Using youtube as an english learning tool for ef students công trình nghiên cứu khoa học sinh viên giải khuyến khích cấp trường

questionnaire and interview, were employed to retrieve data regarding students’ YouTube using patterns, their attitudes towards YouTube and utilization of the platform as an English lear

ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH ĐẠI HỌC KHOA HỌC XÃ HỘI VÀ NHÂN VĂN

KHOA NGỮ VĂN ANH

CÔNG TRÌNH NGHIÊN CỨU KHOA HỌC SINH VIÊN CẤP

TRƯỜNG NĂM 2019

ĐỀ TÀI:

USING YOUTUBE AS AN ENGLISH LEARNING

TOOL FOR EF STUDENTS

Nhóm sinh viên thực hiện:

Chủ nhiệm: Nguyễn Ngọc Thiên Trang

Thành viên: Nguyễn Hoàng Hương Giang

Nguyễn Thị Vân Huyền

Đặng Vinh Hiền

Vũ Lê Hải Anh

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, tháng 5 năm 2019

ĐHQG-HCM Trường ĐHKHXH&NV Ngày nhận hồ sơ

Do P.QLKH-DA ghi Mẫu: SV 02

ĐỀ TÀI NGHIÊN CỨU KHOA HỌC SINH VIÊN CẤP TRƯỜNG

nhiệm Điện thoại Email

1 Nguyễn Ngọc Thiên Trang Chủ nhiệm 0908943170 thtrangnguyen.lhp@gmail.com

2 Nguyễn Hoàng Hương Giang Tham gia 0989216244 n.huonggiang1998@gmail.com

3 Nguyễn Thị Vân Huyền Tham gia 0355360132 vanhuyenm.382@gmail.com

4 Đặng Vinh Hiển Tham gia 0708923509 dangvinhhien@gmail.com

5 Vũ Lê Hải Anh Tham gia 0812211477 vlhanh1998@gmail.com

TP.HCM, tháng 06 năm 2019

ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC KHOA HỌC XÃ HỘI VÀ NHÂN VĂN

