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The Influence of Extramural Access to Host Culture Social Media on Ethnic Minority Students’ Motivation for Language Learning

Abstract

The educational potentials of social media both in the formal and informal learning contexts have been widely acknowledged. However, how social media use in the informal contexts might influence students’ learning in the formal contexts is still underexplored. Path analysis of 141 survey responses from secondary school ethnic minority students in Hong Kong revealed that voluntary access to Chinese social media in daily life influenced these students’ ideal L2 self and motivated efforts in learning Chinese both directly and indirectly via bicultural integration identity and bicultural competence. The findings confirmed that social media practices in the informal contexts may influence students’ motivated efforts in learning in the formal contexts. The study suggests promoting ethnic minorities’ extramural use of host culture social media to influence their acculturation into the host culture and motivation in learning the host culture’s language. It further highlights the importance of equipping ethnic minority students with the necessary socio-cultural and communication skills to facilitate positive intercultural engagement on these sites so as to safeguard the positive influences of informal social media use on students’ motivation for learning.

Speaker

Dr. Chun Lai
Associate Professor, Chinese Language and Literature Division, Faculty of Education, HKU

About the Speaker

Dr. Chun Lai is an Associate Professor at the Chinese Language and Literature Division, Faculty of Education. Her primary research interests are in technology-enhanced language teaching and learning, self-directed language learning beyond the classroom, and language teacher education. Her recent research work has been focusing on self-directed language learning with technology beyond the classroom. She has published a series of journal papers on this topic and a monograph – “Autonomous Language Learning with Technology beyond the Classroom”.