Abstract
Human beings have developed sophisticated ways of exchanging ideas that enable them to communicate easily. The education system has undergone various transformations as a result of modern technologies that have enabled learning to be conducted at the convenience of teachers and students. The introduction of social network sites has enabled communication among teachers and students to be carried out easily. However, there are several effects associated with the use of social network sites by students and teachers. This research paper outlines the positive and negative effects that are associated with the use of social network sites at King Saud University. It should be noted that there are some aspects that make the use of this social sites inevitable as far as learning is concerned. The recommendations outlined in this essay will help teachers and students of King Saud University to approach the use of these sites without compromising the quality of education at the institution.
Introduction
Human beings have a higher thinking capacity than all other animals on earth. This motivates them to continue seeking better ways of surviving in this world that continues to encounter various changes. Therefore, people are forced to adapt to the changes in the world or devise ways through which they are able to make their lives comfortable. Communication is one of the vital aspects of human life. It enables people to share ideas, seek clarifications and make their needs known to others. The exchange of ideas among members of a society promotes interactions among individuals and this boosts their relationships (Weintraub 2011). Modernization has made it possible for people to have access to a variety of information from all over the world within the shortest time possible. The education sector has not been left behind as learning institutions take to using social networking sites for academic reasons. This research paper outlines the effects of using social networks on education at King Saud University.
Definition
Social networks are forums where people are able to share information through the internet. This is a provision made possible by the invention of digital technology that allows millions of people from all over the world to share ideas. The ideas shared are usually in terms of messages, pictures, images, videos and voice messages. A person is required to create an account by registering with any of the many social network sites available on the internet. The process is free and this has motivated people to sign up with more than one social network site in order to have high chances of accessing more information and interacting with more people from various regions of the world.
Problem Statement
The use of social network sites by students and lecturers at King Saud University has undergone tremendous changes especially within the last decade (Walker 2011). The number of students and teachers visiting these sites is increasing as more people continue to have access to the internet through their personal computers, the university information center and the cyber cafes located near the university. However, despite the heavy traffic of students and teachers visiting these sites there are many consequences encountered while surfing these sites.
Research Purpose
The main purpose of this research is to establish:
- The content of information shared
- The relationship between networking and learning
- The relevance of such information to students
- How the information contributes to learning?
- How the information limits learning?
- Recommendations to the limits of such information
- Students reactions to the effects of such information
- Any possible improvements to perceptions and use of social sites
Significance of the Study
This study is based on the fact that students are inseparable from social network sites and thus there is need to study the influence of these sites to the process of learning. This research paper aims to establish the content of information shared among students and between students and teachers. In addition, it covers the importance of such information to students and teachers and also how such information limits effective learning. Moreover, this paper analyses students’ reactions to the effects of using social networks. Lastly, the research proposes possible changes to the use of these sites by students in order to ensure they contribute positively towards learning.
Research Hypothesis
Students at King Saud University use social sites mainly for interactions with other students and peers thus limiting their interactions with teachers (Schepp 2009). Therefore, the negative effects of using these sites by students surpasses the benefits derived from them due to the students’ inclined perceptions that these sites are meant for establishing relationships, connecting with old friends and keeping in touch with peers to know what is happening around them (Schatter 2009). There has been a wide public outcry that these sites are hampering learning at King Saud University and hence the need to find out the reasons why these sites are a great barrier to effective learning.
Literature Review
The information that this research is based on was obtained from the university’s website regarding the various services offered online. These services include; the online education systems, applications to various colleges through the internet, loans offered to students, distance learning and the students’ portal. More information was obtained from websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn regarding the number of traffic visiting these sites on a regular basis and the number of people who view a particular message within a given time frame (Salpeter 2011). It is important to note that the university library offered substantial information especially in terms of comparisons made regarding the use of the library for research and reading purposes before and after the invention of social network sites (Rath 2007). This offers an insight into the change in attitudes by students regarding the choice of their research materials.
Methodology
This research was based on the assumptions that the use of social sites by students lowers their performance in class. The research further identifies various ways through which the use of these sites contribute to effective learning despite being black listed among barriers to effective learning in many institutions including King Saud University.
Sampling and Research Population
The population of students in this university is estimated to be more than thirty thousand and is being served by four thousand faculties each offering different courses. The programs in these faculties differ even though they are offered on a modular basis. These modules sometimes run simultaneously depending on the courses students take and the level of their studies (Porterfield 2011). This research paper involved one hundred and twenty people (lecturers, students, library staff and the public) of whom fifty answered questions set on the questionnaires, twenty participated in oral interviews while observations were based on fifty users on the cyber cafés located within and outside the university. It should be noted that these samples were deemed appropriate to represent the total population of King Saud University (Oliver 2005). The need to incorporate lecturers was to enable the research to establish how teaching has been influenced by the introduction of social network sites while students provided vital information regarding how these sites contribute to learning. Therefore, the population used for this research is a representation of the majority views, opinions and behavior of the King Saud University community with regard to the relationship between social networks and learning and thus it is assumed to represent the total response from the university’s population.
