ERIC Number: EJ1124963
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Jan
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1302-6488
EISSN: N/A
The Effects of Social Media Use on Collaborative Learning: A Case of Turkey
Bozanta, Aysun; Mardikyan, Sona
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, v18 n1 Article 7 p96-110 Jan 2017
The social media usage has penetrated to the many areas in daily lives of today's students. Therefore, social media can be effective tool to support their educational communications and collaborations with their friends and also faculty members. This study aims to determine the effects of social media on collaborative learning. For this purpose, a theoretical model is proposed based on comprehensive literature review. Using an online questionnaire, data are collected from the students of one of the largest university in Turkey. Structural equation modelling is employed as the major statistical analytic technique. The theoretical model is supported by the findings significantly. The findings indicate that perceived ease of use is a predictor of perceived usefulness and both of these have impact on social media use of students for educational purposes. Social media usage improves peer interaction and course engagement of students and also students' interaction with faculty members. Finally, peer interaction and course engagement have positive significant effect on collaborative learning. The results of the study might be helpful to students and educational leaders in their efforts to create initiatives to support, promote, and encourage the implementation and usage of social media in blended learning classes and provide adequate training for teachers to increase social media adoption.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Social Media, Mass Media Use, Cooperative Learning, College Students, Questionnaires, Structural Equation Models, Peer Relationship, Learner Engagement, Teacher Student Relationship, College Faculty, Factor Analysis, Goodness of Fit, Validity
Anadolu University. Office of the Rector, Eskisehir, 26470, Turkey. Tel: +90-222-335-34-53; Fax: +90-222-335-34-86; e-mail: rektor@anadolu.edu.tr; e-mail: TOJDE@anadolu.edu.tr; Web site: http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Turkey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A