ERIC Number: EJ1145253
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1548-1093
EISSN: N/A
Understanding the Use of Twitter for Teaching Purposes in Saudi Arabian Universities
Alim, Sophia
International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, v12 n3 p1-22 2017
The increased use of Twitter in Saudi Arabia has opened new opportunities in higher education teaching. However, there exists a lack of studies which examine academics' thoughts on Twitter use for teaching purposes. For this study, a questionnaire was distributed to academics in Saudi Arabian universities in order to explore their experiences and opinions regarding Twitter use in teaching. The results of the questionnaire indicated that the top three teaching activities Twitter was used for were: sharing resources, posting important information, and enabling students to ask questions. Positive experiences of using Twitter in teaching focused on: accessibility, the dissemination of important information, student engagement, and the sharing of opinions and ideas. Negative experiences highlighted issues such as a lack of Internet connections, the distracting nature of tweeting, privacy, the small size of tweets, and time management. What this study highlighted was the use of Twitter in higher education teaching was still in the experimental stages of implementation.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Social Media, Universities, Foreign Countries, Technology Uses in Education, Questionnaires, Higher Education, Social Networks, Electronic Publishing, Web Sites, Computer Mediated Communication, Handheld Devices, Telecommunications, College Students, College Faculty
IGI Global. 701 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033. Tel: 866-342-6657; Tel: 717-533-8845; Fax: 717-533-8661; Fax: 717-533-7115; e-mail: journals@igi-global.com; Web site: http://www.igi-global.com/journals
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: Saudi Arabia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A