Instrumentation
The major methods used for data collection for this research were interviews, questionnaires, and physical observations on how students of King Saud University use these social network sites. The research questionnaires used were filled by the sample population within the university and handed back the same day. The lecturers and students were instructed on the nature of information being sought and their use in order to provide the necessary information required for the research (Olifer 2006). The questions asked in the oral interviews were same as those on the questionnaires. This research derived very important information from observations made on how students use these social network sites at the cyber cafés located within the university compound and at the shopping malls along the roads towards King Saud University.
Research Procedure and Time Frame
It was necessary to have various data collection approaches in order to improve on the efficiency of collecting information from participants. In addition, this research was conducted within a period of three weeks on all working days (Monday- Friday) weekends were not included due to the absence of many students from the university. The data collected through the questionnaires were given to lecturers and students on the first week from Monday to Friday. The participants were expected to fill the answers to the questions and drop the questionnaires at the boxes located outside the main library. All oral interviews for the research were conducted from Monday to Friday at King Saud University and at the cyber cafes located near the university during the second week of the research period. There was a desk located outside the entrance to the university’s main library where all questionnaires were issued to participants, filled and handed to the researchers. In addition, observations were carried out during the third week of the research period from Monday to Friday at the University’s cyber cafes and those located along the university way.
Validity and Reliability
It was prudent to use questionnaires in order to ensure that those students who were shy from public speaking were given an opportunity to express their views regarding the effects of social networks on learning (Miller 2010). The questionnaires enabled students who did not want their identity to be known to contribute useful information regarding the effects of these sites to the learning process. There was need to use three methods of data collection (questionnaire, observation and oral interviews) in order to increase chances of collecting reliable data from participants.
Analysis
The data collected was analyzed at the end of every working day and recorded in the data sheet (see attachment). The use of sampling and tallying made it easy for the data to be entered easily. These analyses were based on the relevance and credibility of the information collected from participants.
Assumptions
The research was faced with major assumptions regarding the participants’ willingness to provide relevant information in the research questionnaires. The researcher assumed that having explained to the participants that the research was purely academic and not intended for victimization the participants went ahead and withheld important information (Marshall 2011). The researcher expected to find the participants more willing to participate in the research but the later were very reluctant to be interviewed for fear of being victimized should the information reach the university administration.
Research Limitations
Carrying out this research was not as easy as it was anticipated due to the fact that the timing of this research coincidentally ran with examinations that were going on at the university (Marcus 2011). It was impossible to carry out this research during an examination free week due to the complexity of the university’s programs. The fact that there are four thousand faculties and many academic programs meant that there were examinations going on in at least six departments in all faculties. Therefore, students were busy preparing for examinations and they did not have enough time to answer the research questions (Magid 2006). Consequently, some questionnaires were returned unanswered while others were filled with irrelevant answers. Most students of King Saud University were not willing to offer information regarding how they use these social sites due to the fact that they regarded such information as being personal and confidential. Therefore, the researcher had to persuade students to volunteer and fill the data required by the questionnaires (Mansfield 2011). Most students feared to be interviewed by strangers despite the fact that they had been informed earlier about the research. Some female students were reluctant to make entries regarding their ages. The local business people who operate cyber cafes demanded the researcher to pay some fees before carrying the research due to the fact that some clients were not comfortable being spied on while surfing the internet.
However, some students who were willing to participate in the research become very mischievous and filled more than one questionnaire and this led to repetition of data obtained from the sample population and made it difficult for the researcher to identify such questionnaires from the many samples obtained.
Research Findings
This research was conducted with an aim of establishing the effects of social networks on education at King Saud University (Lehman 2010). The findings of this research have been grouped basing on the nature of their influence to teachers and students with regard to the learning process at King Saud University. These effects have been categorized into positive and negative influences of social sites on education.
Positive Effects of Using Social Sites at King Saud University
It should be understood that social network sites provide important forums for millions of people to exchange information regarding various issues that affect human life. These sites are frequented by millions of people every day who seek to know what is happening around their world (Kraynak 2010). The students at King Saud University have not been left behind when it comes to social networking. The research conducted on the university’s cyber café established that all students who were present at the premise were logged on their Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Google or LinkedIn accounts. Despite the fact that they were surfing other sites like the university website; they could not resist the temptation to check who was online in order to chat with him or her.
According to those students who were interviewed they admitted to having more than three accounts in a single social network site in order to increase their chances of exchanging information with many people around the globe (Ko 2010). In addition, they confirmed that in a single day they share volumes of information that can not be estimated. Most of this information includes sports, fashion, music, politics and strange happenings around the world (Kerpen 2011). The research further established that most students learn about various happenings around them through the internet and this motivates them to access social sites more than twice in a day. It is evident that these sites play a major role in facilitating the exchange of information among people from various regions of the world including students at King Saud University.
Secondly, the research established that the presence of these sites enabled all students to stand equal chances of airing their views to their classmates and teachers. Some students admitted to being very shy to ask questions during class time due to the presence of their peers (Kelsey 2010). They feared being laughed at incase they asked funny or stupid questions and thus preferred to keep quite. Some also confessed to fear their teachers and this made them unable to answer or ask any question during class time (Kaputa 2010). However, the university website offered these provisions to students in the “students’ portal” where they can exchange various information with their teachers and heads of departments.
