EFL Teachers and Learners’ Perceptions towards the Use of Social Networks for Improving Cross-cultural Communication

Abstract

This study aims at investigating EFL teachers‘ and learners‘ perceptions towards the role of social networks in enhancing cross-cultural communication. The hypothesis suggested indicates that the use of social networks would result in enhancing cross-cultural communication from both teachers‘ and learners‘ perspectives. The research took place at Mila University Center by using two questionnaires: one was given to eight (08) EFL university teachers and the other was addressed to fifty (50) students at the same university. On the one hand, the students‘ questionnaire revealed that students‘ use of social networks has a great impact on their cross-cultural performance and the development of different aspects of communication across cultures. It has also proved the preparedness of the learners to integrate the use of social networks in education to develop students‘ cross-cultural communication. On the other hand, the teachers‘ questionnaire also demonstrated the importance of using social networks in developing certain aspects of communication cross-culturally. In addition to that, the teachers consider the use of social networks in education to be helpful for students, but only as a complementary tool, as it does not cover all the aspects of communication. therefore, both students and teachers have positive perceptions about the use of social networks to enhance cross-cultural communication.