Uses and Gratifications factors for social media use in teaching: Instructors’ perspectives

This research was motivated by an interest in understanding how social media are applied in teaching in higher education. Data were collected using an online questionnaire, completed by 333 instructors in higher education, that asked about general social media use and specific use in teaching. Education and learning theories suggest three potential reasons for instructors to use social media in their teaching: (1) exposing students to practices, (2) extending the range of the learning environment, and (3) promoting learning through social interaction and collaboration. Answers to open-ended questions about how social media were used in teaching, and results of a factor analysis of coded results, revealed six distinct factors that align with these reasons for use: (1) facilitating student engagement, (2) instructor’s organization for teaching, (3) engagement with outside resources, (4) enhancing student attention to content, (5) building communities of practice, and (6) resource discovery. These factors accord with a Uses and Gratifications perspective that depicts adopters as active media users choosing and shaping media use to meet their own needs. Results provide a more comprehensive picture of social media use than found in previous work, encompassing not only the array of media used but also the range of purposes associated with use of social media in contemporary teaching initiatives. Keywords: Adoption of technology, educational technology, higher education, instructor experiences, social media, teaching, Uses and Gratifications

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Uses and gratifications factors for social media use in teaching: Instructors’ perspectives

10.32920/14639559 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anatoliy Gruzd ◽

Caroline Haythornthwaite ◽

Drew Paulin ◽

Sarah Gilbert ◽

Marc Esteve del Valle

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Uses And Gratifications ◽

Media Use ◽

Resource Discovery ◽

Learning Theories ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Adoption Of Technology ◽

Education Data

This research was motivated by an interest in understanding how social media are applied in teaching in higher education. Data were collected using an online questionnaire, completed by 333 instructors in higher education, that asked about general social media use and specific use in teaching. Education and learning theories suggest three potential reasons for instructors to use social media in their teaching: (1) exposing students to practices, (2) extending the range of the learning environment, and (3) promoting learning through social interaction and collaboration. Answers to open-ended questions about how social media were used in teaching, and results of a factor analysis of coded results, revealed six distinct factors that align with these reasons for use: (1) facilitating student engagement, (2) instructor’s organization for teaching, (3) engagement with outside resources, (4) enhancing student attention to content, (5) building communities of practice, and (6) resource discovery. These factors accord with a Uses and Gratifications perspective that depicts adopters as active media users choosing and shaping media use to meet their own needs. Results provide a more comprehensive picture of social media use than found in previous work, encompassing not only the array of media used but also the range of purposes associated with use of social media in contemporary teaching initiatives. Keywords: Adoption of technology, educational technology, higher education, instructor experiences, social media, teaching, Uses and Gratifications

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Social Media in Tertiary Education

Global Perspectives on Social Media in Tertiary Learning and Teaching - Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5826-2.ch001 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Ann M. Simpson

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Media Use ◽

Tertiary Education ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Privacy Concerns ◽

Educational Environments ◽

Constant State ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Media Applications

Social media use is prevalent throughout the world and is now commonplace in higher education. The devices, support technologies, and social media applications used in higher education are in a constant state of change. Using social media in education creates new and sometimes challenging issues for institutions, instructors, and students. This chapter attempts to address some of the considerations and potential issues that impact our use of social media in the higher education classroom. It examines social media as an educational tool in higher education, possible pedagogies for social media use, potential educational contexts, and privacy concerns raised by social media use in educational environments. This chapter also provides a possible definition for social media and introduces some themes that will be explored in further detail in the following chapters.

