Effects of Social Networking on Learning: The Opinions of Italian University Students

Abstract

While the use of social networks (SNs) and social media is increasingly permeating all sectors of the global society, in Italy there is an ongoing debate about its advantages and drawbacks for learning, especially within formal educational contexts. In order to contribute to such a debate, a study has been conducted, aimed to investigate the Italian university students' beliefs about the positive and negative effects of social networking on their learning and to identify any correlation between such beliefs and the students' characteristics. This chapter reports and discusses the results of the study, which was based on the data collected through a survey to 336 Italian university students (F = 63.6, 83.8 % aged below 32). Results revealed that Italian university students perceive social networks as useful tools for both improving their learning and connecting with their peers, but also that they are aware of their undesirable consequences, such as experiencing negative emotions, losing concentration and being prevented from engaging in extra-academic activities.