Exploring the role of social media in academic teaching

Abstract

Purpose: The main aim of this article is to determine the usage of social media in university teachers' educational activities, along with identifying the primary obstacles. Design/methodology/approach: The study was carried out using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) method. The data was gathered in June 2023 by surveying a sample of academic instructors at the Faculty of Organisation and Management at Silesian University of Technology. Findings: The findings indicate that social media is scarcely used by the academic staff for teaching purposes, but rather for communication with students. Remarkable differences were observed between generations. Younger academic educators appear to demonstrate a greater willingness to use social media tools in their work, both in communication with students and during lectures. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of the study is the size of the research sample. This may indicate the direction of future research concentrating on using social media in different activity areas by academics. Practical implications: Students, who are one of the main users of social media, use these online platforms to enhance their learning in a variety of subjects. Teachers should also use these tools to improve their teaching process by making it more attractive. Originality/value: This paper addresses knowledge gaps regarding the use of social media in working with students. Its findings can aid academics in developing strategies for using social media in the classroom. Keywords: social media, academic teachers, teaching. Category of the paper: research paper.