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Predictors of Social Media Use in Two Family Generations

Frontiers in Sociology ◽

10.3389/fsoc.2021.813765 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Author(s):

Kristiina Tammisalo ◽

Mirkka Danielsbacka ◽

Emilia Andersson ◽

Antti O. Tanskanen

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Older Adults ◽

Social Media ◽

Adult Children ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Frequent Contact ◽

The Social ◽

Use Of Social Media

Older adults have recently begun to adopt social media in increasing numbers. Even so, little is known about the factors influencing older adults’ social media adoption. Here, we identify factors that predict the use of social media among older adults (aged 68–73) and compare them to those of their adult children (aged 19–56) using population-based data from Finland. As predictors for social media use, we utilized demographic factors as well as characteristics of the respondents’ social lives. In addition, we test whether social media use in older adults is predicted by the social media use of their adult children. The data used in this study uniquely enable the study of this question because actual parent-child dyads are identifiable. In both generations, women and those with higher education were more likely to use social media. Predictors specific to men of the older generation were being divorced and younger, and predictors specific to women of the older generation were having better health and more frequent contact with friends. A higher number of children predicted use in both men and women in the older generation. As for the younger generation, specific predictors for social media use in women were younger age, divorce, higher number of children, and more frequent contact with friends. For men in the younger generation, there were no significant predictors for social media use besides higher education, which predicted social media use in all groups. Finally, social media use in a parent representing the older generation was predicted by the social media use of their adult children. This study provides novel information on the predictors of the use of social media in two family generations.

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Embracing Social Media to Advance Knowledge Creation and Transfer in the Modernized University

Student Engagement and Participation ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2584-4.ch034 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 667-687

Author(s):

Catherine Lang ◽

Narelle Lemon

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Knowledge Production ◽

Knowledge Creation ◽

Virtual Communities ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Global Connections ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Advance Knowledge

New ways of utilizing technology in the online space are challenging how academics and students communicate, participate, and publish in modern universities, and thereby influence knowledge production, exchange, and transfer. Social media provides a suite of tools that are powerful additions to the pedagogy of academics and demonstrate that “the medium is the message” (McLuhan, 1960). These tools provide opportunity for public global dialogue, continuous discussions in the online space beyond the four walls of a physical classroom, and greater interactions between individuals and collective groups. In this chapter, the authors present several cases of social media use from the perspective of being researchers and teachers in higher education. Through strategic and precise use of social media, academics can create strong, connected, virtual communities to enhance knowledge production, exchange, and transfer within higher education. The cases demonstrate the ability to create and curate content while engaging with global connections to enhance and disrupt traditional ways of working in academia.

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“How to use it more?” Self-efficacy and its sources in the use of social media for knowledge sharing

Journal of Documentation ◽

10.1108/jd-02-2019-0026 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 231-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hussain Alshahrani ◽

Diane Rasmussen Pennington

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Knowledge Sharing ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Media Use ◽

Academic Staff ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Use Of Social Media

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate sources of self-efficacy for researchers and the sources’ impact on the researchers’ use of social media for knowledge sharing. It is a continuation of a larger study (Alshahrani and Rasmussen Pennington, 2018). Design/methodology/approach The authors distributed an online questionnaire to researchers at the University of Strathclyde (n=144) and analysed the responses using descriptive statistics. Findings Participants relied on personal mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and emotional arousal for social media use. These elements of self-efficacy mostly led them to use it effectively, with a few exceptions. Research limitations/implications The convenience sample utilised for this study, which included academic staff, researchers and PhD students at one university, is small and may not be entirely representative of the larger population. Practical implications This study contributes to the existing literature on social media and knowledge sharing. It can help researchers understand how they can develop their self-efficacy and its sources in order to enhance their online professional presence. Additionally, academic institutions can use these results to inform how they can best encourage and support their researchers in improving their professional social media use. Originality/value Researchers do rely on their self-efficacy and its sources to use social media for knowledge sharing. These results can help researchers and their institutions eliminate barriers and improve online engagement with colleagues, students, the public and other relevant research stakeholders.

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Social media utilization of tourists for travel-related purposes

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management ◽

10.1108/ijchm-01-2014-0034 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 1003-1023 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Mustafa Öz

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Consumer Behavior ◽

Media Use ◽

Primary Data ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Content Type ◽

Generalization Problem ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Questionnaire Method