Khoa Ngữ văn Anh

USING YOUTUBE AS AN ENGLISH LEARNING TOOL

Table of Contents Abstract

1 Introduction of the study

1.1 Rationale of the study

1.2 Research aims and objectives

1.3 Significance of the study

2 Literature review

2.1 Language learning advantages given by YouTube

2.2 Limitations of using YouTube as an English learning tool

2.3 Purposes and aims when using YouTube

3.5 Data collection procedures

3.6 Data analysis procedures

4 Results and discussion

4.1 Students’ patterns of using YouTube and its correlation with English

proficiency

4.1.1 Students’ patterns of using YouTube

4.1.1.1 YouTube watching frequency

4.1.1.2 YouTube content watched

4.1.2 Students’ English learning and proficiency

4.1.2.1 Students’ level of language proficiency

4.1.2.2 Students’ autonomous revision time

4.1.2.3 Students’ most and least confident language skills

4.1.2.4 Students by importance of learning materials

4.1.3 The relationship between YouTube and English learning

4.1.3.1 Correlation between YouTube watching and English language

proficiency

4.1.3.2 Correlation between content watched and English language proficiency

4.2 Students’ attitudes towards YouTube as an English learning tool

4.3 Students’ method of utilizing YouTube as an English learning tool

4.3.1 On the improvement of listening and speaking skills

4.3.2 On the improvement of reading and writing skills

4.3.3 On the improvement of vocabulary

4.3.4 Other utilizations

5 Conclusion

5.1 Summary of findings

5.2 Implications of the study

5.2.1 Implication for learners

5.2.2 Implications for educators

5.3 Limitations of the study

5.4 Recommendations for further study

Table of Figures

Figure 1.1: Conceptual framework 9

Figure 4.1: Histogram of Subjective Level of Proficiency 18

Figure 4.2: Histogram of English Self-Learning Frequency 20

Figure 4.3: YouTube watching frequency vs Subjective Level of Proficiency 23

Figure 4.4: Percentage of English Content vs Subjective Level of Proficiency 25

List of Tables Table 4.1: Student Year 14

Table 4.2.1: Statistics - YouTube watching frequency 15

Table 4.2.2: YouTube watching frequency 15

Table 4.3: YouTube watch-time statistics 16

Table 4.4: Percentage of English content 17

Table 4.5: Subjective Level of Proficiency 18

Table 4.6: English Self-Learning Frequency 19

Table 4.7: Most Confident Skill 21

Table 4.8: Most Insecure Skill 21

Table 4.9: Importance of Learning Materials 22

Table 4.10: Correlations 23

Table 4.11: Correlations with Conditions 24

Table 4.12: Descriptive Statistics 26

1 Introduction of the study

1.1 Rationale of the study

The commencement of the Third Industrial Revolution brought about many changes in one’s daily life, including their methods of improving knowledge with the most prominent being the use of technology as a learning tool Learners in this era, with

a high possibility of being “digital native”, a term referring to those who have grown up

in an environment surrounded by digital technology, have many powerful tools under their commands that their predecessors have never dreamt of owning (Terantino, 2011)

With massive collections of books stored in a device that fits snugly in one’s pocket, or the access to an infinite source of information just at the tips of their fingers, learners are being offered a myriad of means to acquire new knowledge; and it is an ever-evolving process Even before the availability of Internet-based video sources such

as YouTube proved their potential, audiovisuals have made an evolution from Video Home System (VHS) and Digital Video Disc (DVD) to computers and smartphones, making obtaining knowledge more interesting than ever before

As for learners of foreign languages, the landscape of these new-found opportunities broadens even more As the world becomes smaller and without-borders with the ever-ongoing process of global integration, language learners have been able to utilize numerous channels in infinitely many ways to aid their language acquisition The term Web 2.0 refers to websites that emphasize user-generated content and allow them

to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue This paved the way to a myriad of platforms which, with the correct utilization, can be endlessly advantageous to language learners However, a surprising number of learners are unaware of their own opportunities to make the most out of their chances

From observance and personal experience, the researchers have concluded that among those tools, one of the most novel is an intriguing and infinitely potential online video sharing platform widely known as YouTube YouTube is a video-sharing website based on twenty-first century technological accomplishments Slowly but surely, YouTube has ever since changed the way one perceives and learns, especially in language learning field Despite its significant scope and ever-rising potentials, the mass

mostly watches entertaining videos on YouTube; as for educational videos, it only ranks

as the 9th most watched genre (Evan, 2018)

In addition, YouTube does not receive the attention it deserves from researchers

It can be inferred from previous studies that there are a number of studies specializing

in modern technological methods applied in foreign language learning; yet there is a lack of studying YouTube as the main focus, or viewing it as a single platform that serves as a foreign language learning tool As a result, the link between a foreign language learner and YouTube is disregarded

This study therefore aims to explore the potentials that YouTube brings to foreign language learners, thereby providing a deep insight into the nature of YouTube Once readers are provided with enough information to rightly and thoroughly understand this video sharing platform, they will acknowledge its utility and have a fresh, accurate point

of view on YouTube as well as its cognitive link to foreign language learners Then, this study will propose some methods so that students can take advantage of YouTube thoroughly and effectively both in and out of the classroom Only by this can we do justice to the greatest contemporary online video-sharing website called YouTube

1.2 Research aims and objectives

The focus of this research project is first to identify students’ habit of using YouTube, their tendency and preference in terms of video contents Next, the research also aims to investigate students’ attitude towards the prospect of YouTube being a language learning tool and their method of utilizing YouTube as such

The following research objectives would facilitate the achievement of the above aims:

 To identify students’ patterns of using YouTube and their attitudes towards YouTube as a language learning tool