In addition, there are some students who like showing off in class by asking many questions and raising their hands to answer questions as soon as they are asked. This makes it difficult for other students to participate in class discussions. However, social network sites give all students equal opportunities to ask or answer questions (Handley 2010). In addition, these sites encouraged students’ participation in almost all areas of study since they are able to access them through the internet.
This has helped students to develop their interpersonal communication as they learn how to express their views and opinions regarding various academic issues.
Therefore, social network sites have made students bold and confident and thus help them to express their views without fearing being laughed at or ridiculed by their class mates.
Thirdly, social sites come in handy when students need to access any type of information for academic purposes. These social sites are considered to be the source of all libraries in the world and contain almost all details that a student may be in need of for his or her academic questions (Halligan 2009). It was established that students seek help from these sites in terms of all their academic assignments and tasks assigned to them by their teachers.
It should be noted that the academic programs at King Saud University requires students to participate fully in the learning processes by conducting individual research and presenting it to the rest of the class in order to be assessed by their teachers(Hall 2009). Therefore, these social network sites offer relevant information regarding various fields of study. The information obtained from thee sites ranges from politics, business studies, languages, sociology, contemporary moral issues and politics that form the backbone of many education systems.
Access to educational materials through social network sites is very easy and faster compared to visiting libraries and bookshops to get the desired book or journal. In addition, teachers confessed to have obtained relevant teaching materials from these sites that have enabled them to effectively plan their teaching programs (Gunter 2010). Therefore, social network sites have facilitated learning at King Saud University through provision of a wide range of academic information to students and teachers.
The research established that there are millions of discussions going on through social network sites (Finney 2009). These discussions range from issues that affect individuals of a particular community to international affairs. Students and teachers have found these sites very useful in shaping their discussions on various issues. It is very evident that people have diverse views regarding various issues they encounter in their daily activities and interactions with each other.
The presence of many postings from other people on the sites means that an individual is exposed to higher chances of getting various views regarding different events (Engebretson 2011). These discussions range from arguments from the street knowledge that has no empirical formulae or knowledge associated with it to intellectual and professional arguments on issues that are of great significance to human life. Teachers and students at King Saud University engage in various discussions especially the ones affecting international economy and security (Donahue 2011). They participate actively in these discussions and ensure they contribute relevant ideas to the ongoing debates.
The research established that these debates form a huge basis for discussing various contemporary issues in class like democracy, inflation, global warming and terrorism (Deckers 2011). Without these social sites many teachers and students will have textbook knowledge on issues that keep changing in the world. It should be noted that the world is evolving in terms of technology, climate, politics, economy and lifestyles. Therefore, teachers and students need to be equipped with the latest ideas regarding various events in their environment hence necessitating the need for them to visit these social sites as often as possible.
In addition, these social sites offer visitors different perspectives to a particular event. People have diverse views regarding all issues of life (Conrad 2011). The differences of individual’s perspectives towards a certain event helps in shaping how such events are perceived by other people. Students’ perspectives are usually influenced by how other people behave towards certain issues in life. They usually tend to follow the opinions of the majority (Collier 2009). However, the presence of these opinions in social network sites gives students the ability to decide which opinion suits their situations. They are able to make comparisons and similarities on various answers offered to a particular question and decide on the best option.
Therefore, students are subjected to a variety of choices to pick from when confronted with any challenging issue. It was established that most students at King Saud University rely on these social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to find answers to questions that evoke controversies from other students during group and class discussions (Clancy 2002). Through visiting these sites students are able to form strong arguments and support their views in any discussion.
The use of modern technology in communication is cheaper compared to the use of other ancient ways of communication (Chappell 2009). It should be noted that the advent of modern technology has played a major role in reducing costs of communication. This research established the fact that students at King Saud University have adopted the use of social sites as sources of academic materials due to the low costs incurred (Cadenhead 2002). In addition, it was discovered that students have been in better positions to save money when they use these social sites.
This is due to the fact that these social sites enable students to explore various fields of study at the same time.
Teachers and students confirmed to the researcher that the cost of buying a single book is equivalent to browsing the internet for a whole month. Therefore, students at King Saud University prefer using the social sites for academic research to buying books from the university library or other public bookshops (Bucy 2003). Inflation has skyrocketed in all parts of the world and it is prudent for students to use social sites to assess academic materials that are beyond the reach of many students.
In addition, students are able to access various books from different writers and publishers at the same time. This becomes an important role in ensuring they save money for other uses.
The research further noted that the use of social sites enables students to save time while reading (Browning 2010). It is estimated that on average King Saud University students spent more than twenty minutes to locate a book within the university library. In addition, it takes more than five hours to locate a book and purchase it from the nearest book store. Students confessed that it takes more than two weeks for an ordered book to be delivered. However, the introduction of social sites saved students of King Saud University precious time since all the information required by them is obtained from these sites.
