Abstract:
The current study attempts to tackle the impacts of social media on Third year EFL students at
Bordj Bou Arreridj University during COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the way students of
third year are exploiting social media to acquire their English language skills, improve their
learning performance through using several applications: Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and
Twitter. Due to the spread of the pandemic, the learning system has changed which affected the
students’ performance to master the English language appropriately inside classrooms. Having
said that, social media is an essential means that facilitates the learning process to both learners
and teachers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find out if the students were affected
negatively or positively on their learning process through the use of social media during the
COVID-19 pandemic, and how social media contributes to EFL students. This study has been
carried using a quantitative questionnaire administered to 144 EFL third-year students at
Mohammad El Bachir El Ibrahimi University to ask them about their perceptions towards the use
of social media in promoting their learning performance. In addition, a qualitative interview was
conducted with 9 (male, female) students; it was applied to determine the impacts of using social
media on third-year EFL university students’ learning performances during the COVID-19
pandemic. In our study, third year EFL students used social media applications in a beneficial
way, they were impacted positively by the adoption of social media in learning English
language. So, students’ learning performances were improved. Also, The COVID-19 pendamic
affected their English language capacities positively. Using social media in English language
learning among EFL university students during COVID-19 pandemic helps them in the
acquisition of English Language. Social Media has a positive impact on students’ learning
performances during the distance learning process. This in turn confirms our hypothesis, and
pinpoints the main changes teachers might consider applying to ensure the success of the
teaching / learning process
