Siti Masadatul Idohal Jamilah, Sugeng Bayu Wahyono
This study explores how digital natives, born between 2006 and 2012, utilize mobile and social media platforms to support their English language learning experiences. The purpose of this study is to understand students' preferences for digital tools, how they use them, and their perceptions of how well these resources support them in learning English. A descriptive research design was utilized in this study. Data were collected from 115 students in junior and senior high schools throughout Banten Province, Indonesia. Respondents represented grade levels ranging from 7 to 12, and majority are in grade 11 of senior high school. The results show that smartphones are the most popular learning tools, with the most popular platforms being TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Duolingo. Less than two hours a day is the average amount of time that students spend learning English digitally. They also prefer multimedia content like videos, music, and podcasts. While 70.4 % of respondents found digital tools very helpful, 61.7 % felt highly motivated. They also reported challenges, such as difficulties understanding content and unstable internet connections. In conclusion, mobile and social media platforms offer flexible, engaging, and effective opportunities for language development, if content quality and learner support are well managed. © 2025 IEEE.
Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta Instructional Technology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
