17 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. An Analysis of Students’ Attitudes in Using Social Media for Learning English: A Blended Learning Approach Rita Karmila Sari, karmilasari_rita@yahoo.com, Universitas Indraprasta PGRI, Indonesia Risma Nurul Auliya, rismauliya@gmail.com, Universitas Indraprasta PGRI, Indonesia Abstract. This research aims to find out the students' attitudes in learning English using social media and a blended learning approach. This research is a survey research with a quantitative approach. This research was conducted at a private university in East Jakarta. The research population included 87 Informatics Study Program students, consisting of 71 male and 16 female students. The research instrument was in the form of a questionnaire revealing students' perceptions towards blended learning and the use of social media in learning English, which consisted of three parts, namely: student data (6 items); English learning model choices (7 items); and students' perceptions about the use of social media, including attitudes and problems encountered in learning English (15 items). The research data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA test and t-test. The findings showed the frequent use of the internet or electronic media for learning or obtaining information within 1 day affected the students’ attitudes in using social media for learning English. However, there is no significant difference in students' attitudes in using social media in learning English based on their gender identity. Keywords: Students’ attitude; Social media; Blended learning. 1. INTRODUCTION The learning model generally carried out in language classes is a face-to-face meeting with the teacher as the center of learning activities (teacher-centered). Then, the learning model begins to change with more student-centered learning activities, such as discussion, presentation, or peer teaching, where the teacher only functions as a facilitator of the learning process. Along with the rapid development of technology, learning has shifted to the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Drigas & Charami (2014) stated that ICTs provide instructors and students with a broader source of learning and learning becomes more interactive through more authentic situations. One of many learning models that utilize ICT is online learning. But in reality, online learning is difficult to implement, because it requires a lot of preparation of human resources, infrastructure, and costs that are not small. Hashemi et al (in Drigas & Charami, 2014) stated that learning using ICT requires teachers to ensure that their students are familiar with the technology so that the assimilation of the learning process in online classes can be well implemented. Besides, students are also required to be skilled in using the internet, understand the language used, and schools must also ensure the availability of computer space related to the number of students. 18 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Thus, teachers can combine a face-to-face learning model and an online learning model commonly called blended learning. Blended learning is described as "combining online and classroom learning activities and optimally uses resources to improve student learning outcomes and address important institutional issues" (Kaur, 2013). This learning model is suitable for classes that have a limited amount of learning time. It offers flexible learning opportunities and involves students to be more active and responsible for learning (Emelyanova & Voronina, 2017). For example, blended learning can be applied in learning English in non-English majors, which is only done during one session, for a total of 100 minutes per week. Technological developments are shown by the increasingly widespread use of social media in everyday life. In line with the results of a survey conducted by Hootsuit in 2018, the average Indonesian uses social media for 3 hours 23 minutes dominated by the age group of 18-24 years (kompas.com, 2018), including social media users from students' group. The development of social media technology does not always harm its users. Based on previous observations, social media can be used to practice language skills, including English. When using social media platforms, users are forced to produce meaningful content and have language mastery and online communication tools that make students learn languages better (Acar, 2013). Furthermore, the application of blended learning is also inseparable from the attitude factors students have. In general, students who have a positive attitude towards learning also have a more positive attitude towards blended learning (Zhu, Au, & Yates, 2012). Student satisfaction with learning delivered in blended learning is closely related to their attitude towards this learning model (Bowyer & Chambers, 2017). Meanwhile, students’ attitudes can be tested through six aspects of learning, namely: learning flexibility, study management, technology, online learning, online interaction, and classroom learning (Tang & Chaw, 2013). These six aspects are indicators of student readiness to carry out a blended learning approach. According to Lawn & Lawn (2015), learning English with blended learning utilizes Skype that can improve the students' ability and motivation to speak in English. In addition, based on research conducted by (Challob, Bakar, & Latif, 2016), which aims to measure the learning outcomes of writing by utilizing the face-to-face writing process and online learning models through blogs and Viber discussions, it appears that students have a positive perception of learning blended learning, such as reducing the fear of writing in English, so that they can improve their writing skills. Therefore, this research aims to analyze students' attitudes when learning English using social media concerning the blended learning, pressures, and anxieties they feel. The formulation of the problems in this study are; 1. What are the students' attitudes in using social media for learning English? 2. What problems do students face in using social media for learning English? 3. What is the significant difference in students' attitudes in using social media in learning English based on the frequency of using the internet or electronic media for learning or obtaining information in 1 day? 4. Are there significant differences in students' attitudes in the use of social media in learning English based on the student's gender (gender)? 