EXPLORING ELESP STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE USE OF INSTAGRAM AS A PLATFORM IN CREATIVE WRITING COURSE

Abstract

This study aimed to find out how students’ perceived the use of Instagram as a platform in their Creative Writing course. Variety of students’ perceptions were explored to discover how Instagram display facilitating their writing product in comparison to another platform like university website or traditional means of printed paper. Instagram’s advantages or some disadvantages as digital writing platform were also investigated by students’ experience during the implementation. Using qualitative descriptive study, 27 English Language Education Study Program (ELESP) students’ perception were explored through open-ended questionnaire. Six selected students who had shown strong perception then interviewed to broaden the data. Using thematic analysis, students’ responds were catalogue into neat code and major theme with additional data from the digital documentation. For the findings of this study, variety of students’ perceptions were showed in three different spectrums: 1) majority of the students perceived their experience as positive one due to Instagram benefits as source of inspiration, creativity endeavour and larger engagement for their writing product; 2) some of the students also offered their negative experience in regards to word limitation and insecurity of getting exposure to the public; 3) meanwhile, the more neutral one admitted that Instagram was new enlightening platform for Creative Writing but its benefit was similar to other platforms. These three spectrums of perspectives gave insight to the colourful journey that students had experience in their Creative Writing class. The significant of this study can help future lecturer or teacher that interest to adapt this application in their classroom activity. This study’s significant can also help current lecturer/teacher in evaluating and reviewing the on-going advantage and disadvantage of this application implementation for the improvement of future class.