Learning through sharing: enhancing critical engagement with popular culture content using social media in a second language context.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    This chapter reports on the findings of a novel action research project regarding an undergraduate general education course about popular culture at a university in Hong Kong where English is not the students’ first language. The course is delivered in an interactive, student-centered lecture/tutorial fashion with an online discussion component on a dedicated class Facebook group. By qualitatively analyzing Facebook comments, we are able to demonstrate that students benefited from the use of an out-of-class social media site to share their ideas, opinions, and feelings about the Popular Culture course content. Students are motivated to use their second language when engaging in relatable popular culture topics and interacting in online and offline contexts. This enhances their cognitive and communicative abilities, and further develops critical awareness by blending academic concepts with everyday life experiences of popular culture using a popular social media site.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationPop Culture in Language Education
    Subtitle of host publicationTheory, Research, Practice
    EditorsValentin Werner, Friderike Tegge
    Place of PublicationLondon
    PublisherRoutledge
    Chapter9
    Pages151
    Number of pages166
    Edition1
    ISBN (Electronic)9780367808334
    ISBN (Print)9780367644895, 9780367365417
    Publication statusPublished - 23 Nov 2020

    Publication series

    NameRoutledge Research in Language Education
    PublisherRoutledge

    Keywords

    • Pop culture pedagogy
    • social media
    • second language learning
    • Hong Kong
    • Popular culture

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