Opinions of Faculty Members on the Effects of Using Social Media in Higher Education

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the opinions of faculty members about the effects of social media in education. The research was carried out as a qualitative study, and phenomenological design was used in the study. We selected a total of 36 faculty members to participate in an interview about their perceptions of social media effects on education. The results showed that most faculty members think that social media is an effective educational tool. In the context of the positive aspects, the role of social media in higher education is indicated as a support tool, a follow-up tool for educational activities, an entertaining platform, communication tool, resource, learning management tool and a guide. According to the findings, more than half of the academics think that the role of social media in education is positive. The study predicts that social media will have different roles in future education with the increasing number of users every day.