faculty
on the effectiveness of Facebook groups for teaching and
members are immersed in virtual online communities for
improving writing. Their findings reveal that social media
educational purposes and make beneficial uses of these
usage does help students expand their vocabulary
online platforms. Moreover, these users acknowledged that
repertoires in English, improve their writing skills and
Web 2.0 technologies exert a positive impact on language
reduce their spelling mistakes. These scholars conclude
teaching and learning. Another study led by Wheeler,
that “the main challenge that teachers need to take note of
Yeomans and Wheeler, (2008) found that social media
is the distractions by other features of FB such as FB chat,
usage by university students has four main advantages,
games, and other applications” (Yunus et al., 2012, p. 95).
namely it helps improve learning motivation, it offers
Overall, it is incumbent on users to be prudent and
personalized course materials, it develops collaborative
cautious towards social media usage lest their academic
abilities and finally it boosts relationships and networking.
lives should be affected.
Likewise, an AT&T online survey conducted in 1998
As a matter of fact, social media has tremendously
revealed that 68% of parents, 69% of students, and 69% of
facilitated learning and broadly impacted the nature of
teachers said that they had personally seen students ‘grades
learning in higher education as never before. Different
improve with the help of the net technology
researchers conducted research to see the influence of
(AT&T.,1998). In another study made in 1994 by three
social media on users’ academic performance and found
scholars, namely Worthen, Van Dusen & Sailor (1994),
positive relations between the use of SNSs and writing
they found out that students with computer-assisted
ability.
technologies outperform their peers who use traditional
methods of education. Khan (2012) made a research study Other scholars, like Kolan & Dzandza (2017),
to explore the impact of SNSs on university students. He Mensah & Nizam (2016), Osharie (2015), Kuppuswamy
found that students having 3.0 to 3.5 GPA mostly use &Narayan(2010), Maya (2015), among others, argue that
social media applications for entertainment. This finding social media is a double-edged tool or, as Christian Lous
signifies that a large proportion of Doctorate students use Lange puts it, ‘the most useful servant but a dangerous
social media platforms to better their academic master’. Indeed, social network platforms can be a lethal
performance. In the same line of findings, Jain, Verma, weapon that distracts students from their studies but these
Verma & Tiwari (2012) conducted a study which they platforms can be tremendously useful for education based
entitled “The Impact of Social Networking in Promoting on judicious use. As far as research related to the impacts
Education” and found that students are fond of using of social media on writing standards is concerned, much
social media as a helpful learning tool to boost their ink has been spilled on it. According to Connolly (2011), a
confidence for presentation and reports. Jain and his researcher of the Wisconsin Center for Education and

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

Research, social media is tremendously beneficial in that it university students from the department of English at
offers students the platform to connect with their school, Moulay Ismail University, school of Arts and Humanities.
classmates and peers and share their creative thoughts. 153 EFL university students were selected as the subjects
Besides, he assumes that introvert students who are willing of quantitative data.A convenience sampling, which falls
to quit school could change their minds and link up under the non-probability sampling technique, was used.
smoothly and quickly with others through social media and These respondents were selected on the basis of their
thus overcome their isolation as they form friendships. proximity and convenient accessibility to the researcher.
Social media helps isolated students to build and maintain 3.2 Research Design
long-lasting relationships, develop communication skills The present study sought to examine the role of
and display their interests and potentials without obstacles social media in the enhancement of EFL university
with others. Social scientists believe that being involved in students’ writing performances. It is quantitatively driven
groups through social media exerts a positive influence on and hence descriptive in nature. The study participants
users’ well-being; social media users benefit when making were undergraduate students who study English in Moulay
meaningful social connections. Ismail university, Meknes-Morocco. The sample of the
Broadly, studies on the effects of social media on study comprised 153 EFL university students. The
students’ writing skills are dissimilar and divergent. Some researcher used a questionnaire as the main data collection
scholarsargue in favor of the positive academic aspect of tool. After collecting the questionnaires, data were
social media while others argue conversely. Last but not analyzed using SPSS version 20 to get a full understanding
least, Asad, Mamun, & Clement (2012) have nicely settled of the phenomenon under study.
the debate on the interplay between social media and 3.3 Objectives of the study
students’ academic performances as they assert:“students’ This study will be accomplished by conducting a
academic learning outcomes could increase when their review of relevant literature and by analyzing data
social learning outcomes were heightened” (p. 501). Social collected via a questionnaire.
media is not only aneffective tool that serves educational 1- To describe students’ perceptions, attitudes and
role but also an appealing medium of instruction for engagements with social media apps vis-a-vis
English language learning. writing skill development.
2- To identify the role of social media in the
enhancement of university students’ writing
III. METHODOLOGY
performances.
The quantitative research design is adopted as the
main substantial method of the study.Researchers who use
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
quantitative methods attain a high level of objectivity,
reliability and generalizability. Some social scientists Data were mainly collected from a questionnaire
believe that reality about human phenomena can be addressed to EFL university students. One of the most
generated, measured, quantified through numbers and critical research questions the present study sought to
analyzed statistically by fragmenting them into measurable answer was the role of social media in English writing
units and variables (Welman, Kruger, &Mitchell 2006; development. The bar chart in (Figure 1) highlights the
Charles 1995; Dudovskiy 2016). This method of inquiry role of social media in the enhancement of writing
seeks to understand the relationship between variables performance because 104 (68%) Respondents either
through using deductive procedures. That is to say, ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly disagreed’ to the statement that social
researchers form hypotheses, use data collection strategies media plays a significant role in the improvement of
that yield numerical data and analyze it in an objective writing skill.However; 16% of the respondents
way so as to come up with conclusions which eventually ‘disagreed’while only (24%) remained ‘neutral’. Overall,
allow them to either confirm or refute their suggested the overwhelming majority confirmed that social media
hypotheses (De Vos, Strydom, Fouche & Delport, 2011). improves their writing skills as (Figure 1) shows: 68 %
3.1 Participants answered favorably while 30.9 % responded negatively.
The respondents of the study were Moroccan EFL

