Perceptions of Iraqi Students about Using WhatsApp for Learning during Covid- 19

Abstract

The spread of Covid-19 virus has complicated the education process as face-to-face communication in class has become more difficult. In light of this issue, the advancement in internet and social media applications has offered a possible and effective substitution for communication and learning between teachers and students. WhatsApp is one form of the social media application that arises to be an easy way to connect teachers and students virtually and an effective method to communicate the visual and written materials to students online. Although 74.5% of the Iraqi people are social media users in January 2020 (Hootsuite & We Are Social, 2020), using WhatsApp as a means for learning is not without issues. This study aims at investigating the frequency of using the application, the effectiveness of the application in the learning process, the preference of using such an application from the students’ perspectives, and the berries that might hinder the use of this application in Iraqi learners’ environment. For these purposes, the data was collected by means of a questionnaire developed based on previous studies in using social media for learning. A random sample of 1200 Iraqi school students were selected from three Iraqi schools. The data were analyzed using SPSS in order to find out the means and frequencies. The findings showed that the majority of students (91.7%) use WhatsApp for educational purposes. Almost two-thirds of students showed preference to use the application in their educational settings in various aspects, such as sharing information and study materials, submitting homework and assignments, discussing study course topics with their classmates or teachers, and enquiring about exams and assignments dates. The findings also showed that a number of barriers limit the use of this application in learning, such as the poor internet connection in certain areas in Iraq, the high cost of smart phones and laptops, and the students’ motivation to use the technology in for education purposes. The findings in this study emphasized the vital role of social media application in the area of education.