How EFL Students Perceived the Use of Facebook Group in Writing Activities

Abstract

An online learning tool that can assist with writing is Facebook. In order to have better understand on how the students at UIN Raden Fatah Palembang's English Education Study Program perceive about using Facebook groups for writing during the 2019–2020 academic year, a study has been conducted. In this study, a qualitative research design was used. By using maximal variation sampling, six students from PBI B in the English Education Study Program participated in this study. The participant's documentation and an interview were used to gather data about their opinions of the Facebook group's writing-related activities. The interview sessions were captured on tape and written down. The findings of this research about the use of Facebook group in writing activities showed that there were some advantages; (1) improving students’ vocabulary, (2) an active brainstorming activity to get better ideas in writing, while some disadvantages also took place in; (3) the limitation of the internet access, (4) distraction from Facebook entertainments, and (5) passive classroom environment in non-verbal communication.