These social sites offer incredible amount of academic materials to thousands of King Saud University students. These sites are accessible anytime of the day or night and do not close down during weekends or holidays as book stores and libraries do. They are the most convenient sources of students’ information regardless of their geographical location (Brentford 2011). Some teaching staff members alluded to the fact that the use of social sites motivated the administration of King Saud University to expand its correspondence and distance learning programs. Students pursuing various courses from foreign countries do not have to waste time travelling from their countries to seek admission letters since these admission letters and other relevant documents are made available through online portals that allow the university administration to interact with millions of people wishing to pursue various courses in the university. Students and teacher at this university have access to millions of ideas from these social sites at their own convenient time. This has enabled them to be in positions of planning their study schedules without interferences caused by inadequate academic materials like text books or journals.
Students at King Saud University had always found it hard to communicate with their teachers at odd hours or when they were out of school. However, the introduction of these social sites has enabled students to interact freely with their teachers on a daily basis. The university has a large population of students compared to the few number of teachers available. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for teachers to interact with their students within the limited class time.
It should be understood that the interaction time between students and teachers is very important in promoting the value of education and the ability of students to grasp the concepts being taught. The use of social network sites has made it possible for students to book appointments with their lecturers and talk about issues that affect learning. This has enabled students to make use of any available opportunity to explore various issues that limit their ability to grasp academic concepts.
Through the university’s interactive website students are able to share a lot of information with their teachers. In addition, it is very evident from the messages displayed in various departments that students have appreciated the value of these sites as essential agents of promoting their relationships with their teachers.
Students who are shy and unable to ask questions during class time find it easy to do so through social network sites. It is important to note that these sites have enabled teachers to pin point areas that students need more training and coaching from their teachers. This has in turn promoted delivery of essential non academic information to students from their teachers.
The value of education has also been emphasized through the use of social network sites. According to the data obtained from lecturers at King Saud University it is evident that students have come to acknowledge the value of education in the modern world. Despite the fact that these sites were initially meant for making friendships and linking up with old ones students have realized that these sites offer relevant academic materials for millions of students all over the world.
Teachers confirmed the fact that while these sites are mainly used for socialization they play a major role in educating teenagers that a person can make friends and at the same time learn important aspects of life. Therefore, students and teachers at King Saud University have come to appreciate the value of education through the use of these social network sites. Students are able to share information, learn and make friends at the same time without compromising their class time.
For many years students found it difficult to carry books and keep them safely for future references. Important academic documents and reading materials used to get lost or destroyed due to students’ carelessness or other unavoidable circumstances. This has caused many students precious time as they are forced to retake some courses in order for their marks to be entered in the university records.
However, with the advent of social network sites students are able to access millions of academic materials from the internet. The need to carry text books and journals in back packs is long gone as the reading materials are saved conveniently in the many storage options provided in these social sites.
This was a common factor that explained why most students did not have school bags to carry their books and other academic documents. This is a very secure method of saving very confidential academic documents like report forms, academic transcripts and certificates. Therefore, students do not have to worry about the safety of their academic materials as long as they are stored in these sites.
Lastly, the use of social sites has made it possible for people to venture into other activities apart from learning. Many students at King Saud University confessed to not having classes running from morning to noon. Most students had two or three sessions per day and this meant that most of their time is spend out of class. Therefore, they have a lot of time at their disposal and this invites a lot of temptations to indulge in immoral and anti social behavior. It is evident that an empty mind is exposed to the temptations of indulging in criminal or immoral activities.
However, the introduction of social sites has enabled students and teachers to keep themselves busy and avoid idling. Students at King Saud University admitted to spending more than ten hours chatting with their friends on social sites and reading posts from other people.
They claimed that in the absence of any assignments given to them by their teachers they would rather interact with friends through these social sites than take a walk on the streets or visit entertainment joints.
This means that these sites have enabled students to spend their time wisely and avoid indulging in other activities that may subject them to conflicts with the law or social order. This research established the fact that students who visit these social sites during their free time are less likely to fall into trouble with the law compared to those who idled around the school compound or on the streets. Therefore, it is without doubt that these social sites have made it possible for students to use their free time wisely and avoid falling victims of drug abuse or immoral sexual behavior.
Negative effects of Using Social Network Sites on Education at King Saud University
Despite the fact that social sites contribute positively to the process of learning at King Saud University there are other occasions where it becomes irrelevant and compromises the value of education at the institution (Breitbarth 2011). This has been influenced by the nature of the information being exchanged among students and the context in which such information is exchanged.
The most significant effect of using social network sites by students at King Saud University is the exchange of unhealthy information through these sites. It should be noted that these sites have many users from all regions of the world and each of them wants to pass across a certain message to the rest of the world (Boettcher 2010). This means that the type of information being exchanged through these social sites varies a great deal. It should be noted that there are people who are bended on disseminating derogatory comments and criticisms regarding public figures in the society.
This information may land on a student who is seeking some academic material from these sites. Consequently, such student will not easily resist the temptation to read such information and in the event that such information interests him or her person will forward it to close friends and peers (Bambina 2007). After some few hours such information will have spread like bushfire among members of almost all social network sites. Therefore, these sites offer fertile grounds for disseminating damaging information regarding some people or organizations in the society.
