Community of Inquiry Perspectives in English Language Practice and Social Media

Abstract

In the 21st century, the digital revolution has transformed all of society and social media has become flexible teaching spaces, metamorphosizing the learning process in online learning communities in developed and developing countries. In the field of English language skills acquisition, this educational metamorphosis offers new learning opportunities from a traditional in person learning environment. Learners take away new skills in a learning community of inquiry, led according to communicative and collaborative sharing, according to the techno-pedagogical learning approach. This paper aims to analyze and describe the practices of English Language learners on WhatsApp according to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework. Through a multisite ethnography, observation, and conversational analysis, data was collected in two WhatsApp groups (169 learners interacted to empower each other and improve English as a foreign language skills mastery). Findings revealed that CoI initiatives from learners helped participants to apply 21st century pedagogy skills effectively during their online interactions and provide an environment to grow together in language proficiency. This virtual space required participants to be actively involved in organized activities to increase the learners confidence in the daily language use. Recommendations mentioned that the next generation of educational leaders should foster CoI perspectives in lingua-didactic environments incorporating teachers and learners as facilitators in online blended learning for effective foreign language learning, and education systems.