Technology-Enhanced Learning in Higher Education: A Study of Attitudes and Perceptions toward Social Media

Abstract

The use of social media technology to support and facilitate undergraduate studies has created a lot of speculation among educators and researchers. The fast adoption of social media technology has caused a fundamental shift in the way people communicate and collaborate. Students utilize social media mostly in their personal lives. However, its use in higher education for instructional reasons is fast-growing. The study aims to examine students’ attitudes and perceptions toward using social media, and the privacy concerns they may associate with the use of social media. A survey questionnaire was used as an empirical data source and the final sample included 197 responses, which were analyzed descriptively. The results revealed that the majority of students are aware of how to use social media comfortably for educational purposes. Nevertheless, concerns were raised regarding a lack of knowledge about rules and regulations, as well as an inability to control the use of social media for educational purposes. The study contributes to the discussion about social media as an educational tool and provides insights into potential obstacles and hurdles in its implementation. The article concludes by discussing the results and providing theoretical and practical implications for academia.