Integrating Educational Social Media to Improve English Public Speaking and Digital Literacy among Vocational School Students in Semarang Regency

Abstract

As digital technologies continue to evolve, students are increasingly expected to possess strong English communication skills as well as the capacity to access, critically evaluate, and responsibly generate digital content. This program was implemented through a series of training sessions that incorporated digitally mediated public speaking activities, including interactive presentations and reflective postings on educational social media platforms. The primary aim of this initiative was to enhance students’ English public speaking competence and digital literacy through the use of educational social media, specifically targeting students of SMK Muhammadiyah Ungaran, Semarang Regency. The program was designed to address several key challenges, including students’ limited proficiency in English public speaking, inadequate digital literacy skills, and the lack of interactive media utilization in learning. The implementation process began with a preliminary briefing for Universitas Ngudi Waluyo students involved in the program, followed by coordination with the partner school to determine the schedule of activities. The program concluded with the preparation of a comprehensive report upon completion. The findings reveal that the integration of educational social media significantly improved students’ confidence, clarity, and fluency in English public speaking, as reflected in the increase from 32,78% to 65,67%. In addition, students demonstrated enhanced abilities to critically engage with and navigate digital content. These results suggest that educational social media can function as an effective and engaging medium for fostering essential 21st-century communication skills.