Abstract:

In Spring 2020, three classes of Emirati university students (n = 60) took an elective Business English course at an English medium university in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. One of the course projects involved using ‘LinkedIn’, which is the world’s largest professional networking site used in over 200 countries (LinkedIn.com). During the ‘LinkedIn project’ students created personal profiles, took training courses, posted content, made connections and produced a business guide. Although class motivation was high at the start of the project, due to the practical nature of the tasks, as the semester continued students encountered both cultural barriers and bias while using the platform. Our aim is to raise awareness of such challenges and suggest ways in which professional networking platforms can better suit the needs of diverse populations, including female students from Middle-Eastern countries.

This presentation begins by investigating the role social media plays in facilitating the development of online identities. A post-structuralist approach to identity is taken where plural, socially-constructed and dynamic aspects of identity construction are recognized (Kroon & Swanenberg, 2020). While many studies exist on the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter for language learning and identity construction, the use of LinkedIn in business English courses has not previously been explored. Findings from a classroom based enquiry (CBE), involving 60 Emirati female university students, are presented. Mixed-method questionnaires and classroom observations were used to explore students’ use of the platform and how identities were expressed through language and semiotic resources. Key themes to emerge from the data included cultural barriers regarding profile picture choices and profile descriptions, and linguistic challenges related to content of posts and training courses. The presentation ends with practical suggestions on how LinkedIn can be used in a more inclusive way within diverse language classrooms.

References:
[1] Kroon, S. & Swanenberg, J. (2020). Chronotopic Identity Work: Sociolinguistic Analyses of Cultural and Linguistic Phenomena in Time and Space. Bristol: Multilingual Matters..
[2] LinkedIn.Com. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com

Keywords:

Identity, Culture, Educational Technology, Business English, Inclusion, Diversity, LinkedIn.