Facebook as Virtual Learning Environment to Promote Critical Writing in Pre-service Teachers

Abstract

This case study research aimed to describe how Facebook as a Virtual Learning Environment could promote critical writing in pre-service teachers of a private university in Medellín, Colombia. 7 English Teaching students participated in this research by answering a questionnaire about their use of Facebook and besides, they commented on posts about bilingualism in a Facebook group created by the researchers. The results led us to conclude that it is possible to promote critical writing through Facebook as the participants used previous knowledge and theories to support their arguments about what was proposed on the questionnaire and the Facebook group, moreover it was concluded that it is necessary to develop instruments that measure critical writing in order to establish levels of criticality.