Willingness to communicate in social media: An investigation of the long-term effects

This study reports on the effects of using social media on Thai EFL students' Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English. An intact class of 40 university students was asked to use one particular type of social media program, Instagram, to post pictures of what they did in class and to reflect on their learning experience in English. WTC questionnaires were administered and the responses were then analyzed to investigate participants' willingness to use English in their communication. The findings revealed that participants' WTC in English was greater when using social media, compared with their WTC during class time. These findings were confirmed in a follow-up study with the same participants, indicating that social media had a significantly positive impact on learners' WTC. In light of these findings, this study draws attention to the potential of social media in encouraging English communication and willingness to use the language to communicate ideas, feelings, and opinions. The study concludes with implications of the findings for future research, pedagogy, and practice.