The power of ICT-based social networks in higher education

Abstract

Today, social networks are becoming ubiquitous in an increasing rate throughout the world; they particularly attract the younger generation, becoming an inseparable part of their daily lives. Among the various kinds of these networks (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flicker, Twitter, blogs, and del.ici.us) Facebook is the best known and the most popular network with the incredible number of 400 million users who spend a significant part of their day in Facebook. In fact, results of various studies indicate that on average, the rate of Facebook usage by the young university students exceeds one hour a day. It seems that given the high rate of its usage among university students and its unique features (email, bulletin boards, instant messaging, posting videos, pictures and personal information), the claim can be made that Facebook has a high potential for educational use, especially in higher education, and can be regarded as a big classroom with many facilities and equipments which let users publish notes, share information, communicate and, of course, learn. In fact, experts and teachers should regard social network as an opportunity in the higher education and try to make the best use its popularity as well as its rich and entertaining features in order to enhance their teaching, thus the need to further study and investigate this social network and all it has to offer to higher education. Given this need in today's fast growing educational world, and based on the Technology Acceptance Model, in this research we try to assess and investigate the possible potentials of the social networks for learning through analyzing students' and instructors' attitudes towards using the social networks for higher education.