19 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 2. METHOD Research Design This survey research utilized a quantitative-based cross-sectional design. Survey research is a commonly used method of collecting information about a population of interest. A subgroup of the population was selected to answer the survey questions, then the information collected can be generalized to the entire population of interest. Data Collection Procedures Data obtained from the results of students' perceptions about a blended learning approach, including the use of social media in learning English carried out by students. The questionnaire consisted of three parts, namely: (1) student data (6 items); (2) choice of English learning models (7 items); and (3) students' perceptions about the use of social media in learning English, including attitudes and problems faced in learning (15 items). students are asked to answer the questionnaire items by circling (in section 1) and putting a checklist (√) on one out of some available answer options, consisting of two choices, Yes or No (in section 2), and four choices (in section 3), namely Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). No neutral point was included in order to get the respondents to voice an opinion. Sampling Procedures The population in this study included undergraduate students from Informatics Study Program in a private university in East Jakarta. The research sample contains 87 students, consisting of 71 male students and 16 female students, who were selected using purposive random sampling. All the participants belonged to similar grade level and enrolled in an English course. The participation was voluntary and the students were told that their responses to the survey would not affect their grades. Data Analysis Procedures The data analyzed by One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to examined that there were differences in student attitudes in the use of social media in English learning based on the frequency of internet or electronic media use for learning or obtaining information within 1 day. The test was run on an SPSS package, using significance level 0.05. The data that collected from questionnaire and test results, proceed through these stages: (1) Give scoring for students‟ answer refer to answer key and guidelines scoring; (2) Statistics assumption trial, namely normality and homogeneity; (4) One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). 3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Attitudes and Problems Faced by Students in Learning English Table 1. Attitudes and Problems Faced by Students in English Language Learning No. Perception (%) Strongly Agree (SA) Agree (A) Disagree (D) Strongly Disagree (SD) A Students’ Attitude 1. I become more interested in learning English when I use social media 31.0 52.9 14.9 1.1 20 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 2. I become more motivated to do the tasks given 12.6 65.5 20.7 1.1 3. I think the quality of my interactions with my teacher has been improving. 21.8 64.4 12.6 1.1 4. I have become more well-assisted in learning English. 31.0 59.8 8.0 1.1 5. I can have a better understanding of the material provided by the teacher. 29.9 60.9 8.0 1.1 6. I become more confident when using social media to do the given tasks 21.8 59.8 17.2 1.1 7. The completion of tasks become easier 26.4 66.7 5.7 1.1 B Problems faced by students 8. I have to do extra work when using social media to learn English 10.3 48.3 37.9 3.4 9. I feel pressured when I have to submit the assignments given through social media 2.3 35.6 55.2 6.9 10. I need more time and effort in learning English when utilizing social media 6.9 64.4 25.3 3.4 11. I have problems expressing the ideas I have when using technology and social media. 4.6 40.2 52.9 2.3 12. I am depressed when I got a direct response from teachers on social media. 4.6 36.8 54.0 4.6 13. I feel pressured when I get comments from other friends on social media. 9.2 28.7 49.4 12.6 14. I feel that I don't get enough help from teachers when using technology and social media. 8.0 41.4 41.4 9.2 15. I did not get an adequate explanation when using online teaching materials. 18.4 41.4 35.6 4.6 Table 1 shows that students have a positive attitude towards the use of social media in learning English, which is indicated by the high percentage of statements about the attitude of students who value agree and strongly agree. Some positive effects of learning English with social media, among others: 1. The increase of students' confidence in doing the task One of the obstacles in learning English is the fear of students making mistakes and looking stupid in front of their friends. The application of learning English with social media, allows students to learn on their own before, without any interference from other parties, so students feel more prepared and confident in learning in class (King, 2016). 2. Better quality of teacher and student interaction 21 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. King (2016) explains that using social media gives teachers the freedom to develop learning potentials. It tailors each student's learning style and helps teachers give more appropriate attention so that students feel not alone when facing learning difficulties. For example, involving students in learning activities to solve a lack of competence problem. Consequently, all students can participate in learning activities. 3. The increase of student motivation and interest in learning English Using social media, students have enough time to understand materials more deeply. They can repeat lessons that have not been understood well in the previous sessions to increase students' learning motivation (King, 2016). Students responded to two problems negatively, namely: 1. Students feel pressured when they must submit their assignments through social media. 2. Students feel more pressured when they get direct responses from teachers on social media. Then, students responded to three problems positively, namely: 1. Students need more time and effort in learning English when utilizing technology and social media. 2. Students do not get an adequate explanation when utilizing online teaching materials. 