Facebook-photovoice interface: Empowering non-native pre-service English language teachers

Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, UCSI University Fatimah Hashim, University of Malaya Engaging non-native pre-service English teachers who are still learning the language themselves requires two tasks: facilitating their language teaching skills and scaffolding their language learning. This action research interfaced Facebook and Photovoice technologies in order to empower participants to be proactive in their language learning and teaching skills. Using pedagogy of empowerment and collaboration, the researchers tracked the participants’ impressions regarding the interface’s role in strategizing their language learning and teaching skills enhancement. Data for this study are the participants’ midand post-semester feedback, reflection papers, and engagement matrix from the class Facebook page. Results suggest that the instructional design of blending technology (i.e., Facebook and Photovoice), pedagogy of empowerment, and collaboration was effective in empowering participants to take responsibility for their own learning, thereby improving their language learning and teaching skills.