User-generated content: Perceived affordances in students’ usage of the web for tertiary learning activities

Abstract

This paper investigates which affordances students perceive when using the Internet for academic learning purposes, with a focus on user-generated content (UGC). Based on an explorative interview study, Wikipedia, Facebook, and YouTube were found to play an important role in students’ preparation and working settings. The findings indicate that the usage of Wikipedia and YouTube is mainly based on perceived content-related and physical affordances. In the case of Facebook, also social/relational and transactional affordances play a major role by enabling users to participate in peer groups and to share materials of interest. The results are to be validated in further research.