 To investigate the correlation between the pattern of using YouTube and students’ proficiency of the English language

 To investigate students’ ways of utilizing YouTube as an English learning tool either consciously or unconsciously

Below are the main research questions given as a base:

1 What are students’ patterns of using YouTube and their attitudes towards it?

2 Is there a relationship between YouTube using patterns and students’ English proficiency?

3 How do students utilize YouTube as an English language learning tool?

1.3 Significance of the study

The study can be a reference for those who desire to exploit the potential of YouTube as a language learning tool, especially English The ultimate goal is to help students recognize YouTube’s benefits as well as its drawbacks by looking into their own experience with YouTube, how it has affected their language competence either consciously or unconsciously Based on the suggested recommendations from participants’ methods of utilization, learners can both choose and adopt them for their own learning purposes

2 Literature review

Before the Internet, students studied solely by books and notes taken from classes, or under teachers’ instruction However, with the advancement of technology and Internet, students’ learning today has changed drastically Nowadays, teachers and students everywhere have learned to utilize advanced technology for better teaching and studying; for instance, the use of videos in classroom It is irrefutable that video is today’s medium and people spend more time with audio-visual than printed material (Sherman, 2003) Moreover, with the rise of technology, there have been a myriad of genres of videos being shared online, mainly on the most popular video-sharing website

- YouTube Besides, as YouTube allows its users to create their own channels, people can upload their videos under categories such as entertainment, music, etc especially education, which is “mostly used by government, community agencies or teachers and students themselves.” (Martinho, Pinto, & Kuznetsova, 2012) Therefore, it is safe to conclude that YouTube provides great resource for students to search for the materials that they need (Liu, 2010)

2.1 Language learning advantages given by YouTube

There have been many studies mention the highlight features of YouTube and its educational purpose in terms of language learning, on both academic and motivating aspects For example, in one study, it is stated that YouTube has become the number one resource for language acquisition, featuring a wide range of genres, from songs to political debates in all kinds of spoken language, all of which are free (Balcikanli, 2009)

In another study, YouTube’s potential as a language learning tool was highlighted by having its users broadening their knowledge and understanding of a topic by searching for related videos through the recommendation algorithm (Jalaluddin, 2016) Also, discussing in the comments was mentioned as an effective way for encouraging real and authentic language production and application (Benson, 2015)

In terms of content, a YouTube video has three things that conventional ways of language learning do not have: visual and sound enhancement, accompanied by context (Balcikanli, 2009) These elements help learners visualize and memorize words more easily, thus enriching their vocabulary (York, 2011) Furthermore, the context which videos on YouTube provide is often an interactive one This enables learners to interpret other elements of a conversation, i.e body language or other non-verbal information and helping their comprehension (Terantino, 2011) YouTube also gives learners insights into other aspects related to the language itself by providing exposure to authentic English combined with cultural components of the target language (Balcikanli, 2009) Getting to know the culture whilst learning a new language (and vice versa) is a great combination that guarantees to spark up interests within students and motivates themselves to continue studying new language with the help of YouTube (York, 2011)

However, compared to classroom-oriented educational videos, YouTube still seems a little unorthodox, and does not guarantee learners’ understanding of the lesson

To solve this problem, we need to consider how fundamentally different learners today are compared to their predecessor, in terms of habits and interests In 2001, Marc Prensky coined the term digital native, referring to a person who has grown up with digital technology (Prensky, 2001) The over-abundance of technology has led to a new

form of interactive and creative learning environment which learners today demand (Ghasemi, Hashemi, & Bardine, 2011)

Even outside the classroom, YouTube still holds its grounds as an effective language learning tool Watching YouTube on a daily basis will be effective in the same sense that extensive reading is effective for spelling and vocabulary acquisition: this is called incidental learning (Schmidt, 1997) The knowledge gained incidentally via YouTube is represented in a radically different fashion from knowledge gained intentionally in classrooms, which in turns leads to an implicit competence that is available for automatic use (Balcikanli, 2009)