In addition, the research established that most students learnt about pornography from messages forwarded to them by their peers and friends. Moreover, curiosity forced them to want to know more about such sites and this led to them being addicted to watching pornographic images and videos through these sites (Arruda 2007). The exchange of unhealthy information through social network sites has made them ineffective tools of facilitating learning in many institutions including King Saud University.
Moreover, these sites lead students to irrelevant information that is contrary to their academic requirements. This research identified pornography and drug abuse as major issues that limit students’ ability to conduct effective research through these social network sites. Advertisers of alcoholic drinks and items meant for pornography have found these sites very useful in marketing their products. Eventually, students find themselves engaging in immoral behavior as a result of following an advertiser’s message found on these sites (Allee 2002). Some students admitted to having tested beer as a result of the persuasive messages available on many social sites regarding some brands of alcoholic drinks.
It should be noted that whenever youths find such information on these sites they think the messages were intentionally posted for them to read. Therefore, they begin to develop desires to try and use the product being advertised. Finally, curiosity wins them over as they try to experiment on how they will feel after taking the drugs (Alamin 2012). With time they find themselves hooked to drugs or pornographic literature and influence others to follow suit. Therefore, these sites influence most behavior of youths and especially students in institutions of higher learning.
The fact that these sites do not have a limit as to what type of information people access makes them favorable grounds to propagate immoral behavior among youths. It should be taken into account that young adults will always seek sites that are entertaining and captivating.
In most cases these sites contain adult rated information that is unsuitable for many students still at universities or colleges. It was established that most students at King Saud University have at one time accessed these pornographic literature through these sites. Compared to libraries and bookstores that do not offer pornography literature to students these sites offer free entrance into pornography materials. The worst issue on these sites is that students have the ability to download such literature in their computers and laptops and later show them to their friends.
This has led to the prevalence of irrelevant discussions going on among users of these sites. However, it was established that the university administration has blocked access to these sites from the university cyber cafes and thus students are not able to access such sites from them (Abram 2012). Students admitted that this is an effort in futility since they are able to access such sites from many other cyber cafés located outside the university.
Students at King Saud University argued that despite the presence of many views and opinions from other users regarding events and occurrences, there has been an increase in case of confusions regarding time, participants and locations of major world events (Aaker 2010). Some people express their subjective opinions regarding issues that are of great importance to personality development in order to woe other people to follow their beliefs.
In some cases people post unsubstantiated remarks regarding public figures and this result to confusions and misinterpretations of information. Many students reported to have been misled by some posts that were purported to have been proven before being posted only to suffice as rumors and hearsay. In addition, it was established that it is very difficult for students to identify the truth in controversial issues due to multiplicity of interpretations from people.
These sites do not offer provisions for assessing credibility and accuracy of the information posted on them. Therefore, students at King Saud University are sometimes stranded regarding the correct interpretations of events and occurrences around them. When students conduct research using these sites they are usually confronted with a difficult task of isolating relevant information from rumors and hearsay. Therefore, they waste a lot of time trying to figure out which information to use in their research and which one to leave out.
Time management is a great challenge that most students at King Saud University have failed to observe. This is due to the fact that they are not able to control their use of these sites during their free time. It is obvious that people like doing what gives them pleasure and satisfaction. The fact that students are able to share information through these sites and chat with friends and strangers makes such sites very tempting to be visit as often as possible.
Many students admitted to having skipped classes due to the urge to continue chatting with friends on these sites. The fact that these sites do not limit how long a person visits them or the content of information being passed makes them very interesting to students. They admitted to having spent more than twenty hours chatting with friends, making new ones and reading comments from other people on these sites.
According to some lecturers from King Saud University the value of college and university education has been greatly compromised as students spend more time engaging in irrelevant discussions at the expense of their study times. It should be noted that surfing the internet is as addictive as engaging in drugs. Once the habit has found its roots in an individual it is very difficult to control it (Svinicki 2011). The fact that there is no one watching a student while surfing these sites makes them vulnerable to cyber addiction.
These sites enable students to share information with their teachers regarding various academic issues without booking appointments with their secretaries. Sometimes students and lecturers do not have to attend classes physically due to the provisions of video conferencing available on these sites (Smith 2008). Even though this is a great technological development aimed at reducing costs incurred in travelling to learning institutions it is a major setback to effective learning since the contact between teachers and their students is lost.
Some students confessed that attending online classes was equivalent to reading directly from textbooks and other academic materials. This is clear evidence that such provisions lower the value of teachers as essential organs of education and learning. Therefore, many students have found online education being a boring session due to lack of contact between them and their teachers.
Lecturers have also aired their grievances regarding the loss of contact between them and their students. It is very important that teachers and students meet once in a while to enable them to discuss some personal issues affecting their studies. However, these social sites have created a barrier between teachers and students at King Saud University and thus make the former to be perceived as voice machines rather than human beings. The research established that some students were not able to identify their teachers since they do not attend “physical” classes. This means that incase these students need recommendation letters from their teachers it becomes very difficult for them to describe such students effectively. Consequently, students have lost respect for their teachers and this lowers their academic performance at the university.
