Volume 10, Issue 1 April 2014, pp. 69–80 
Forums
Encouraging autonomy through the use of a social networking system
Adrian Leis1
1 Miyagi University of Education, JAPAN 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29140/jaltcall.v10n1.168
Abstract
The use of social networking systems has enabled communication to occur around the globe almost instantly, with news about various events being spread around the world as they happen. There has also been much interest in the benefits and disadvantages the use of such social networking systems may bring for education. This paper reports on the use of Twitter in a Japanese university course, and the effect it had on the participants' autonomy. The second language learning motivation and metacognitive skills of 34 Japanese university students studying in a foreign cultures class were measured using both open-ended and closed-ended items in a questionnaire. The results suggest that only students who have high linguistic self-confidence will display progress in taking charge of their learning habits and becoming autonomous in their study as a consequence of using a social networking system in class.
Copyright
© Adrian Leis
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Suggested citation
Leis, A. (2014). Encouraging autonomy through the use of a social networking system. The JALT CALL Journal, 10(1), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.29140/jaltcall.v10n1.168
Related Articles:
Intercultural education in times of restricted travel: Lessons from the Gaza Strip
Maria Grazia Imperiale
Intercultural Communication Education Published: 19 April, 2021, Volume 4(1), 22–38. 
"I don't want to be stereotypical, but..."
Norwegian EFL learners' awareness of and willingness to challenge visual stereotypes
Cecilie Waallann Brown
Intercultural Communication Education Published: 20 December, 2019, Volume 2(3), 120–141.
"Writing like a health scientist": A translingual approach to teaching text structure in a diverse Australian classroom
Sue Ollerhead, Isobel Crealy, Rebecca Kirk
Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics Published: 30 April, 2020, Volume 3(1), 77–90.
(Mis)use of e-mail in student-faculty interaction: Implications for university instruction in Germany, Saudi Arabia and Japan
Anna Danielewicz-Betz
The JALT CALL Journal Published: 30 April, 2013, Volume 9(1), 23–57.
(Re)imagining a course in language and intercultural communication for the 21st century
Adriana Raquel Díaz, Paul J. Moore
Intercultural Communication Education Published: 29 December, 2018, Volume 1(3), 83–99.
(Re)turning to contrastive rhetoric’s basic communication principles: A Common Ground theory perspective
Jonathan D. Brown
Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics Published: 22 August, 2022, Volume 5(2), 77–87.
3D digital games, virtual worlds, and language learning in higher education: Continuing challenges in Japan
Robert Swier, Mark Peterson
The JALT CALL Journal Published: 31 December, 2018, Volume 14(3), 225–238.
A Case for the Drupal Content Management System
Paul Collett
The JALT CALL Journal Published: 30 April, 2010, Volume 6(1), 57–66.
A case study of using Facebook in an EFL English writing class: The perspective of a writing teacher
Li-Tang Yu
The JALT CALL Journal Published: 31 December, 2014, Volume 10(3), 189–202.
A comparative analysis of face to face instruction vs. Telegram mobile instruction in terms of narrative writing
Jamshid Heidari, Farzaneh Khodabandeh, Hassan Soleimani
The JALT CALL Journal Published: 31 August, 2018, Volume 14(2), 143–156.