DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

The Use of Social Media among First-Year Student Groups: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective

  • Owusu-Ansah, Christopher M. (College Librarian, College of Agriculture Education of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development) ;
  • Arthur, Beatrice (School of Business Librarian, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) ;
  • Yebowaah, Franklina Adjoa (Campus Librarian, Wa Campus, University for Department Studies) ;
  • Amoako, Kwabena (College of Agriculture Education of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development in Ghana)
  • Received : 2021.05.03
  • Accepted : 2021.06.08
  • Published : 2021.12.31

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the uses and gratification of social media among first-year student groups at a satellite campus of a public university in Ghana. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The study involved all 1061 first-year university students in six academic departments of the College. A total of 680 (64%) participants returned validly completed copies of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that WhatsApp was the most popular application for social media groups, while a need for information-sharing, peer-tutoring and learning, and finding and keeping friends were the primary motivations for joining social media groups. First-year students are involved mainly in reactive activities, as most engage when solving an academic assignment through group discussions. Though challenges persist, such as posting of unwanted images, inadequate participation, and ineffective and irrelevant communication, most are willing to continue their social media groups' membership in the long term. This study provides valuable insight into transitioning students' lived experiences on social media from the group perspective. These insights are valuable conceptually and practically to academic counsellors, librarians and student affairs officers who are expected to provide on-going education on (social) media literacy to first-year students to enhance the adjustment process. The study is the first of its kind in Ghana that investigates social media group participants' exit intentions.

Keywords

References

  1. Adalberon, E., & Saljo, R. (2017). Informal Use of Social Media in higher Education: A case Study of Facebook Groups. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 12(04), 114-128. https://www.idunn.no/dk/2017/04/informal_use_of_social_media_in_higher_education_a_case_st https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-943x-2017-04-02
  2. Ahad, A. D., & Lim, S. M. A. (2014). Convenience or Nuisance?: The 'WhatsApp' Dilemma. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, 189-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.278
  3. Alabdulkareem, S. A. (2015). Exploring the Use and the impacts of Social Media on Teaching and Learning Science in Saudi. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 182, 213-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.758
  4. Almahaireh, A. S. F., Aldalaeen, A. S. R., & Takhaineh, S. K. A. (2018). Efficacy of a Preventive Counseling Program for Improving Psychological Hardiness and the Positive Use of Social Network Sites among Students at Risk. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 40(2), 173-186. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10447-018-9319-1
  5. Al-Rahmi, W. M., & Zeki, A. M. (2017). A Model of Using Social Media for Collaborative Learning to enhance Learners' Performance on Learning. Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences, 29(4), 526-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2016.09.002
  6. Alt, D. (2015). College Students' Academic Motivation, Media Engagement and Fear of Missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 49, 111-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.057
  7. Ang, S. S., Orozco, M., Gijbels, D., & Van den Bossche, P. (2018). Learning in the Context of Work in a Digital Age: The use of Digital Media in Informal and Formal Learning Contexts. In The Impact of Digitalization in the Workplace (pp. 87-101). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-63257-5_7
  8. Asiedu, N. K., & Badu, E. E. (2018). Motivating Issues Affecting Students' Use of Social Media Sites in Ghanaian Tertiary Institutions. Library Hi Tech. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-10-2016-0108
  9. Azucar, D., Marengo, D., & Settanni, M. (2018). Predicting the Big 5 Personality Traits from Digital Footprints on Social Media: A Meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 124, 150-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.12.018
  10. Bailur, S., & Schoemaker, E. (2016). WhatsApp, Facebook and Pakapaka: Digital Lives in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Africa at LSE. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/76301/
  11. Bovet, A., & Makse, H. A. (2019). Influence of Fake News in Twitter during the 2016 US presidential Election. Nature Communications, 10(1), 1-14. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07761-2 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07882-8
