The Impact of Social Networks on French Learning Among UDS Students, Nyankpala Campus

Mohammed Abdul-Rashid Immorrow; Abdul Kadir Salifu; Sulemana Iddrisu; Sulemana Shakira Tunteiya

doi:10.18290/rns2025.0047

Published : 2025-12-29

Vol. 53 No. 4 (2025)

The Impact of Social Networks on French Learning Among UDS Students, Nyankpala Campus

Mohammed Abdul-Rashid Immorrow

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4566-3133

Abdul Kadir

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2546-5018

Sulemana Iddrisu

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5784-8588

Sulemana Shakira Tunteiya

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2025.0047

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of social network usage on French language learning among undergraduate students at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala Campus. It examines the extent of social media use for French learning, its influence on language skills, and challenges faced by learners. A mixed-methods approach with an explanatory sequential design was adopted. All 21 French-learning students constituted the quantitative sample through a census method, while 6 were purposively selected for qualitative interviews. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS v22 using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and regression; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Findings show that platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, and Facebook are widely used for French learning. The study concludes that social networks significantly enhance receptive and oral skills but require structured curricular integration for comprehensive language development.

Keywords:

social networks, French language learning, university students, digital tools, language acquisition

Details

References

Statistics

Authors

Download files

pdf

Citation rules

Immorrow, M. A.-R., Salifu, A. K., Iddrisu, S., & Tunteiya, S. S. (2025). The Impact of Social Networks on French Learning Among UDS Students, Nyankpala Campus. Roczniki Nauk Społecznych, 53(4), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2025.0047

Altmetric indicators

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References

Afoakwah C., Deng X., and Onur I. (2023), Reforms and Education Inequality in Ghana, Review of Development Economics 27, no. 2, pp. 853-878. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12961

Asafo-Adje R. (2023), Ghana School Students Talk About Their Social Media Addiction, And How It Affects Their Use of English, TheConversation.com, May 14, https://theconversation.com/ghana-school-students-talk-about-their-social-media-addiction-and-how-it-affects-their-use-of-english-203597.

Blattner G. and Fiori M. (2009), Facebook in the Language Classroom: Promises and Possibilities, International Journal of Instructional Technology And Distance Learning 6, pp. 17-28.

Blattner G. and Lomicka L. (2012), Facebook-ing and the Social Generation: A New Era of Language Learning, Apprentissage des Langues et Systèmes d’Information et de Communication 15, no. 1. https://doi.org/10.4000/alsic.2413

Braun V. and Clarke V. (2006), Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology, Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no. 2, pp. 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Carlos V Education. (2025). Learning a Language with Social Networks: Challenges and Strategies for the 21st Century, CarlosVEducation.es, https://www.carlosveducation.es/en/learning-a-language-with-social-networks-challenges-and-strategies-for-the-21st-century.

Chowdhury E.K. (2025), Examining the Benefits and Drawbacks of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance: A Study Among University Students in Bangladesh, Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning 18, no. 2, pp. 395-411. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-07-2023-0097

Cvijikj I.P. and Michahelles F. (2013), Understanding the User Generated Content and Interactions on a Facebook Brand Page, International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing 14, no. 2, pp. 118-140.

Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil C., Gamon M., and Dumais S. (2011), Mark my words! Linguistic style accommodation in social media, [in:] S. Sadagopan, K. Ramamritham, A. Kumar, and M.P. Ravindra (Eds.), Proceedings of the 20th international conference on World wide web, New York: Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 745-754.

Dooly M. (2007), Joining Forces: Promoting Metalinguistic Awareness Through Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Language Awareness 16, no. 1, pp. 57-74. https://doi.org/10.2167/la413.0

Ducate L. and Lomicka L. (2009), Podcasting: An Effective Tool for Honing Language Students’ Pronunciation?, Language Learning & Technology 13, no. 3, pp. 66-86. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/44192

Estrella F. (2023), An Analysis of the Impact of Social Networking Sites on Students’ Performance in English as a Foreign Language. The Case of Ecuadorian Polytechnic Undergraduate Students, Journal of Educational Technology Systems 52, no. 1, pp. 96-116. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472395231180278

Fiadzawoo J.K., Mahama E.S., and Attati F. (2022), Online News Patronage Among Students of University for Development Studies, and Its Pedagogical Perspectives for Language Teachers, European Journal of Education Studies 9, no. 5, pp. 229-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v9i5.4296

Fornara F. and Lomicka L. (2019), Using Visual Social Media in Language Learning to Investigate the Role of Social Presence, Calico Journal 36, no. 3, pp. 184-203. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.3720

Godwin-Jones R. (2011), Mobile Apps for Language Learning, Language Learning & Technology 15, no. 2, pp. 2-11.

