Social Networking Sites For Educational Purposes Research Articles

Why do faculty members use or not use social networking sites for education?

Social networking sites (SNS) are a popular Internet-based technology that enable users to communicate and interact with each other. SNS have attracted a great deal of scholarly attention and have been used as an educational tool in recent years. However, there has been little research examining motivations and obstacles to teaching with SNS in higher education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate why faculty members in higher education prefer to use or not to use SNS for educational purposes. To this end, faculty members' current SNS usage, their purposes for using SNS, and the opinions of faculty members about their uses of SNS for education were investigated. A mixed method approach was utilized to collect data from a total of 658 faculty members from eight different state universities in Turkey. The findings show that nearly half of the faculty members who possessed an SNS account reported that they use SNS for educational purposes. Their greatest motivating factor to use SNS is that SNS provide a means for fast and effective communication. The main factor which impeded SNS usage by faculty members is their concerns about privacy.

Exploring the effects of students' social networking experience on social presence and perceptions of using SNSs for educational purposes

As online learning has increased a number of researchers have focused on the need to integrate techniques to strengthen students' social presence ties in online learning. Social networking sites (SNSs) have been suggested as an effective tool to increase social presence. To investigate the effects of students' social networking experience on social presence and their perceptions of using SNSs for educational purpose, students (n=82) at a large public university were surveyed. Results show that students use SNSs frequently and actively for various reasons in their daily life and they showed a positive perceptions of using SNSs for educational purposes. Results also revealed the intensity of using social networking experience does not have significant correlation to students' perceived social presence but does have a positive influence on students' perceptions of using SNSs for educational purposes.

The Experience of using Facebook as an Educational Tool

Social Networking Sites (SNS) such as Facebook are widely used by student populations and are increasingly used by the population generally. Researchers have considered the benefits of using SNS for educational purposes. This qualitative study involved interviews with seven academic members of staff at one UK university who currently use Facebook in their teaching. The study provides a unique insight into the views of teaching staff who use Facebook in their classroom, gaining an understanding of their experience and views of using SNS as part of their teaching.

The use of social-networking sites in medical education

Background: A social-network site is a dedicated website or application which enables users to communicate with each other and share information, comments, messages, videos and images.Aims: This review aimed to ascertain if “social-networking sites have been used successfully in medical education to deliver educational material”, and whether “healthcare professionals, and students, are engaging with social-networking sites for educational purposes”.Method: A systematic-review was undertaken using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Eight databases were searched with pre-defined search terms, limits and inclusion criteria. Data was extracted into a piloted data-table prior to the narrative-synthesis of the Quality, Utility, Extent, Strength, Target and Setting of the evidence.Results: 1047 articles were identified. Nine articles were reviewed with the majority assessing learner satisfaction. Higher outcome measures were rarely investigated. Educators used Facebook, Twitter, and a custom-made website, MedicineAfrica to achieve their objectives.Conclusions: Social-networking sites have been employed without problems of professionalism, and received positive feedback from learners. However, there is no solid evidence base within the literature that social-networking is equally or more effective than other media available for educational purposes.

Use of Social Networking Sites Among Shinas College of Technology Students in Oman

Introduction: Social networking sites (SNSs) have become a popular method for students to share information and knowledge and to express emotions. They enable students to exchange video files, text messages, pictures and knowledge sharing. They provide an opportunity for students to improve social networking and learning processes, which promotes knowledge in society. Purposes: This paper intends to address the factors motivating students at colleges to use SNSs, to identify the factors that motivate them in using SNSs for educational purposes and to identify the most popular SNSs among students. Design/Methodology: The study uses a questionnaire in order to discover the reasons behind the use of SNSs by students at Shinas College of Technology (ShCT) in Oman. Findings: The study found that the major reasons for frequent use of SNSs are finding information and sharing news. The study also indicated that lack of experience as well as insufficient time and IT skills are effective factors of not using SNSs. Finally, the study discovered that Google Groups, Facebook and Yahoo! 360 are the most popular SNSs used by SHCT students. Research Limitation: The study was limited to ShCT students, which is considered a small community, and the focus group was relatively small. A larger focus group in a different environment may possibly yield different results. Additionally, the list of SNSs listed in the questionnaire was based on previous studies discussed in the literature review. Originality/value: This research will be valuable for those interested in the subject of social networks and e-learning. In this area, there is a dearth of research on reasons for student use of SNSs in Oman, giving this particular research great importance to understanding the way that students interact with SNSs.