The use of social media platforms in a first year accounting course

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Stainbank ◽  
Kerry-Lee Gurr
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Career Guidance ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Home Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Purpose The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe the use of social media platforms in a first-year accounting course at a South African university and provide evidence on whether students found these social networking sites useful. Design/methodology/approach The study uses survey research to determine students’ usage of two social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and their perceptions of these platforms’ usefulness in a first-year accounting course. Findings The study found that the time spent on the two social media platforms does not detract from the time spent on preparation for the first-year accounting course. Students’ perceptions on the usefulness of these platforms showed support by all students for using social media to provide career information, but not all students perceived the platforms to be useful for communication and teaching and learning. While no statistically significant differences were found in the students’ responses based on gender, a number of statistically significant differences were found when the results were analysed according to language. Students whose home language was not English found the two social media platforms more useful for some aspects of communication, teaching and learning and for career guidance than English-speaking students. Research limitations/implications The questionnaire was only administered to students on one campus who had actually accessed the social media platforms. Therefore, the results are not generalisable beyond this study. Practical implications The study shows that students whose home language is not English perceived the platforms more useful for communication, some teaching and learning aspects and for career guidance in a first-year accounting course. This may be helpful to other accounting teachers faced with student disruptions, large classes or high numbers of international students whose first language is not English, and who need to communicate with all their students. Originality/value The study adds to the discourse on the usefulness of social media platforms in a tertiary education setting, and more particularly, in a first-year accounting course in South Africa.

Online LIS teaching and learning during COVID-19 in Nigeria: a study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chukwuma Clement Okeji ◽  
Juliet Chinedu Alex-Nmecha
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Electronic Teaching ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate the use of social media platforms in teaching/learning in the period of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a survey method and an online questionnaire was designed using SurveyMonkey for data collection from students in the Department of Library and Information Science (LIS) in some universities in Nigeria. In total, 1,290 students and five lecturers participated in the survey from five universities in Nigeria. To supplement the data from the questionnaire, the five LIS lecturers were engaged in an interview. Findings The study found that Zoom and WhatsApp were used by the lecturers to deliver lectures to their students. Lecturers are always available, the opportunity to store lectures and files for re-use at convenience, allows for collaborative learning, sharing learning materials, freedom in asking lecturer questions and conducive learning at home were mentioned as some of the benefits of receiving an online lecture. Some challenges associated with electronic teaching and learning were also identified. The LIS lecturers interviewed mentioned some benefits and challenges of engaging in electronic teaching during the period of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Practical implications The research offered educators an additional method for teaching and learning in situations where physical contacts are not possible. Because electronic learning platforms are free and can be used at liberty, they require self-discipline and more responsibility from students and lecturers, which might be a challenge. It requires lecturers to generate new skills, be cognitively sensitive and well-sequenced. Social implications Teacher/students relationship can be improved significantly with the use of social media platforms for teaching and learning. Originality/value The study reported the use of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Zoom in the teaching/learning process in the university system in a developing country context.

scholarly journals The Use of Social Media in Public Relations at Non-Governmental Organisations in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6(J)) ◽  
pp. 150-161
Author(s):  
G. Nchabeleng ◽  
CJ. Botha ◽  
CA Bisschoff
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Public Relations Practitioners ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Way

Social media can be a useful tool in public relations in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but do NGOs make use of social media in their quest for service delivery in South Africa? Social networking sites, blogging, email, instant messaging, and online journals are some of the technological changes that changed the way interaction between people and how they gather information. Although social media is mainly used for interactive dialogue and social interaction, the private sector soon realised that the web-based technologies (especially Facebook and Twitter) could also be a competitive business tool. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) soon followed suit however at a slower pace than the general communication growth rate of social media in South Africa. This article examines if social networking sites have any impact on public relations practices of NGOs in South Africa – an environment where both customers and employees still struggle to take full advantage of social media. The critical literature findings increase the understanding of the current and future challenges of social media use in public relations at NGOs in South Africa. The study explores the main differences between traditional and social media, how social media is redefining public relations role, and shed some light on defining public relations practices, identify the uses, limitations and benefits of social media by public relations practitioners in NGOs. Recommendations for future communication research are given. Based on the literature, a qualitative research design collected data using semi-structured, individual interviews. The results revealed that social media platforms such as Facebook do have an effect, and even changed the way in which NGOs communicate. The study also revealed that social media certainly has an impact on public relations relationships. This means that it has become crucial that public relations practitioners at NOGs embrace and take advantage of social media, and that they should also invest in proper electronic platforms to reap the benefits of improved communication internally and externally.

