Effects of Social Networking on Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This chapter investigates the perceptions of a sample of Saudi Arabian adults towards the positive benefits and potential risks of contemporary social networking platforms both in everyday life and in the context of higher education. While many universities world-wide are engaged in harnessing the capacities of social net-working to motivate students, encourage connectivity and support collaboration between students and staff, there is limited evidence that this is the case in Saudi Arabia. As argued in this chapter, Saudi Arabia occupies a unique cultural position in that its strict Islamic lifestyle coincides not only with great enthusiasm for social networking on the part of its younger citizens but also with a current drive for reform in its educational sector in order to produce world standard education with a focus on ICT and blended learning options. The research aimed to more closely examine attitudes towards the potentialities and possible threats of social networking so as to guide future national development in the higher education area. This was carried out through surveying 100 participants and the research findings support the notion that Saudi attitudes towards the benefits and threats of social networking match world-wide trends, suggesting that these technologies might be profitably implemented in higher education without significant obstacle.