2.2 Limitations of using YouTube as an English learning tool

There are three main limitations of YouTube that should be considered: accessibility, privacy and the distraction caused by YouTube while being used

In some countries, like the United State, some schools have blocked this site, so students cannot use it for non-educational purposes (Hendrick, 2009); and in many areas, using YouTube can be a challenge for learners because of the slow Internet connection Furthermore, YouTube headquarters can delete videos if copyright issues

or a negative “like” to “dislikes” ratio is detected (Alhamami, 2013) This inconvenience

of YouTube may lead to the missing of the videos that we have saved or subscribed But

on a positive note, it will motivate the uploaders to put more effort into the quality of their products

As mentioned before, YouTube has limited privacy, which means everyone can watch the videos and spam in the comments, hence the possibility of major conflict due

to the variety of cultures among learners or linguistic skills of social network users This problem is now solvable since YouTube has offered features where you can limit viewers (Alhamami, 2013)

Finally, there is a high chance that YouTube might become a distraction for learners while searching for the right video For example, with the keywords you typed, YouTube can show a myriad of results which might include several videos with

inappropriate content that are bound to overpass the filter and warning system (Alhamami, 2013)

2.3 Purposes and aims when using YouTube

Exploiting the rich and diverse source of English contents available on YouTube, students can engage in what is known as ‘extensive listening’ Taking from the same model as extensive reading, ‘extensive listening’ is defined as “easy, comprehensible, and enjoyable listening practice” (Chang & Millet, 2013) The act of extensive listening, spread over a period of time, have shown to have positive effects on students’ listening ability and fluency; and therefore, consistent and abundant practice of this method is highly encouraged in students (Chang & Millet, 2013) Other studies have also pointed

to the ability to aid vocabulary acquisition of extensive listening, especially students of higher proficiency of the language (Meier, 2015) Meier (2015) stated that comprehension also carries and important role in vocabulary acquisition through extensive learning; and even more worth noticing is the fact that vocabulary retention through listening is recorded higher than reading

The enjoyable, entertaining aspects of YouTube can also be a rich opportunity for incidental learning via both listening and simultaneous reading the speech transcription in the platform’s available closed captions Even though incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading is more efficient than that through listening (Hataimi, 2017); reading-while-listening, as drawn to attention by Brown, Waring and Donkaewbua, is a method that is gaining in popularity in classrooms, whose benefits range from increase in language proficiency as a whole, to heightened listening comprehension in particular (Brown, Waring, & Donkaewbua, 2008)

The rich context offered by YouTube contents is also a great opportunity for students to practice inferring vocabulary meaning from context, as this is “an essential strategy for developing reading comprehension and promoting lexical acquisition” (Nation, 2001)

Other than listening and vocabulary acquisition, students can utilize the abundance of native speech on YouTube to implement ‘shadowing method’ - a technique where learners repeat the speaker’s utterance almost simultaneously after

hearing (Miyake, 2008) This act of repetition helps strengthen the information in students’ cognition, especially phonological information, thus enhancing intonation and listening comprehension (Hamada, 2015)

Besides taking lessons from teachers at school, students can also use YouTube for autonomous study By recording videos on cellphones or digital camera and uploading them on YouTube, anyone can get an unlimited access to various contents, which has “enabled the video sharing frenzy” (Ghasemi, Hashemi, & Bardine, 2011) Sharing a culture related video with an intriguing content like music video is thereby a good way to absorb language (York, 2011) Students also need to take advantage of tags, descriptions and have a good eye for thumbnails, the picture of the video that is shown

in the search engine on YouTube, to study more effectively (Alhamami, 2013)

Figure 1: Conceptual framework on using YouTube as an English learning tool

This figure depicts the general concept of this research and how it will be elaborated in the later parts of the study

