In accordance with media dependency theory, the greater people's dependence on the media, the more important its role in their social lives. The research sample included 65 Iranian university students, with in-depth interviews used to collect data. The results demonstrated that students spent excessive time on online social networks, especially at the time of social and political events. Students perceived that these networks had both advantages and disadvantages. They argued that their belief systems were changing and that they faced new experiences. Moreover, a discrepancy was identified between Iranian users and users in other parts of the world in terms of their preferred social network and its function: Telegram was the most popular so

Feedback can have different forms and functions depending on its objectives as well as its provider: teacher feedback, student feedback, peer feedback, written feedback, oral feedback, etc. One of the most constructive forms of feedback may be peer feedback, since it involves group learning (Van Gennip, Segers and Tillema, 2010). According to Topping (1998, p. 250) peer feedback is “an agreement in which individuals consider the amount, level, value, worth, quality, or success of the products or outcomes of learning of peers of similar status.” Cunningham (1992) argues that the interaction and communication that result fromthe production of feedback get more important in online instructional courses than in face to face courses, because

Today, online social networks are at the centre of the world’s attention. Their specifications and efficiency increase every day, however research shows that their scientific and educational functions are still limited. We believe online social networks have the potential to create new opportunities for success in learning. As frame of reference, we employed the Technology Acceptance Model, which focuses on satisfaction and usefulness. We used a questionnaire to investigate the attitudes of students (N= 162) and teachers (N= 70) towards online social networks in learning. After gathering information about their attitudes in terms of usefulness and satisfaction, we investigated their expectations for these networks in terms of their applic

Despite the potential of social networks in formal learning, there should be more knowledge on the students and teachers attitudes toward such technology and more recent information in the context of the actual educational situation. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used. The instruments included a questionnaire investigate the attitudes of teachers and students towards formal learning through social networks. The results indicated positive attitudes in both groups on the four TAM subscales. As compared to teachers, students perceived these networks to be more useful. For the other three subscales, however, there were no differences. Furthermore besides the subscales of perceived usefulness and attitude towards social networks, the

Nowadays, one of the most important questions in teaching and learning involves increasing the degree of students’ engagement in learning. According to Astin’s Theory of Student engagement, the best learning environment is one in which it is possible to increase students’ engagement. The current study investigates the influences that using these networks for educational purposes may have on learners’ engagement, motivation, and learning. By a detailed comparison of a control group using face to face education and an experimental group using the social network Facebook, this study found significant differences between the two groups in terms of learning, engagement and motivation. The Facebook group showed higher outcomes in the TOEF

Self-determination theory is a general theory of human motivation and personality, emphasizing the dialectical relationships between growth-oriented human beings and social contexts that facilitate or impede people’s motivation to actualize their potentials. The three main factors that consist this theory are autonomy, competence, and relatedness improving self-determination in the classroom. According to the SDT, a sense of curiosity, interest, and inclination to change the environment or to influence it through developing relatedness is what an appropriate learning environment should be capable to meet.Moreover, you know one of the most important functions of social networks is their function of relatedness. The present study aimed at a

This article aims to explain differences between a group learning English on a Facebook page and a face-to-face group in terms of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT focuses on three main variables, which improve self-determination and motivation outside but also inside the classroom: autonomy, competence and relatedness. The main research question was: how can we explain differences between a face-to-face group (FTF) and a Facebook group learning a foreign language in terms of autonomy, competence and relatedness? The results indicate that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of learning outcomes as well as in the three SDT variables. Students in the Facebook group felt more autonomous, competent and related.

Today, social networks are becoming rather popular throughout the world. Their multi-dimensional uses and specifications increase every day. However, research shows that their scientific and educational functions are still limited. We believe that social networks have the potential to create new contexts and opportunities that increase students’ motivation for learning. Specifically, we believe that this is the case for learning a foreign language (English), which leads to more efficient and more successful experiences with language learning, as well as more positive attitudes towards the efficiency of social networks for educational purposes. As a frame of reference, we rely on the Technology Acceptance Model (Azjen and Fishbein, 1980; D