Facebook for Foreign Languages:

Part of the Net Generation Curriculum

Presented by Karen Graf and Joe Terantino, Ph.D.

for the Department of Foreign Languages
Kennesaw State University
February 18, 2011

Introducing the Net Generation

93% of the young adults in the United States use the
Internet
73% use social networking websites
75% have a cell phone
Is it fair to say? The internet is a central and indispensable
element in the lives of American teens and young adults.
(Lenhart et al, 2010)

Facebook Statistics
Facebook currently has more than 500 million active
users
The average Facebook user has 130 friends
Facebook has more than 70 languages available on
the site
The average user spends one hour per day in
Facebook (Facebook.com/press; Thinkmarketing.org)

What is Facebook?
Social-networking website that allows people
to connect with other users through the
exchange of profiles, conversation, photos,
and videos

Educational Uses of Facebook for

Language Learning
Target language-friendly interface
Follow a certain celebrity, team, restaurant, event, etc.
from a target language country
Share target language multimedia such as photos and
videos
Share links from the Internet relevant to course material

Promote collaboration through target language discussions

Creating a Facebook Account

Beginning Spanish Facebook Activity

Writing for the Graded Assignment

Writing for Informal Assignments

Writing for Fun!

Assessment

Intermediate Spanish Facebook Activity

Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal Communication Contd

Cultural Activities

Cultural Activities Contd

Photo Writing Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment Contd

Perceived Benefits
Facebook:
Allows students to engage with peers in a familiar
format
Provides opportunities for informal target language
conversation
Allows for sharing of culturally relevant photos,
videos, and music
Its fun and students seem to like it

Things to Consider
Privacy
Filter the information that you and your students post
online

Appropriateness of the texts, pictures, and videos

created and posted online
Create a clear policy and explicit instructions for the
students to follow in the process of completing their
Facebook assignments

Example User Conduct Agreement

User Conduct
As a member of the Immeuble en ligne facebook project, you may ONLY
accept friend requests from your fellow classmates. You are not permitted to
accept friends outside of this French 130 section or misrepresent yourself
as another person outside of your fictional character.
In addition, you agree not to use this Facebook account to:
upload, post, transmit, share, store or otherwise make available any content
that we deem to be harmful, threatening, unlawful, defamatory, infringing,
abusive, inflammatory, harassing, vulgar, obscene, fraudulent, invasive of
privacy or publicity rights, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise
objectionable;
intimidate or harass another; upload, post, transmit, share, store or
otherwise make available content that is objectionable or which restricts or
inhibits any other person from using or enjoying the Site, or which may
expose its users to any harm or liability of any type.
___________________________________
Signature of student
Enjoy!
Taken from Mills, N. (2009)

Discussion
What do you think?
Could you do it?
Would you want to do it?

Sources
http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
http://thinkmarketing.org/2011/01/obsessed-with-facebookstatistics-facts-for-2011/
Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010). Social media
and young adults. Available at
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-YoungAdults.aspx
Mills, N. (2009). Facebook and the use of social networking tools to
enhance language learner engagement. Available at
http://works.bepress.com/nicole_mills/29/