3 Research methodology

3.1 Research design

In 2012, Lo conducted a study on participants’ experience using YouTube to learn a foreign language using both qualitative and quantitative research design, with qualitative as the main guidance of the study whilst quantitative as a facilitating role in helping gather descriptive information The qualitative data in the study was mainly retrieved from interviews, which were conducted and divided into three stages; data from the first interview session was used for participants’ identity assessment, the second for their experiences and perceptions of YouTube, and the final stage with a focus group for reconfirmation and further elaboration on the findings

Similarly, this study utilized both qualitative and quantitative research methods and instruments in the process of data collection and analysis; albeit the characteristics

of the study being cross-sectional Two main media of data collection, i.e questionnaire and interview, were employed to retrieve data regarding students’ YouTube using patterns, their attitudes towards YouTube and utilization of the platform as an English learning tool More specifically, data retrieved from questionnaires would illustrate students’ pattern of using and attitude towards YouTube as an English learning tool, and data retrieved from interviews would reflect students’ methods of utilization These data collection procedures were conducted on EF freshmen and sophomores to sufficiently answer the research questions previously posed

The qualitative approach would be deemed suitable for this study as it provides

an insight into the students’ experience in using YouTube as a way to study English As one of the aims of the research is to find out the link between students’ pattern of using YouTube and their language proficiency, an interview in this context may best help to gain insights from the students This is also a rather natural approach to the subject matter as students were able to express their viewpoints on the topic as well as speak from their own learning experience to generate potential methods of utilization Through the act of synthesizing students’ experiences, problems could be easily identified and in-depth meaning behind the topic could also be obtained about using YouTube as an English learning tool

The data generated from quantitative approach is important as students’ habit of exploitation and attitude towards using YouTube are the key subjects to maintain the validity of the research In order for the data to be trustworthy, the research studies the subject matter in a big scale; in order words, the number of participants must be justifiable and big enough for the research to be valid And by that, statistical and mathematical analysis through questionnaires were able to help generalize the data fully and objectively

3.2 Context of the study

The study is conducted at Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature in Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities In order for the result of the study not to be biased due to different studying environments, data collection stage was carried out at both campuses – Thu Duc and Dinh Tien Hoang, where an estimated number of 700 students that enrolled in 2017 and 2018 are studying

In order to reach upper-intermediate and advanced levels of English proficiency,

EF students need to take basic skills courses such as reading, writing, speaking, listening and pronunciation The curriculum states that these skills are the prerequisites before selecting specialization; thus, suffice to say the aforementioned courses are also the main focus of the students’ study program in their first two years

3.3 Participants

One of the first aspects needed to be taken into consideration is the selection of participants For this study, the target population of participants was freshmen and sophomores of the English Faculty, HCMC USSH

Initially, the estimated number of participants was 200 However, through a process of convenience sampling via students’ designated classes, the research group exceeded the quota, hence a sample of 233 respondents were selected A list of freshman and sophomore classes in EF was compiled, along with the respective schedules Depending on the availability of the classes, questionnaires were hand-delivered to the respondents under the permission of their lecturers

Convenience sampling, despite its high possibility of sampling error, was chosen for its productivity, practicality and availability in terms of budget limitations, time restrictions and logistics (Lammers & Badia, 2004)

3.4 Research instruments

To efficiently investigate USSH students’ habits of using YouTube as an English acquisition aid, a questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions has been designed based on the research questions This questionnaire consists

of general questions relating to students’ YouTube-watching habits, such as frequency, genres, language, etc In addition to YouTube-related questions, students were also asked about their language performance and language proficiency Specifically, the questions addressed students’ language proficiency and confidence, or lack thereof, in four crucial skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing; as information regarding this topic has provided crucial information on YouTube’s potential as an English learning tool Finally, the questionnaire asked a series of questions regarding students’ attitude towards YouTube as an English learning tool on a Likert scale to further investigate their opinion (see Appendix 1)