Investigating the Effects of Social Media on Higher Education with a Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (01) ◽  
pp. 2040023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamoun Masoud Abdulqader ◽  
Yousof Zohair Almunsour
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
The Other ◽  
Media In Education ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Teaching Learning

This research aims to investigate the effects of social media use on higher education teaching and learning as well as the students’ academic performance. A total of 275 students and faculty members from the College of Computer Science and Information Technology at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University took part in the study. The participants answered survey questions to analyse information on their use of social media in education and how that has affected their teaching, learning and grades. A majority of the participants reported that they used social media in training. However, they also stated that social media platforms were beneficial in academic matters. The number of participants who stated that the use of social media in learning helped improve their grades was 43%. The other 57% thought that social media had no impact on their grades or had an adverse effect or were undecided.

From fandom to fad: are millennials really engaged with and loyal to their loved brands on social media?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Fernandes ◽  
Inês Inverneiro
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Brand Love ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Purpose Exerting a peculiar fascination on both managers and academics, Millennials can be distinguished from other cohorts by their intense exposure to the internet and heavy use of social media, which, in turn, affect their identity formation, brand engagement, loyalty and purchase behaviour. Yet, uncertainties regarding online engagement and the real benefits brands can reap from Millennials’ avid use of social media remain. Therefore, by developing a holistic model of drivers and outcomes, this study aims to understand how Millennials engage with their most loved, self-expressive brands across social media platforms and its impact on loyalty-related intentions. Design/methodology/approach Data was gathered using a self-administered survey, answered by 343 millennial generation social media users and based on self-selected self-expressive, loved brands. Considering brand loyalty as a key outcome, a holistic model was developed and tested using partial least squares-structural equation modelling, emphasizing not only the role of social media engagement but also including brand love, experience and identification as direct and indirect antecedents. Findings Findings suggest a disconnection between online and offline brand relationships: though Millennials love and are very loyal to their favourite brands, they are not actively engaged in social media, which helps to explain the non-significant effect of engagement on brand loyalty. Moreover, together with brand identification, brand experience was found to play a major role in developing brand love, which, in turn, is positively related to engagement and loyalty. Originality/value Theoretically, this study contributes to bridging a gap in the literature, as research on engagement, its drivers and outcomes is scant and there is no robust evidence about its impact on brand loyalty, particularly among Millennials. Moreover, research on disengaged consumers who exhibit limited willingness to engage is still scant. Managerially, this study provides insights for brand managers wishing to successfully engage and build relationships with Millennials and to identify key routes to Millennials’ loyalty.

Marketing academic library information services using social media

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 228-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suha AlAwadhi ◽  
Sultan M. Al-Daihani
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the use of social media in the marketing of academic library resources and services in Kuwait and identifies the factors related to the use of social media applications in marketing academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative data-collection approach using a paper and online questionnaire has been employed to elicit the opinions of librarians working in academic libraries in Kuwait in both private and public institutions. In total, 89 valid questionnaires have been analyzed using descriptive (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (factor analysis, correlations, experimental analysis and regression).FindingsThe study shows that the academic librarians have a positive perception toward the use of social media. The identified factors relating to the use of social media for marketing library information resources and services are the usefulness of social media tools in raising awareness and in providing needs analysis and satisfaction assessments. However, management support for the use of social media for library marketing is poor.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights into the factors related to the use of modern social media platforms to promote information resources and services at academic libraries to provide outreach services to current and potential users.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the field of information studies as it highlights the importance of using social media platforms in marketing academic library information resources and services. Library administrators could use the results to develop social media marketing plans to effectively promote their library resources.

Social media in government offices: usage and strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-462
Author(s):  
Gal Yavetz ◽  
Noa Aharony
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Government Websites ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe current study seeks to present and examine the strategies, management and dissemination of information on social media platforms by Israeli government organizations and agencies.Design/methodology/approachThe article uses the “Case Study” approach, through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted with directors in charge of the use of social media in government departments.FindingsThe findings indicate that government agencies tend to favor Facebook over other social network platforms, in order to reach the widest possible audience. They do this by adhering to the platform's limitations, such as regularly using sponsored advertising to increase reach and visibility, and also by publishing visual content, such as videos and images, at the expense of text. In addition, the impact of respondents to adopt social media outweighs the use and importance awarded to traditional government websites. A clear preference is evident toward cultivating and strengthening existing information on social media at the expense of further developing official websites.Originality/valueFindings and conclusions from this type of research can help digital media directors and content editors in government agencies, to improve the quality of their content and improve the accessibility of the information they share online. In addition, the findings of the study strengthen the growing body of knowledge focused on the relationship between government ministries and social media.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Social Media Integration to Teach Speaking

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9047
Author(s):  
Emily John ◽  
Melor Md Yunus
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Speaking Skills