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

77%
80%

70%

60%
50%
40%
30% 27%
24%
20%
15%
10%
10%
0%
Strongly
Agree
agree Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
disagree

Fig.1: The distribution of students in terms of social media role in the development of the writing skill

Table 1: The Role of Social Media in the Development of the Writing Skill

Scales Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 77 50%

Agree 27 18%
Neutral 24 16%
Disagree 15 10%
Strongly disagree 10 6%
Total 153 100.00%

Likewise, to explore the nature of activities EFL university students take up while getting online, they were asked to
determine if they use social media for learning goals. Table ‘2’ indicates that out of 153 respondents, 124 (81%) expressed
their agreement to the statement; 18 (12 %) expressed disagreement while (7%) answered that they had no opinion.
60%

50%
50%

40%
31%
30%

20%

10% 7% 7%
5%

0%

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Fig.2: The distribution of students in terms of SM use for English language learning purposes

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

Table 2: EFL university students use SM for English language learning purposes.

Scales Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 77 50%

Agree 47 31%
Neutral 11 7%
Disagree 11 7%
Strongly disagree 7 5%
Total 153 100.00%
In order to explore students’ perceptions apropos the effectiveness of social media vis-à-vis writing performance,
students were asked if they use social media for the sake of writing development. The overwhelming majority, as (figure 3)
highlights, (68 %) of the respondents answered favorably; (19%) responded negatively while (13%)voiced no opinion. These
findings reveal that a large proportion of students use social media in order to develop their writing skills.

45%
39%
40%
35%
29%
30%
25%
20%
15% 13%
11%
10% 8%

5%
0%

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Fig.3: The distribution of students in terms of SM use to improve writing performance

Table 3: EFL university students use SM to improve their writing skills

Scales Frequency Percentage
Strongly agree 59 39%

Agree 45 29%
Neutral 20 13%
Disagree 12 8%
Strongly disagree 17 11%
Total 153 100.00%

The respondents were further asked if they witnessed some improvements in their writing performances since they
became engaged into social media apps. The results of the data (figure 4)indicated the following: 68% of the students
answered favorably; 18% responded negatively while 14% remained neutral. The results suggest that a large proportion of
students achieved satisfactory results in writing since they became engaged in social media apps.

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

10%

8%

39%

14%

29%

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Fig.4: The distribution of students in terms of improvements in their writing performances since they became engaged into
SM apps.

Table 4: There have been some improvements in my writing performance since I became engaged into social media apps.
Scales Frequency Percentage
Strongly agree 59 39%

Agree 45 29%
Neutral 21 14%
Disagree 13 8%
Strongly disagree 15 10%
Total 153 100.00%
Inorder to measure the role of social media in enhancing English language skill, the following questionnaire items
were used:

Table 5: The overall mean score of SM perceived usefulness.