The questionnaire has three main parts: English language proficiency, YouTube watching patterns, and attitude towards YouTube as an English learning tool For efficiency’s sake, the questionnaire was kept at a reasonable length of 12 questions The data collected from this quantitative method has provided valuable information on students’ habits and their awareness of YouTube’s potential as an English learning tool;

as well as an important piece of information regarding participants’ English proficiency Despite several drawbacks such as limited choice of responses and the possibility of participant giving superficial answers, questionnaire method was still chosen for its practicality and efficiency Through questionnaire, a large amount of information was collected in a short span of time and in a cost-effective way, which is the intention of the research (Harvey, 1998)

For a better understanding of students’ awareness and methods of using YouTube

as an English learning tool, this study also utilized the process of semi-structured on-one and focus group interviews with 10 questions as a guideline Through this model

one-of qualitative research method, in-depth questions about YouTube usage and its effects

on learning English were asked or discussed openly among a sample of 15 participants From this method of data collection, the participants are given opportunities to share their perspectives in detail, resulting in exploring new insights and a better understanding on students’ attitude towards YouTube as a learning tool (see Appendix 2)

3.5 Data collection procedures

The designed questionnaires reached participants via hard-copies with the assistance of the academic staff With limited time, the research group chose convenient sampling and contacted the academic staffs to obtain a comprehensive list of class schedules for the first- and second-year EF students on both Thu Duc and Dinh Tien Hoang campuses The need to arrange an efficient time-table for questionnaire distribution arose In order to make the best use of available time, the researchers were split into two sub-groups The first one was responsible for distributing the questionnaires at Dinh Tien Hoang campus, and the second Thu Duc By arranging questionnaire distribution according to both the research group and the selected class schedules’ availability, the research group were able to collect responses, which exceeded the expected sample of 200 by 33 within a span of one week, from 11 to 15 March Upon distributing the questionnaire to a class, explicit approval from their lecturer was given

Interview participants were also chosen through a process of convenience sampling, for the same reasons as previously mentioned Particularly, they were contacted via the contact information provided in the volunteer section at the end of the questionnaire The decision was entirely based on the participant’s own interest and volition; but it is necessary to note that each participant was given an incentive equivalent to VND 50.000 Through a number of 42 interested participants, only 15 replied to the research group’s email and were chosen to conduct 4 interviews and 2 focus groups to discuss the topic of YouTube as an English learning tool in greater details

3.6 Data analysis procedures

The data collected through quantitative method was input in Microsoft Excel version 2016 Since most of the questions in the questionnaire are close-ended, the answers were coded as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 according to the order of the choices Missing data, if any, was coded as 99 Band scores from English proficiency tests, such as TOEIC

or IELTS were converted into a scale from 5 (Beginner) to 9 (Expert), and watch-time statistics on YouTube were converted into minutes After input, the data was summarized in IBM SPSS version 22, in which the relationship between two variables

of YouTube-watching patterns and English proficiency was investigated and identified using Spearman’s co-efficiency; while other possible variables, such as participants’ academic background and autonomy, were also analyzed The software was utilized to run descriptive analysis, which effectively described and summarized the data as well

as processed the correlation between variables

As for data from qualitative method, they were synthesized and categorized by the researchers with the help of Microsoft Excel Specifically, the frequently watched channels collected from question 9 were compiled into a list, and their content were later categorized as education, entertainment, etc Since a respondent could provide various methods of English learning via YouTube from question 11, a checklist based on the shared methods was made After that, the frequency of each method from each answer was found after comparing them with the items on the checklist Then, from the summarized data, referred methods of YouTube application for English learning suggested by the participants were identified and later featured in Result and Discussion section

4 Results and discussion

This study was carried out on a sample of 233 respondents, consisting of mainly freshmen and sophomores from the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, HCMC USSH However, it is to be noted that in some questions, students refrained from disclosing all the necessary information, hence being categorized as ‘missing’ in the table describing such results