The ubiquitous nature of social media (SM) makes it a very essential tool to use in the world of education, especially with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to a paradigm shift in the approaches used in the teaching and learning of English language skills. This review focuses on the use of social media as a medium of instruction to aid the acquisition of speaking skills, which many learners find extremely challenging and inhibiting. Thus, this systematic review investigates the integration of social media in the teaching and learning of speaking skills. To ensure the systematic analysis of the selected articles, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines were utilized. A total of 36 peer-reviewed journal articles from the year 2016 to 2021 were accessed from two databases: ERIC and Google Scholar. Prior to the start of the review, an inclusion and exclusion criteria selection process was conducted to ensure the focus of the review. Overall, the articles reviewed presented the claim that the integration of social media is seen as a positive inclusion for the teaching of speaking skills using various social media applications. Findings reveal that there are improvements in speaking skills, as well as confidence to speak and a decline in speaking anxiety. Teachers and educators can now make use of the various social media platforms such as Telegram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and others to provide learners with more practice that is not only restricted to the classroom but has moved beyond it.

scholarly journals Recruitment Via Social Media: An Exploratory Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-93
Author(s):  
Aida Maryani Bt Abd Rashid ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Job Applicants ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Online Recruitment ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Right ◽  
Recruitment Tool

Recent studies have shown that social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, have become emergent agents for employer and recruitment Agents to search for potential employees to work for their companies. Employers and recruitment agents are using social networking sites for recruitment as these sites offers a vast database of people information. Social media has made an easy pathway for employers and recruitment agents to narrow down their search to the targeted group of people and hire the best employees, thus elevating online recruitment to greater height. However, there are risks associated with the use of social media as a recruitment tool and users must understand that once they become part of a social media community, their online profiles can be accessed by almost everyone. By knowing the risks and complications of social media, it will be a step in the right direction towards managing the apparent risks. The objective of this paper is to study how social media is used in attracting quality job applicants and examine the risk associated with social media recruitment.

Exploring the use of social media sites for health professionals' engagement and productivity in public sector hospitals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naeem ◽  
Wilson Ozuem
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Use Of Social Media

PurposeCompetitive pressure and social influence for technology adoption have increased among developed, developing and emerging countries. The influence of social structure, organizational forces and political forces varies between public sector hospitals in countries where there are more social media restrictions. This study aims to explore how the use of social media can influence employee engagement and productivity in the workplaces of public sector hospitals.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a social constructivist approach to understand employee attitudes, motivation culture, political forces and the local context. Data were collected from health professionals of five public sector hospitals using a non-directive and semi-structured interview method.FindingsThe results show that the use of social media sites has increased collaboration, coordination and cooperation among health professionals, especially in critical situations. They are more socialized, connected and engaged, thus helping them to exchange useful knowledge using instant messaging apps. Conversely, there are no organizational polices and specific laws and too little support from management and senior doctors to drive the use of social networking sites in public hospitals. The use of social media has enhanced health professionals' engagement and productivity as they are able to share their expertise, knowledge and information with their colleagues and subordinates.Research limitations/implicationsThe results can guide policy-makers, researchers, hospitals, doctors and the Ministry of Health about the positive use of social networking sites in the workplace. The positive use of social networking sites in the workplace can enhance information, knowledge and coordination which may help to enhance employee engagement and productivity.Originality/valueThe present study has provided a social media health organization workplace (SMHOW) model which explains how individual and organizational contexts can influence the actual use of social media in healthcare organizations.

“We are all in this together:” police use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochen Hu ◽  
Beidi Dong ◽  
Nicholas Lovrich
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Police Community Relations ◽  
Facebook Pages

PurposePrevious studies consistently indicate that police agencies tend to use social media to assist in criminal investigations, to improve police-community relations and to broadcast both crime- and non-crime-related tips promotive of public safety. To date, little research has examined what content the police tended to post on their social media sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachBy selecting the 14 most widely attended police agencies' Facebook accounts, the current study collects and analyzes a sample of 2,477 police Facebook postings between February 1 and May 31, 2020. By using a mix-method approach, the study addresses three research questions: 1) What kinds of messages did the police tend to post on their Facebook pages before and during this pandemic? 2) What types of COVID-related police Facebook postings were made? 3) How did the public react to COVID-19-related police Facebook postings?FindingsThe findings suggest that the police have come to believe that social media can be used as an effective police−public communicative tool in stressful times. The findings also suggest that social media platforms have become a routinized tool of police−public communications which can, to some appreciable extent, substitute for the in-person contacts traditionally relied upon in community policing.Originality/valueThis study of police use of social media explores the question of whether the use of these media can serve as an effective tool to connect the police with the public under circumstances where in-person contacts are greatly constrained. Some public policy implications emerging from the findings reported are discussed, along with implications for further research along these lines.

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