3. Students must do extra work when using social media to learn English. Next, students responded to three problems positively and negatively with almost the same percentage so that the researchers considered those problems inconspicuous. Differences in Students’ Attitudes in Using Social Media for English Language Learning based on the Frequency of Internet or Electronic Media Utilization for Learning or Getting Information within 1 Day Table 2. One-way ANOVA Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Between Groups 146.619 3 48.873 3.007 0.035 Within Groups 1348.783 83 16.250 Total 1495.402 86 22 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test is conducted to find out whether there are differences in student attitudes in the use of social media in English learning based on the frequency of internet or electronic media use for learning or obtaining information within 1 day. From table 2 it can be seen that the Sig. is smaller than α = 0.05, which is equal to 0.035, so the null hypothesis is rejected. This means that there are at least two significant differences in students' attitudes towards the use of social media in English language learning based on the frequency of the use of the internet or electronic media for learning or obtaining information within 1 day. Thus, the frequency of using the internet or electronic media for learning or obtaining information within 1 day affects the students' attitudes in the use of social media in learning English. Table 3. Pairwise Comparisons (I) internet frequency (J) internet frequency Mean Difference (I-J) Std. Error Sig. 95% Confidence Interval Lower Bound Upper Bound <1 hour 1-2 hours -2.646 1.192 0.127 -5.77 0.48 3-4 hours -4.455* 1.600 0.033 -8.65 -0.26 >5 hours -1.385 1.528 0.801 -5.39 2.62 1-2 hours <1 hour 2.646 1.192 0.127 -0.48 5.77 3-4 hours -1.809 1.348 0.539 -5.34 1.72 >5 hours 1.261 1.260 0.749 -2.04 4.57 3-4 hours <1 hour 4.455* 1.600 0.033 0.26 8.65 1-2 hours 1.809 1.348 0.539 -1.72 5.34 >5 hours 3.070 1.651 0.254 -1.26 7.40 >5 hours <1 hour 1.385 1.528 0.801 -2.62 5.39 1-2 hours -1.261 1.260 0.749 -4.57 2.04 3-4 hours -3.070 1.651 0.254 -7.40 1.26 *. The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level. Table 3 shows that the attitude of students who use the internet <1 hour and 3-4 hours has a Sig. smaller than α = 0.05 which is equal to 0.033. This means that there are significant differences in student attitudes between the two groups. That is, with an average difference of -4,450. Therefore, it can be concluded that the attitude of students who use the internet or electronic media for learning or obtain information for 3-4 hours in 1 day is better than the attitude of students who use the internet or electronic media for learning or obtain information for <1 hour in 1 day. Most students believe that using the internet can help them to find the information they need (Al-Hariri & Al-Hattami, 2015). They are of the view that the internet is a practical and fun tool, and is considered the potential for use in classroom learning (Usun, 2003). The use of 23 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. the internet in learning activities positively influences students' academic performance (Emeka & Nyeche, 2016). However, excessive use of the internet can cause addiction, including various problems, such as psychological, social, and health problems. Wallace, Chak, and Leng (in Al Otaibi, 2012) explain that someone accustomed to spending hours of his time online will feel lonely, depressed, even isolated. Therefore, there needs to be an awareness of oneself to limit one's use of the internet, or in other words to use the internet as required. Differences in Student Attitudes in the Use of Social Media in English Language Learning based on Gender The average similarity test of two using an independent sample t-test was conducted to find out whether there were differences in the attitudes of students in the use of social media in learning English based on gender. Independent sample t-test results in table 4 show the Sig. of 0.333 > α, so the null hypothesis is accepted. This shows that there is no significant difference in the mean scores of male and female student attitudes. These results are in line with the findings of previous studies conducted by Tolulope, Adenubi, and Oluwole (2015), who used podcasts as learning media and (Aifan, 2015), which shows that male and female students have the same attitude in learning. Furthermore. Dzandu, Boateng, Agyemang, & Quansah (2016) added that gender differences do not affect the use of technology, such as social media in learning, as long as technology can facilitate and assist students in carrying out their activities. 4. CONCLUSION The results show that the frequency of using the internet or electronic media for learning or obtaining information within 1 day affects the students' attitudes in the use of social media in learning English. The students' attitudes in using the internet or electronic media for learning are related to searching for information for 3-4 hours in 1 day that is better than those who use the internet or electronic media for learning or obtain information for <1 hour in 1 day. However, there is no significant difference between students' attitudes in using social media in learning English based on gender. Table 4. Difference Test Results of Two Average Student Attitudes by Gender t df Sig. (2- tailed) Mean Difference Std. Error Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Attitude Equal variances assumed 0.974 85 0.333 1.124 1.154 -1.171 3.419 Equal variances not assumed 1.123 26.78 8 0.271 1.124 1.001 -0.930 3.178 24 | IJET| Volume. 10, Issue 1. July 2021 Copyright 2021 Rita Karmila Sari and Risma Nurul Auliya are licensed under Creative Commons Atrribution- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. In addition, students have a positive attitude to the use of social media for learning English. Students need more time and effort and have to do extra work when using social media technology to learn English. They do not get adequate explanations when utilizing online teaching materials as problems faced by students. 5. REFERENCES Acar, Adam. 2013. “Attitudes toward Blended Learning and Social Media Use for Academic Purposes: An Exploratory Study.” Journal of E-Learning and Knowledge Society 9, no. 3: 107–26. https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/809. 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