In order to maintain a comprehensive result, representative of both freshmen and sophomores, the ratio between the two was kept relatively balanced (see Table 4.1) This balanced ratio was achieved by the caution taken in the sampling stage, making sure an equal proportion of both years

Table 4.1: Student Year

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

In alignment with the research aims, students’ patterns of using YouTube was one of the first variables to be investigated This data will give insight on students’ tendencies and patterns of using YouTube, and act as a pivotal variable in cross-tabulation figuring out the relationship between YouTube watching patterns and students’ language proficiency

As data collected regarding YouTube watching patterns are an indispensable part

of the research, measures have been taken to ensure maximal accuracy in students’ answers First, the research asked for students’ general approximation of their watching tendencies (see Table 4.2.2) This scale does not necessitate a certified counter of students’ watch-time on YouTube, but rather their own perception of the time/frequency they use the platform

Table 4.2.2: YouTube watching frequency

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

As depicted in Table 4.2.2, the majority of students use YouTube several times

on a daily basis However, such approximation is vulnerable to inaccuracies, because specific watch-time is not easily estimated Therefore, one additional question was added, requiring students to state their YouTube watch time as accurately as possible This accuracy was achieved by taking advantage of YouTube’s official statistics on users’ usage According to YouTube Help Center, YouTube application on mobile is now able to measure the time users have spent on YouTube across platforms (mobiles, desktops, tablets…) as long as they are linked by one account This automatically calculated statistics are shown in a total of four categories: today, yesterday, past week and daily average (see Table 4.3)

Table 4.3: YouTube watch-time statistics

Mean Median

Standard Deviation

YouTube watch-time of today

4.1.1.2 YouTube content watched

As essential as YouTube watch patterns and tendencies are, these numbers alone are not conclusive enough to describe students’ overall YouTube watching patterns Since both self-estimation and application-based auto-generated statistics only account for usage, i.e watching videos on YouTube; they are unable to address the problem regarding contents watched by students on the platform The research takes YouTube and English learning tool as two central points of focus; therefore, English-based contents watched via YouTube should be of the most relevant data, because it is the true determining factor in students’ exposure to YouTube’s most prominent advantages as

an English learning tool (see Table 4.4)

Table 4.4: Percentage of English content

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

However, the imminent fact of students’ general lack of recognizable proof of English proficiency cannot be overlooked Due to various reasons, a majority of freshmen and sophomores in the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature have yet

to take an internationally recognized English proficiency exam With only 55 cases out

of the population of 233 currently possessing a certificate, irrespective of expiration, the information regarding students’ proficiency cannot be truly reflected by means of proofs alone

With such shortage of language proficiency certification anticipated, another question regarding the same information was included in the questionnaire However, this data of students’ proficiency does not require proofs; instead, students’ subjective assessment of their own English language proficiency was investigated (see Table 4.5 and Figure 4.1) With the format of questionnaire and its anonymity, students’ answers should have an acceptable level of truthfulness and accuracy (Kumar, 2011)

Table 4.5: Subjective Level of Proficiency

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Figure 4.1: Histogram of Subjective Level of Proficiency

The collected data of language proficiency will then become an important variable in the process of cross-tabulation with other variables, aiding the calculation of correlation and relationships between YouTube and its abilities as an English learning tool

4.1.2.2 Students’ autonomous revision time

As the study takes YouTube and its potential in the role of an English learning tool as the focal point, it its essential to investigate students’ autonomous revision time

to first examine their tendencies to revise their English skills As revision time can be

an essential contributing agent to learners’ English proficiency, this variable should be given intensive care in order to ensure reliable findings

Autonomous revision in this case is defined as the act of revising and studying the English language in itself, carried out deliberately by the learners, with little to no relations to their existing schoolwork and homework albeit its being in English, in order

to measure their deliberate engagement with the process of English self-learning

The collected data shows that the majority of EF freshmen and sophomores spends 1 to 2 hours every day on learning the English language autonomously (see Table 4.6 and Figure 4.2)

