Exploring EFL Teachers’ Perspectives on the Role of Social Media for Building Trust in the Workplace

Abstract

The role of social media in the educational landscape has evolved significantly during the past two decades, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a significant gap exists in understanding the impact of social media on developing trust among English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in their professional environments. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated the perceptions of experienced EFL teachers regarding using various social media platforms to cultivate trust in the workplace. The study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi structured interviews as the primary data collection method. Interviewees include fourteen experienced EFL teachers from the Saudi universities. Thematic content analysis was conducted using Nvivo software to analyze the transcribed data. The findings revealed seven main themes with corresponding subthemes: enhancing collaboration, building trust through emotional connections, concerns about privacy and trust, professional growth and development, nurturing trust through positive online interactions, motivating peers, and fostering goal achievement. The findings demonstrated that social media platforms are critical in enhancing collaboration and trust among EFL teachers in the workplace. The implications of social media usage on trust development among experienced EFL teachers have been illustrated.