Gonulal T. (2019), The Use of Instagram as a Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Tool, Contemporary Educational Technology 10, no. 3, pp. 309-323. https://doi.org/10.30935/cet.590108

Hampel R. and Stickler U. (2012), The Use of Videoconferencing to Support Multimodal Interaction in an Online Language Classroom, ReCALL 24, no. 2, pp. 116-137. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095834401200002X

Huseynzade H. (2025), The Usage of Social Networking Sites in Language Learning, Acta Globalis Humanitatis et Linguarum 2, no. 3, pp. 113-119. https://doi.org/10.69760/aghel.0250020016

Jeryo R.A., Hamzah M.H., Kamal R.N., Shujairi F.A.A., Muhi H.H., Saadoon R.I., and Hamad B.S. (2025), The Impact of Social Media on the Decline of Formal Writing: A Comparative Study of Digital and Traditional Discourse, Manar Elsharq Journal for Literature and Language Studies 3, no. 2, pp. 35-44.

Junco R. (2012), The Relationship Between Frequency of Facebook Use, Participation in Facebook Activities, and Student Engagement, Computers & Education 58, no. 1, pp. 162-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.08.004

Kolan B.J. and Dzandza P.E. (2018), Effect of Social Media on Academic Performance of Students in Ghanaian Universities: A Case Study of University of Ghana, Legon, Library Philosophy and Practice, article 1637.

MacDonald N.I. (2023), Intercultural Communication in Second-Language (L2) Learning Via Social Media Within the Inuit Context: A Scoping Literature Review, AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples 19, no. 4, pp. 784-793. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231196147

National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1979), The Belmont Report. Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research, https://media.tghn.org/medialibrary/2011/04/Belmont_Report_1979.pdf [accessed: 15.12.2025].

Nuri A. (2024), The Impact of Social Networks on Language Learning: A Comprehensive Analysis, EuroGlobal Journal of Linguistics and Language Education 1, no. 2, pp. 65-71. https://doi.org/10.69760/qxf8gj63

Otu A. A. (2015), Social Media Addiction Among Students of the University of Ghana (Doctoral dissertation, University of Ghana).

Öztürk L. (2019), Functions and Role of Social Media Networks in Learning a Foreign Language: A Case Study, International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences 6, no. 6, pp. 66-69. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2019.06.010

Purnama Y. and Asdlori A. (2023). The Role of Social Media in Students’ Social Perception and Interaction: Implications for Learning and Education, Technology and Society Perspectives (TACIT) 1, no. 2, pp. 45-55. https://doi.org/10.61100/tacit.v1i2.50

Saito K. and Akiyama Y. (2017), Linguistic Correlates of Comprehensibility in Second Language Japanese Speech, Journal of Second Language Pronunciation 3, no. 2, pp. 199-217. https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.3.2.02sai

Shu J. (2023), EFL Learners’ Problematic Use of Social Media Usage, Classroom Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Language Attainment: Correlations And Perceptions, BMC psychology 11, no. 1, article 443. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01419-5

Solmaz O. (2018), A Critical Review of Research on Social Networking Sites in Language Teaching and Learning, Contemporary Educational Technology 9, no. 3, pp. 315-330. https://doi.org/10.30935/cet.444120

Sykes J.M., Oskoz A., and Thorne S.L. (2008), Web 2.0, Synthetic Immersive Environments, and Mobile Resources for Language Education, CALICO Journal 25, no. 3, pp. 528-546. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.v25i3.528-546

Tabiri M.O., Jones-Mensah I., Fenyi D.A., and Asunka S. (2022), Challenges of Online Learning of English/French Language in Higher Education in Ghana, Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 18, no. 1, pp. 207-222.

Tagg C. (2015), Exploring Digital Communication: Language in Action, London: Routledge.

Teng C., Heydarnejad T., Hasan M.K., Omar A., and Sarabani L. (2022), Mobile Assisted Language Learning in Learning English Through Social Networking Tools: An Account of Instagram Feed-Based Tasks on Learning Grammar and Attitude Among English as a Foreign Language Learners, Frontiers in Psychology 13, article 1012004. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1012004

Villafuerte J. and Romero A. (2017), Learners’ Attitudes toward Foreign Language Practice on Social Network Sites, Journal of Education and Learning 6, no. 4, pp. 145-158. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v6n4p145