The researcher was able to discover that teachers have formed negative perceptions regarding some students due to the comments and postings on their personal accounts on these sites. It is evident that people learn the behavior of an individual through what the person speaks. Therefore, teachers and other students have always believed that students who post obscene comments on their walls are deviant while those who post meaningful comments are well behaved. However, their beliefs have always been proved wrong when they come to interact with the students. Therefore, the use of these social sites has influenced the perception of teachers by students and thus resulted in misjudgments.
The use of social network sites by students at King Saud University has led to cases of laziness among them. This is due to the fact that these sites offer all types of information they require for their university assignments. However, when it comes to the actual examinations they fail to raise the required pass marks as a result of being dependant on these sites for reference when given homework and other assignments.
In addition, this has lowered the value of teaching and education since students do not pay attention during lesson time knowing very well they will obtain the same information from social sites. Students no longer use their intelligence to work out questions given to them by their teachers but they rely on these social network sites to access relevant information regarding the tasks assigned to them.
Moreover, cases of cyber crimes have increased in the university due to continued use of social sites by students. This has been influenced by a number of factors within ad outside the university. The first observation was that many students forget to sign out their accounts after using these social sites.
When other students get such accounts they begin sending pornographic messages to all contacts listed in the account. Some go ahead and ask for money from the contacts available in the account pretending they are the owner of the account.
Similarly, other cyber criminals register as students of king Saud University and take that opportunity to cheat strangers regarding their intentions of becoming their lovers.
At the end of all these issues most students find themselves in compromising positions without knowing how the situation came to be. It should be noted that students’ carelessness is one of the major reasons as to why cyber crimes prevail among users of social network sites. The research further established that some students hack their classmates’ accounts and begin posting funny comments regarding their teachers and other students. This leads to conflicts among students and the staff as each of them tries to prove their innocence.
Cases of cheating in examinations and continuous assessment tests have increased courtesy of social network sites. These sites have made it possible for students to engage in examination irregularities and misconduct. The research established that students carry their internet enabled mobile phones to examination rooms and once the questions are distributed to them they begin to send them to their friends and ask them to help solve those questions. It is evident that these sites play a major role in enhancing copying of examination answers among students.
Lecturers confirmed that when marking examinations they found cases of similar wrong answers in many answer sheets and this is a clear indication of cheating by students. Consequently, such cases have been forwarded to the examinational disciplinary committee and all students involved have been suspended or expelled from the institution. The lucky ones have been forced to retake courses with penalties of being given an average grade regardless of the scores obtained during the examination.
In addition, students confirmed that their communication skills have deteriorated due to the use of social network sites. These sites do not require people to post comments that are grammatically correct but as long as the meaning of the comments can be deciphered there is no need to observe the rules of language and punctuation.
It is obvious that due to continued use of slang language in these social sites students have developed the habit of transferring this language to their class assignments. Moreover, students have failed to express their views correctly due to the belief that their teachers will make out the meanings of their answers. This has been a great setback to learning at King Saud University since teachers have to go back and start teaching their students basic communication skills.
Lecturers confirmed that while marking examinations they find it difficult to make out the meaning of various phrases used by students in answering questions (Vai 2011). This is due to the fact that students have got used to the use of slang language in communication on social sites and failed to avoid them while doing class assignments. The use of social network sites have contributed to cases of conflicts between students who have access to computers and those who rely on the university’s cyber café to offer internet services to them (Scott 2011). It was established that sometimes teachers are held up in meetings that are very necessary and therefore ask their students to check the university website for details of the topic that was to be covered.
This event discriminates against poor students who can not afford to buy computers or laptops. Buying a computer is not as cheap as some students and lecturers may seem to think and some families have other important issues like food and other bills to pay other than buying a computer for their children. Therefore, the use of these social sites by students creates a rift between students who have computers and those who do not have. Therefore, the research established the fact that even though these social sites are considered to be helpful to students in terms of offering relevant academic content to them they also play a major role in limiting the value of education in their future lives.
Research Summary
The use of social network sites has contributed positively to the development of various stages of learning. These social sites have promoted exchange of information among students and teachers. This has been made easier since social network sites are available to everyone who knows how to use a computer and the internet.
Coward students have been able to socialize with their class mates and interact freely with their teachers without feeling shy. These sites have given such students an opportunity to express their views without fear of being laughed at when they make mistakes. In addition, this has enabled them to be more confident and courageous and thus develop their interpersonal communication skills.
These sites enable students to access wide range of information from various regions of the world. They are able to conduct extensive research and come up with a variety of arguments gathered from these sites. These social network sites have promoted the value of education and accessibility to quality information.
Discussions on these sites are usually of relevance to most academic issues. This is due to the fact that the discussions cover various aspects of human life like politics, sports, economy and terrorism. Students are able to gather relevant information from these sites for self awareness and for use in building their class discussions.