  12. Bridges, L. M. (2012). Librarian as Professor of Social Media Literacy. Journal of Library Innovation, 3(1), 48. https://tinyurl.com/tn85fckx
  13. Campbell, A. (2019). Design-based Research Principles for successful Peer Tutoring on Social Media. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 50(7), 1024-1036. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0020739X.2019.1650306
  14. Cetinkaya, L., & Sutcu, S. S. (n.d.). The effects of Facebook and WhatsApp on Success in English Vocabulary Instruction. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12255
  15. Coetzee, S. A., Leith, K., & Schmulian, A. (2019). Accounting Students Access to Social Media Related Resources and the Risk of Tacit Social Exclusion. Accounting Education. (world). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09639284.2019.1641116
  16. Dadzie, O. S. O. (2019). Effects of Social Media Use on the Academic Performance of Students of Public Tertiary Institutions in Ghana [Mphil Thesis, University of Ghana]. http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/33361
  17. Dharanipriya, A., & Karthikeyan, C. (2018). Participation of Students in Social Media-An Analysis. Madras Agricultural Journal, 105(September (7-9)), 356-361. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=YMEQ0U8AAAAJ&hl=en
  18. Drouin, M., & Miller, D. A. (2015). Why do people record and post Illegal Material? Excessive Social Media Use, Psychological Disorder, or Both? Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 608-614. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/2781900.2782123
  19. Ferguson, C., DiGiacomo, M., Saliba, B., Green, J., Moorley, C., Wyllie, A., & Jackson, D. (2016). First Year Nursing Students' Experiences of Social Media during the Transition to University: A Focus Group Study. Contemporary Nurse, 52(5), 625-635. https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2016.1205458
  20. Gazit, T., & Aharony, N. (2018). Factors Explaining Participation in WhatsApp Groups: Anexploratory Study. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 70(4), 390-413. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-03-2018-0053
  21. Gazit, T., Aharony, N., & Amichai-Hamburger, Y. (2019). Tell me who you are and I will tell you which SNS you Use: SNSs Participation. Online Information Review, 44(1), 139-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-03-2019-0076
  22. Gray, R., Vitak, J., Easton, E. W., & Ellison, N. B. (2013). Examining Social Adjustment to College in the Age of Social Media: Factors Influencing successful Transitions and Persistence. Computers & Education, 67, 193-207. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-18255-018 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.02.021
  23. Habes, M., Alghizzawi, M., Khalaf, R., & Salloum, S. A. (2018). The Relationship between Social Media and Academic Performance: Facebook Perspective. International Journal of Information Technology and Language Studies, 2(1), 12-18. https://journals.sfu.ca/ijitls/index.php/ijitls/article/view/18
  24. Hogan, S. C., van Hees, C., Asiedu, K. B., & Fuller, L. C. (2019). WhatsApp Platforms intropical Public Health Resource-poor Settings. International Journal of Dermatology, 58(2), 228-230. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ijd.14237
  25. Hsieh, H., & Shannon, S. (2018). Content analysis. In Bruce B. Frey (ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation SAGE Publications, Inc. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506326139
  26. Hynes, D., & Richardson, H. (2009). What Use is Domestication Theory to Information Systems Research? In Handbook of Research on Contemporary theoretical Models in Information Systems (pp. 482-494). IGI Global. http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/17952/
  27. Ireland, J. (2019). Transitioning to University: A Sober Experience. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished thesis). http://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/623925/
  28. Katz, E. & Blumler, J. G., (1974). The Uses of Mass Communications: Current Perspectives on Gratifications Research. Sage Annual Reviews of Communication Research Volume III. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED119208
  29. Knop, K., Oncu, J. S., Penzel, J., Abele, T. S., Brunner, T., Vorderer, P., & Wessler, H. (2016). Offline Time is Quality Time. Comparing Within-group Self-disclosure in Mobile Messaging Applications and face-to-face Interactions. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 1076-1084. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.11.004
  30. Koomson, W. K. (2019). Ontology of Ubiquitous Learning: WhatsApp Messenger Competes successfully with Learning Management Systems (LMS) in Ghana. International Association for Development of the Information Society. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED601178
  31. Koomson, W. K. (2018). Mobile Learning: Application of WhatsApp Messenger as a Learning Tool in a University Distance Learning Program in Ghana. International Association for Development of the Information Society. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED600588
