Utilising Facebook to Enhance Students' Learning and Learning Experience in the Digital Era: Promises and Possibilities

Social media as a by-product of Web 2.0 has had significant implications, both theoretically and practically, on teaching and learning in the digital era. This paper critically discusses the potential of integrating Facebook into the teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It will begin by identifying classical challenges associated with EFL classrooms across different cultural contexts (with particular emphasis on Asian countries), and subsequently argue how such challenges could potentially be addressed by integrating Facebook into such classrooms. Contemporary learning theories will be critically discussed to demonstrate that the use of Facebook is inherently compatible with these theories. In particular, we will argue that social interaction mediated by technology is critical to both language learning and language acquisition. Some ideas on how to use Facebook in the EFL classroom, in terms of the learning activities, will also be presented and discussed and the interconnectivity between these activities and contemporary learning theories will be explored. Finally, whilst the discussion throughout this paper focuses primarily on the teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language, the argument and ideas presented may also be relevant across different subjects.