Background: In the world today, many people use various communication technologies, like as computer-aided equipment, the internet, and so on. In information communication technologies, people use social media as one of the tools with which to exchange their ideas in everyday communications. Hence, the present study aimed at examining social media usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students among Ethiopian public university students.
Methods: A descriptive survey design was employed since the purpose of this study was to gain detail information about social media usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students. Hence, the researchers intended to use a quantitative approach. This is because a quantitative methodology helps researchers calculate the results more easily and avoid the difficulties which a qualitative approach might entail.
Results: The reports obtained from respondents showed that social media (SM) platforms have many advantages in improving medical learners’ English understanding in the process of EFL learning. It positively affects them in improving their level of English proficiency. Gender not only influenced the attitude of students in using social media for learning English but also improved their proficiency in the process of language learning. Even if gender differences exist in nature, significant differences in the viewpoint of male and female students regarding social media (SM) usage in enhancing their English proficiency were not observed. The majority of the respondents strongly agreed that social media use plays a dominant role in improving English proficiency.
Conclusion: In the English language learning–teaching process, social media platforms have many advantages in enhancing medical students’ English proficiency in their own learning and teaching practices. Gender did not influence the attitude of students in using social media for learning English or improve their proficiency in the process of language learning.



中文翻译：

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从医学生的角度看社交媒体在提高英语语言能力中的应用

背景：当今世界，许多人使用各种通信技术，如计算机辅助设备、互联网等。在信息通信技术中，人们使用社交媒体作为在日常通信中交流想法的工具之一。因此，本研究旨在从埃塞俄比亚公立大学医学生的角度研究社交媒体在提高英语语言能力方面的使用。
方法：采用描述性调查设计，因为本研究的目的是从医学生的角度获取有关社交媒体使用以提高英语语言能力的详细信息。因此，研究人员打算使用定量方法。这是因为定量方法可以帮助研究人员更轻松地计算结果并避免定性方法可能带来的困难。
结果：从受访者那里获得的报告显示，社交媒体（SM）平台在提高医学学习者在英语学习过程中的英语理解方面具有许多优势。这对他们提高英语水平有积极的影响。性别不仅影响学生使用社交媒体学习英语的态度，而且提高了他们在语言学习过程中的熟练程度。即使在本质上存在性别差异，也没有观察到男女学生在使用社交媒体 (SM) 提高英语水平方面的观点存在显着差异。大多数受访者强烈同意社交媒体的使用在提高英语水平方面发挥着主导作用。
结论：在英语语言学习-教学过程中，社交媒体平台在提高医学生在自身学习和教学实践中的英语水平方面具有诸多优势。性别并没有影响学生使用社交媒体学习英语的态度或提高他们在语言学习过程中的熟练程度。