  32. Krasilnikov, A., & Smirnova, A. (2017). Online Social Adaptation of First-year Students and their Academic Performance. Computers & Education, 113, 327-338. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360131517301173 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.05.012
  33. Lau, E. Y. H., Chan, K. K. S., & Lam, C. B. (2018). Social support and adjustment outcomes of first-year University Students in Hong Kong: Self-esteem as a Mediator. Journal of College Student Development, 59(1), 129-134. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2018.0011
  34. Lau, W. W. (2017). Effects of Social Media Usage and Social Media Multitasking on the Academic Performance of University Students. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 286-291. https://tinyurl.com/3ypn9864 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.043
  35. Lei, J., Ashwin, C., Brosnan, M., & Russell, A. (2019). Differences in Anxieties and Social Networks in a Group-matched Sample of autistic and typically developing Students Transitioning to University. Autism, 1362361319894830. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319894830
  36. Livingstone, S. (2017). Children's and young People's Lives Online. Online Risk to Children: Impact, Protection and Prevention, 23-36. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361319894830
  37. Lovell, G. P., Nash, K., Sharman, R., & Lane, B. R. (2015). A Cross-sectional Investigation of depressive, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms and Health-behavior Participation in A Ustralian University Students. Nursing & Health Sciences, 17(1), 134-142. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24799077/ https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12147
  38. Madge, C., Breines, M. R., Dalu, M. T. B., Gunter, A., Mittelmeier, J., Prinsloo, P., & Raghuram, P. (2019). WhatsApp Use among African International Distance Education (IDE) Students: Transferring, Translating and Transforming educational Experiences. Learning, Media and Technology, 44(3), 267-282. https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/94145a1c-6f24-3b59-944e-5bed27cf1690/ https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2019.1628048
  39. Masserini, L. & Bini, M. (2020). Does Joining Social Media Groups help to reduce Students' Dropout within the First University Year? Socio-Economic Planning Sciences. Elsevier: 100865. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/soceps/v73y2021ics003801211930552x.html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2020.100865
  40. McKenna, L., Brooks, I., & Vanderheide, R. (2017). Graduate Entry Nurses' Initial Perspectives on Nursing: Content Analysis of Open-ended Survey Questions. Nurse Education Today, 49, 22-26. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1247136 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.11.004
  41. McNallie, J., Timmermans, E., Dorrance Hall, E.,Van den Bulck, J., & Wilson, S. R. (2019). Social Media Intensity and First-year College Students' Academic Self-efficacy InFlanders and the United States. Communication Quarterly, 1-23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27883928/
  42. Meservy, T. O., Fadel, K. J., Nelson, B., & Matthews, M. (2019). Production vs. Consumption on Social Media: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/326836581.pdf
  43. Mittelmeier, J., Rogaten, J., Sachikonye, M., Gunter, A., Prinsloo, P., & Rienties, B. (2019). Understanding the Adjustment of First-year Distance Education Students in South Africa: Factors that Impact Students' Experiences. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(3). http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/4101
  44. Nalbone, D. P., Kovach, R. J., Fish, J. N., McCoy, K. M., Jones, K. E., & Wright, H. R. (2016). Social Networking Web Sites as a Tool for Student Transitions: Purposive Use of Social Networking Web Sites for the First-Year Experience. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 17(4), 489-512. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115579253
  45. Park, J. J., & Bowman, N. A. (2015). Religion as Bridging or Bonding Social Capital: Race, Religion, and Cross-racial Interaction for College Students. Sociology of Education, 88(1), 20-37. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0038040714560172
  46. Parker, H., Hughes, A., Marsh, C., Ahmed, S., Cannon, J., Taylor-Steeds, E., ... Page, N. (2017). Understanding the different Challenges Facing Students in Transitioning to University particularly with a Focus on Ethnicity. New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences, 12. https://tinyurl.com/2n337snr
  47. Rahimi, E., van den Berg, J., & Veen, W. (2015). Facilitating Student-driven Constructing of Learning Environments Using Web 2.0 Personal Learning Environments. Computers & Education, 81, 235-246. https://tinyurl.com/ysraw5fp https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.10.012
  48. Reeves, A. J., Alkhalaf, S., & Amasha, M. A. (2019). WhatsApp as an educational Support Tool in a Saudi University. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 10(8), 394-401. https://tinyurl.com/8pvxyp
  49. Selwyn, N. (2012). Social Media in higher Education. The Europa World of Learning, 1, 1-10. https://www.academia.edu/download/30358379/sample-essay-selwyn.pdf.
