The role of social network sites in connecting students with learning and academic activities: A case study

Abstract

Social Network Sites (SNSs) are becoming increasingly popular as means of communication. Much research has been carried out to investigate the use of SNSs in various contexts, such as education. Students are becoming more interested in incorporating social network sites into their academic lives to support learning. It is important to understand how students use SNSs outside the conventional classroom context, as this could provide an insight into how to apply SNSs formally for academic purposes. This study is carried out to investigate the use of SNSs among undergraduate students in an attempt to support their learning and academic activities. Social network sites offer plenty of opportunities to communicate and interact. They can also be used to support learning and academic activities in general. The research strategy used is descriptive survey research design; data was collected using questionnaires. The sample size is 63 students from the library and information science department at the University of Jordan. The results revealed that all students use at least one social network site. The results also showed how students connect for the purpose of learning or for any other academic activity. Recommendations are drawn from the findings regarding the use of social network sites among students and the role that academics may play to further encourage the phenomenon.