EKSPLORASI PERAN MEDIA SOSIAL DALAM MENINGKATKAN PENGUASAAN KOSAKATA MAHASISWA EFL DI UNIVERSITAS TADULAKO

This study explored the role of social media in enhancing EFL students’ vocabulary development at Tadulako University. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok provide authentic English exposure through videos, captions, comments, and online interaction. However, limited studies have explored students’ real experiences in using social media for vocabulary learning in the Indonesian university context. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how students use social media to develop vocabulary, the benefits they perceive, and the challenges they experience. This research applied a qualitative descriptive design involving three students from the English Education Study Program at Tadulako University. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that social media supports vocabulary development through authentic exposure, contextual learning, repetition, social interaction, and multimedia content. In addition, social media increased students’ motivation and engagement in vocabulary learning. However, students also experienced challenges such as fast pronunciation, slang expressions, distractions, and limited subtitle support. Overall, social media functions as an effective informal digital learning environment that positively contributes to EFL students’ vocabulary development.