Facebook Group: The Use of Computer-Mediated Portfolio to Develop Students' Descriptive Writing Skill

hamzah puadi ilyas, ph.d; dr. akhmad haqiqi ma'mun, m.pd;

Online social networks have recently been perceived by educators and language experts as an alternative method for EFL teaching and learning. Utilizing Facebook (FB) in teaching and learning is considered a controversial issue. Users have the option of exchanging information within a group setting. The current study explores how integrating a social networking website called Facebook with self, peer and teacher-comment in groups’ supports student learning, investigated the nature of revised students received on their writing, examines their respond and challenges towards the use of Facebook to develop descriptive writing skill. The study involves 20 students who participated in giving and receiving feedback on Facebook with an aim to develop their writing skill. Data were collected from the first and final drafts of writing assignments in three cycles, written self, peer and teacher-comments, a questionnaire and an interview. While the document analysis was the main data collection method, a questionnaire and an interview provided crucial information.
The results revealed that the nature of students’ revised focused on content, through self. Peer-comment contributed on organization, and vocabulary. Furthermore, teacher-comment focuses on grammatical and mechanical errors. However, quantitative analyses of the peer comments and revisions to the drafts show that comment given on Facebook had an effect on improving revised drafts. There was statistically significant improvement in the revised drafts which was linked to group feedback. The analysis of interviews and questionnaire indicated positive respond on the use of Facebook as computer-mediated portfolio in the English class. Finally, the challenges faces by the student were in terms of technical, linguistic, and non-linguistic challenges.