  50. Seric, M. (2019). Have Social Media made their way in classrooms? A study at three European Universities. The Journal of International Communication, 25(2), 230-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/13216597.2019.1642932
  51. Seufert, M., Hossfeld, T., Schwind, A., Burger, V., & Tran-Gia, P. (2016). Group-based Communication in WhatsApp. 2016 IFIP Networking Conference (IFIP Networking) and Workshops, 536-541. IEEE. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bjLoM6gAAAAJ&hl=en
  52. Sheaves, B., Porcheret, K., Tsanas, A., Espie, C. A., Foster, R. G., Freeman, D., ... Goodwin, G. M. (2016). Insomnia, Nightmares, and Chronotype as Markers of Risk for severe Mental Illness: Results from a Student Population. Sleep, 39(1), 173-181. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26350467/ https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.5342
  53. Sobaih, A. E. E., Moustafa, M. A., Ghandforoush, P., & Khan, M. (2016). To Use or not to Use? Social Media in higher Education in Developing Countries. Computers in Human Behavior, 58, 296-305. https://tinyurl.com/27647puv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.01.002
  54. Soegoto, H. (2019). Smartphone Usage among College Students. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, 14(3), 1248-1259. Scopus. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6260&context=libphilprac
  55. Stainbank, L., & Gurr, K.-L. (2016). The use of social media platforms in a first year accounting Course. Meditari Accountancy Research, 24(3), 318-340. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-08-2015-0051
  56. Supeno, D., Hadi Saputro, S., Nugraheni Sri Lestari, V., Suhaemi, I., Rodli, F., ...Permatasari, F. (2019). Utilisation of Whatsapp Application as Communication Media in Language Teaching and Learning at FBS UWKS. 1175. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1175/1/012262
  57. Thomas, L., Briggs, P., Hart, A., & Kerrigan, F. (2017). Understanding Social Media and Identity Work in Young People Transitioning to University. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, 541-553. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-40848-056 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.08.021
  58. Thomas, L., Orme, E., & Kerrigan, F. (2020). Student Loneliness: The Role of Social Media Through Life Transitions. Computers & Education, 146, 103754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103754
  59. Vanstone, D. M., & Hicks, R. E. (2019). Transitioning to University: Coping Styles as Mediators between Adaptive-maladaptive Perfectionism and Test Anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 141, 68-75. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-07120-014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.12.026
  60. Vincent, E. A. (2016). Social Media as an Avenue to Achieving Sense of Belonging among College Students. Vistas Online, 1-14. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-07120-014
  61. West, B., Moore, H., & Barry, B. (2015). Beyond the Tweet: Using Twitter to enhance Engagement, Learning, and Success among First-year Students. Journal of Marketing Education, 37(3), 160-170. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-07120-014 https://doi.org/10.1177/0273475315586061
  62. Whiting, A., & Williams, D. (2013). Why People use Social Media: A Uses and Gratifications Approach. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 16(4), 362-369. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-06-2013-0041/full/html
  63. Wope, M., & Van Belle, J.-P. (2018). Using Facebook by First Year University Students to Adjust to the Tertiary Environment. International Conference on E-Learning, 551-XVIII. Academic Conferences International Limited. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557189.pdf
  64. Xu, S., Yang, H. H., MacLeod, J., & Zhu, S. (2019). Social Media Competence and Digital Citizenship among College Students. Convergence, 25(4), 735-752. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1354856517751390
  65. Yang, C., & Bradford Brown, B. (2016). Online Self-Presentation on Facebook and Self Development During the College Transition. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(2), 402-416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0385-y
  66. Yang, C., Holden, S. M., & Carter, M. D. (2017). Emerging Adults' Social Media self Presentation and Identity Development at College Transition: Mindfulness as a Moderator. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 52, 212-221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0385-y
  67. Yang, C., Holden, S. M., & Carter, M. D. (2018). Social Media Social Comparison of Ability (but not opinion) predicts lower Identity Clarity: Identity Processing Style as a Mediator. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(10), 2114-2128. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29327168/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0801-6
  68. Yeboah, J., & Ewur, G. D. (2014). The Impact of WhatsApp Messenger usage on Students Performance in Tertiary Institutions in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(6), 157-164. https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/11241