The use of these sites has reduced the costs incurred in buying text books and other academic materials. It is evident that these sites are cheaper compared to buying text books. Therefore, students have been able to save a lot of money by visiting these social network sites. The money saved is used to purchase other important items like clothes, food and other personal items.
In addition, the use of these social sites has enabled students and teachers all over the world to save time that would have been wasted by travelling to various learning institutions. Social network sites have enabled students to enroll in distance learning and thus do not need to travel to the university to learn. Lecturers have had ample time to prepare their teaching materials effectively due to the possibility of giving lectures from the comfort of their offices.
These sites have promoted interactions between students from various institutions in the world. Teachers have also interacted with their students on a regular basis through the use of these social network sites. These interactions have contributed to effective learning as students and teachers are always in good terms.
The risks involved in carrying books and other academic materials are greatly reduced when students and teachers use social network sites. It is evident that most teachers and students misplace or lose important academic documents and books due to their carelessness or other unavoidable circumstances. However, these risks are eliminated when students and teachers use social network sites to share academic information.
These sites have enabled students to air their grievances to the administration without fear of being victimized. This has made it possible for the administration to identify issues that affect students learning. Therefore, it becomes very easy for the administration and students to engage in healthy discussions that lead to agreements. These sites have provided relevant avenues for negotiations between the administration and the students’ body.
Lastly, these social sites have enabled students to access information from the internet ant any time of the day or night (Treadaway 2009). These sites do not have specific time for opening or closing and anyone can access them from any region of the word at any time. In addition, they are available to everyone without any restrictions to their age or academic qualifications.
However, these sites have led to the exchange of irrelevant information among students at King Saud University. It is very evident that the presence of many discussions on these social sites increases chances of the presence of irrelevant information on the websites. Students find themselves exposed to irrelevant information at the expense of their study time.
These social sites contain many discussions that do not add any value to students. Unfortunately, these discussions usually take a great percentage of the time students spend in cyber cafes. This has encouraged drug abuse and premarital sex among many students who are not able to exercise self control.
The fact that there are many users of these social sites means that there are many perspectives regarding a single issue. While some opinions may contribute to general knowledge about an issue most comments are usually based on hearsay and do not have any concrete evidence to support them. Students become stranded when it comes to choosing the type of information to use in their academic presentations due to the presence of conflicting opinions in these sites. Moreover, addiction to these social sites is one of the major challenges facing learning in many institutions. Students are not able to plan on how they are going to use their free time effectively. Most students find themselves spending class time in cyber cafes due to the presence of exciting discussions going on in them. Consequently, many students find themselves missing classes while attending to various demands of these social sites. They register low grades at the end of every term due to continued absence from class courtesy of these social network sites. Overdependence on these social sites limits the levels of interactions between teachers and students. This has led to lose of contact between teachers and their students since class time is spent in cyber cafes reading notes posted by their lecturers. The standard of education in many learning institutions is compromised as education becomes a machine controlled process. This leads to unemployment among new graduates since they are not able to put into practice what they learnt at the university. Laziness has also been promoted among students who frequent social sites to seek academic materials (Star 2011). Despite the fact that these sites offer relevant academic materials for students’ assignments they should not be used as the first alternative by students. However, students do not do their own work before visiting these sites and this leads to laziness. It is evident that students wait until when their assignments are due before they rush to cyber cafes to download similar assignments. There are many cases of cheating among students who frequent these social sites since they exchange similar issues regarding the assignments before doing them. In addition, instead of students doing their own assignments they request for help from other students through these social sites. This means that any assignment shared will lead to cases of cheating that are heavily penalized by the university administration. Lastly, the use of social network sites favors those students who have money to purchase personal computers and laptops. This means that those students who do not have money to purchase computers have limited access to these sites. Therefore, these sites become irrelevant as far as effective learning is concerned.
Recommendations
Basing on the findings of this research the following recommendations will go along way in promoting learning activities at King Saud University. The university should offer relevant advice to students regarding the use of social network sites. This advice will enable students to decide what information to share with others and the amount of time to spend in cyber cafes. In addition, students should be taught the need to exercise self control and avoid falling prey to cyber crimes.
Conclusions
The use of social sites has become common in many learning institutions. Despite the many advantages associated with these sites people should exercise self control when surfing various social network sites. Students should ensure they use social sites to seek relevant academic materials and avoid wasting time in discussions that are contrary to their career expectations.
References
Aaker, J. (2010).The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective and Powerful Ways to use Social Media to Drive Social Change. New Jersey: Jossey-Base.
Abram, C. (2012). Facebook for Dummies. New York: Wiley.
Alamin, H. (2012). How to Create a Social Network: Benefit from Social Media. New York: Routledge.
Allee, V. (2002). The Future of Knowledge: Increasing Prosperity through Value Networks. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Arruda, W. (2007). Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand. New York: Wiley.
Bambina, A. D. (2007).Online Social Support: The Interplay of Social Networks and Computer Mediated Communication. New York: Cambia Press.
Boettcher, J. V. (2010).The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.
Breitbarth, W. (2011). The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick Start Your Business, Brand and Job Search. New York: Greenleaf Book Group LLC.