Purpose – The aim of this study is to determine social media use by consumers for travel-related purposes. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study was conducted after reviewing the related literature. The primary data were collected by means of an online questionnaire, and the results were analyzed using a statistical package program. Findings – The respondents use social media intensively both in their daily lives ( > 96 per cent) and in travel-related activities (95 per cent). In addition to the detailed analyses of their usage, a model was developed to identify the factors behind social media use for travel-related purposes. Research limitations/implications – As a result of an online questionnaire method, only consumers having an Internet access could respond to the survey. Additionally, the sample was not random, and the respondents were selected only from Turkey. Consequently, the study may suffer from a generalization problem, especially for markets with major different cultural characteristics. Practical implications – The findings of the study may assist academics and practitioners to better understand social media and Web 2.0 technologies and their effects on consumers. Originality/value – One of the dominant trends affecting consumer behavior and tourism marketing in recent years is the use of social media. It is critical to understand such developments and their effects on consumer behavior that may impact on the distribution and accessibility of travel-related information.

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Blurring the Boundaries

International Journal of Interactive Communication Systems and Technologies ◽

10.4018/ijicst.2017010101 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Julie A Delello ◽

Kouider Mokhtari

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Student Perceptions ◽

Online Survey ◽

Media Use ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Use Of Social Media

This article reports the results of a mixed methods study aimed at exploring faculty and student perceptions regarding the use of social media in the higher education classroom. Two groups of faculty (n = 50) and students (n = 396) voluntarily responded to an online survey consisting of a mix of close and open-ended questions pertaining to their perceptions of social media use inside and outside the classroom. Key findings revealed that among faculty (52%) and students (23%) see social media as a distraction. In addition, contrary to prior research indicating that interpersonal boundaries between faculty and students are shifting as people become more connected via social media, only 17% of students and 29% of faculty reported forming social media friendships outside of the classroom. These findings are discussed in light of extant research on the use of social media along with implications for the role of social media in the higher education classroom.

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Constructivism Theory: The Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Education

10.20944/preprints202012.0072.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

ALI Mugahed Al-Rahmi

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Media Use ◽

Educational Quality ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Performance Impact ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Positive Effects ◽

And Performance ◽

Use Of Social Media

This paper aimed to use social media impact on student studies in higher education. Apart from enjoyment and academic purposes, many educational practices and processes have been influenced by social networks. This paper highlighted the use of media tools in higher education as well as indicates out some of the factors. Moreover, through a literature review of related articles, we aim to provide insights into the impacts of a social network on educational quality, actual use of social media, and performance impact in higher education. A questionnaire survey on constructivism was circulated among a total of 206 university students as the key method for collecting data. This research hypothesizes educational quality and actual social media use indicates a positive effect in education, all of which also hypothesizes constructivism for educational quality and actual social media that in turn improve students’ satisfaction, and performance impact. Moreover, all research findings were attained through a quantitative method using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-AMOS). Findings of this research to indicate a positive effects students on their academic through behavioral intention to utilize social media to actual social media use for teaching and learning on higher education. Moreover, the results mention the use of social media for learning purpose, as well as social media to enables the sharing of knowledge, discussions, and information to enhance students' learning activities, Further studies are recommended which universities educators should take this into consideration when planning their curricula; it comes to the inclusion of technology in the teaching process.

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Embracing Social Media to Advance Knowledge Creation and Transfer in the Modernized University

Advancing Knowledge in Higher Education - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-6202-5.ch008 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 112-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Catherine Lang ◽

Narelle Lemon

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Media ◽

Knowledge Production ◽

Knowledge Creation ◽

Virtual Communities ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Global Connections ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Advance Knowledge

New ways of utilizing technology in the online space are challenging how academics and students communicate, participate, and publish in modern universities, and thereby influence knowledge production, exchange, and transfer. Social media provides a suite of tools that are powerful additions to the pedagogy of academics and demonstrate that “the medium is the message” (McLuhan, 1960). These tools provide opportunity for public global dialogue, continuous discussions in the online space beyond the four walls of a physical classroom, and greater interactions between individuals and collective groups. In this chapter, the authors present several cases of social media use from the perspective of being researchers and teachers in higher education. Through strategic and precise use of social media, academics can create strong, connected, virtual communities to enhance knowledge production, exchange, and transfer within higher education. The cases demonstrate the ability to create and curate content while engaging with global connections to enhance and disrupt traditional ways of working in academia.

Download Full-text