Table 4.6: English Self-Learning Frequency

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Figure 4.2: Histogram of English Self-Learning Frequency

4.1.2.3 Students’ most and least confident language skills

With information regarding students’ general proficiency of the English language acquired, the logical next step is to delve deeper into students’ language skills in order

to discover insights on YouTube’s specific effects Data on students’ most and least confident language skills will reveal the level of YouTube’s impact on students’ specific language skills; especially listening and speaking, considering two of YouTube’s most prominent advantages as an English learning tool, as mentioned, are audio-visual enhancement and authentic exposure (see Table 4.7 and 4.8)

Table 4.7: Most Confident Skill

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

4.1.2.4 Students by importance of learning materials

For the study aims not only to investigate the correlation between the pattern of using YouTube and students’ proficiency, but also to investigate students’ way of using YouTube, and additionally recommending strategies of utilizing YouTube as a learning tool; it is essential to figure out the general consensus amongst students regarding learning materials

Using YouTube as a means for language learning poses a stark difference to the traditional way of learning, especially in the context of Vietnam educational system Therefore, students’ receptivity towards a new learning tool, specifically in learning English, is expected in the results (see Table 4.9)

Table 4.8: Most Insecure Skill

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Table 4.9: Importance of Learning Materials

Most useful 2nd choice 3rd choice Least useful

4.1.3 The relationship between YouTube and English learning 4.1.3.1 Correlation between YouTube watching and English

language proficiency

The relationship between two variables, namely YouTube watching frequency and subjective English proficiency level, was calculated using Spearman’s rank correlation Preliminary analysis was conducted to make sure the two variables are monotonically related, thus not violating the Spearman’s rank correlation assumptions The monotonic nature of the two variables are usually illustrated using a simple scatter plot In this case, however, the limited number of items in each variable, coupled with the relatively large population has resulted in a large amount of overlaps, creating an illegible scatter plot Therefore, a jitter plot was employed to better illustrate the wanted results (see Figure 4.3)

Figure 4.3: YouTube watching frequency versus Subjective Level of Proficiency

The results in Spearman’s rho correlation are as depicted in Table 4.10 below:

Table 4.10: Correlations

Subjective Level

of Proficiency

YouTube watching frequency

Spearman's rho Subjective Level of Proficiency Correlation Coefficient 1.000 172 **

From Table 4.10, it can be concluded that there exists a positive correlation, albeit weak, between Subjective level of proficiency and YouTube watching frequency, rho = 172, N = 230, p < 009, with high levels of YouTube watching frequency associated with higher levels to English proficiency

However, this relationship was tested based on pure watching frequency, meaning there was no consideration towards the content watched Therefore, there arises the need to calculate the relationship amongst a population where responses with recorded percentage of English content below 75% are eliminated (See Table 4.11)

Table 4.11: Correlations with Conditions

Subjective Level

of Proficiency

YouTube watching frequency

Spearman's rho Subjective Level of Proficiency Correlation Coefficient 1.000 236

4.1.3.2 Correlation between content watched and English

language proficiency

The relationship between Content watched and English proficiency was also calculated using Spearman’s rho correlation These two variables were also tested to ensure no violation of Spearman’s correlation assumptions The scatter plot employed

to illustrate the monotonic relationship between the two variables ran into the same problem as previously mentioned in investigating the correlation between YouTube

watching and English proficiency Therefore, a jitter plot was also utilized to produce a clearer illustration

Figure 4.4: Percentage of English Content versus Subjective Level of Proficiency

After the preliminary analyses have ensured that no violation of the assumptions was made, the relationship between Percentage of English content watched on YouTube and students’ perceived level of English proficiency was once again investigated using Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient There was a moderate positive correlation

between the two variables, rho = 251, N = 231, p < 000117, with high levels of

percentage of English content associated with higher levels of English language proficiency