Items Standard
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
deviation
I have recourse to materials obtained from SM apps I
79 51,6 51,6 0,6
order to brush up my English
SM helps me to feel comfortable to practice my English
77 50,3 50,3 0,7
other with online users
Online interaction between a student, his/her classmates
87 56,9 56,9 0,58
and the teacher makes learning fruitful.
I use SM for online academic group discussion 97 63,4 63,4 0,9
I use SM to research work 76 49,7 49,7 0,6

I use social networking sites to solve my academic 80 52,3 52,3 0,3

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

problem
I practice my writing on SM apps better than class 98 64,1 64,1 0,2
SM can be used as a tool for formal teaching 106 69,3 69,3 0,13
My academic performance will undermine in case I stop
81 52,9 52,9 0,1
using SM
Engaging in instructive materials on SM increases the
65 42,5 42,5 0,4
rate of my understanding

In order to explore students’ perceptions apropos writing is a skill that necessitates much practice, online
the impact social media exerts on their writing blogging can thus meet this need and be utilized as a
performances, students were asked if they think social powerful tool to optimize students’ writing performances.
media use, in general, benefit them academically in any Blogging-based writing practice can dramatically hone
way. The overwhelming majority said that social media students’ writing skills in terms of style, diction, structure,
does indeed benefit them academically. The analysis of language mechanics as well as other writing sub-skills.The
data, as (Table 5) highlights, indicates that the overall findings from the present study converge with other
score of SM perceived usefulness is high and the items findings in the literature. For instance, Jain, Verma, Verma
rankedas follows: (SM can be used as a tool for formal & Tiwari (2012) andQuader (2014) found thatsocial media
teaching:69.3 ± 0.13) (I practice my writing on SM apps appsplay a key role in developing written and spoken
better than class: 64.1 ± 0.2) (I use SM for online communicative skills in English and reduce the inferiority
academic group discussion: 63.4 ± 0.9) (Engaging in complex of writing and speaking to the minimum.In
instructive materials on SM increases the rate of my general, not only does social media support social
understanding: 42.5 ± 0.4). It is worth-noting that all of the interaction and community building, but it also motivates
items were at high levels and this evidence suggests that and empowers low achievers to be more engaged in the
there was a positive correlation between the judicious use writing task. Interestingly enough, it makes writing an
of social media and writing development. enjoyable experience and provides students with plenty of
practice to increase their writing performances. It is high
V. DISCUSSION time to revolutionize the traditional method of writing in
class that seems tedious and substitute it with the modern
One of the most fascinating findings that this study
one that initiates learning through pleasure deriving
unveiled is the significant role of social media in EFL
channels.
university students’ writing performance development. It
is also found that social media is positively perceived by
students as an educational tool that helps them to expand VI. IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY
their vocabulary repertoires. They expressed acute This study has contributed empirical knowledge to
awareness that digital media played a key role in the field of educational technology and media studies. It
developing their writing skills and in providing them with has highlighted the utility of social media as an
opportunities for communication in English in such a way educational tool. Social media is a useful means of
that enabled them to enhance their linguistic providing learners with great opportunities to develop
competences.They have also given sufficient proof that vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and written
social media is a convenient tool to develop better writing communication skills.When exploited well, they can excel
skills. Social media,as Lakhal 2021 confirms, has in the creative area of writing.Social media can be utilized
“tremendously facilitated learning and broadly impacted as an aid for students to develop a daily writing practice.
the nature of learning in higher education as never before” Owing to the affordances of social
(p.134). It is intriguing to reiterate that social media have media,coordinated efforts on the part of education
yielded positive outcomes on English language learning in stakeholders should be geared towards the development of
general and on writing performancein particular, especially this critical skill. Social media is an amazing tool that
when students use it for educational goals. Students are serves educational role and proved to be a motivating
therefore advised to develop a self-directed online learning pedagogical tool for English language learning.Duffy and
approach such as online bloggingfor it helps them to learn Bruns (2006) point out that “many students are already
writing skills through a method that is individualized, socially hyperactive in Internet-based environments,
collaborative, participatory and interactive.Given that interacting with and commenting on one another’s written

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Lakhal The Role of social media in Developing English Language Writing Skills: Moulay Ismail University
as a Case Study

accounts — even without being cognizant of that- (…). It A Natural Formula for Connecting Formal and Informal
is now possible to harness these developments in an Learning, Internet and Higher Education,
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3 CONCLUSION Teachers’ Perceptions towards Using Web 2.0 Technologies
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