App Sigma and Facebook Groups: Evaluation of the usability and technology acceptance by software engineering students of Universidad Técnica de Ambato in Ecuador

Abstract

In this paper, the use of a Facebook group is compared with a Facebook app, as a viable alternative to overcome the difficulties previously found when using this social network in a collaborative learning process. This is an applied and quantitative and exploratory research carried out using the experiment methodology. This study is based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the heuristic evaluation. The flexibility of the Facebook platform was verified, as well as the acceptance of Facebook groups among sophomores studying software engineering at the Universidad Técnica de Ambato in Ecuador. It is concluded that it was possible to personalize collaborative learning in Facebook with the construction of Sigma. However, contrary to expectations, using a Facebook group is considered by those students who participated in the experiment as the best alternative for using this platform in collaborative learning.