Brentford, C. (2011). The Moonlighter’s Guide to Online Writing for Immediate Income eBook. New York: Moonlighter Media.
Browning, J. (2010). The Lawyers Guide to Social Networking: Understanding Social Media Impacts on the Law. New York: West Aspatore.
Bucy, E. P. (2003). Media Access: Social and Psychological Dimensions of New Technology Use. New York: Routledge.
Cadenhead, R. (2002). How to use the Internet Effectively. New York: Que Publishers.
Chappell, P. (2009).The Blessings and Pitfalls of Social Networking. California: Striving Together Publications.
Clancy, E. (2002). A Nation Online: How Americans are expanding their use of the Internet. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Collier, M. (2009). Facebook and Twitter for Seniors for Dummies. New York: Wiley.
Conrad, R. M. (2011). Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instructions. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.
Deckers, E. (2011). Branding Yourself: How to use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself. New York: Wiley.
Donahue, G. A. (2011). Network Warrior. New York: O’ Reilly Media Press.
Engebretson, P. (2011).The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing: Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing. Rockland, M. A.: Syngress.
Finney, M. (2009).Taking Advantage of Social Networking to Land Your Perfect Job. New York: F. T. P. Press.
Gunter, S. (2010). Sam’s Teach Yourself Facebook in Ten Minutes. New York; Sam’s Publications.
Hall, S. (2009). Get Connected: The Social Networking Toolkit for Business. New York: Entrepreneur Press.
Halligan, B. (2009). Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media and Blogs. New York: Wiley.
Handley, A. (2010). Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs. New York: Wiley.
Kaputa, C. (2010) .You are a Brand: How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success. New York: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Kelsey, T. (2010). Social Networking Spaces: From Facebook to Twitter and everything. New York: Apress Publishing.
Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable Social Media. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Ko, S. (2010).Teaching Online: A Practical Guide. New York: Routledge.
Kraynak, J. (2010). The Complete Idiots Guide to Facebook. New York: Alpha Publishing.
Lehman, R. M. (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to ‘Be There’ for Distance Learning. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.
Mansfield, H. (2011). Social Media for Social Good: A How to Guide for Non Profits. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Magid, L. (2006). MySpace Unraveled: A Parents Guide to Teens Social Networking. California: Peachpit Press.
Marcus, M. (2011). The Online Researchers’ Resources for Creative Instructions. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.
Marshall, P. (2011). Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising: How to Access 600 Million Customers in 10 Minutes. New York: Entrepreneur Press.
Miller, G. (2010). Social Responsibility: Taking Advantage of Social Networking Tools. New York: Wiley.
Olifer, N. (2006). Computer Networks: Principles, Technologies and Protocols for Network Design. New York: Wiley.
Oliver, V. (2005). 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions. New York: Sourcebooks.
Porterfield, A. (2011). Facebook Marketing: All in One for Dummies. New York: Wiley.
Rath, T. (2007). Strenghfinder 2.0.New York: Gallup Press.
Salpeter, M. (2011). Social Networking for Career Success: Using Online Tools to Create a Personal Brand. New York: Learning Express Publishers.
Schatter, N. (2009).Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging and Maximizing LinkedIn. New York: Booksarge Publishing.
Schepp, D. (2009). How to Find a Job in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other Social Networks. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Scott, D. (2011). The New Rules of Internet Marketing and Public Relations. New York: Wiley.
Smith, R. M. (2008). Conquering the Content: A Step by Step Guide to Online Course Design. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.
Star, B. (2011). The Social Wave: Why Your Business is Wiping Out. New York: Entrepreneur Press.
Svinicki, M. (2011). Mokeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers. New York: Wadsworth Publishing.
Treadaway, C. (2009). Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. New York: Cybex Publishing.
Vai, M. (2011). Essentials of Online Course Design: A Standards Based Guide. New York: Routledge.
Walker, A. (2011).Web-Based Human Resources. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Weintraub, M. (2011). Killer Facebook Advertisements: Master Cutting-Edge Facebook Advertising Techniques. New York: Cybex Press.
Effects of Using Social Network Sites on Education at King Saud Univarsity
Questionaire
Name…………………………………………………………
Age……………………………………………………………..
Sex……………………………………………………………..
Course …………………………………………………………….
Department……………………………………………………..
Do you have access to a computer? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How often do you visit social network sites? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
What information do you seek? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What challenges do you face? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What are the advantages of using these sites? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What are the disadvantages of using these sites? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What steps do you think will help to make the use of these sites effective as far as learning is concerned? ……………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Would you prefer this site to a friend? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The Effects of Using Social Network Sites at King Saud University
Observation Form
Name of institution ………………………..…………………………………………………………………………..
Place where the research is being conducted at ………………………………………………………….………………………………………..
Sitting capacity …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Number of days the cyber café is opened per week …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Busy days …………….……………………………………………………………………………………..
Number of students/teachers present …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The average time taken to browse by an individual …………………………………………………………..……………………………………..
Duration of break taken by an individual ……………………………………………..………………………………………………….
Sites frequently visited ……………………….…………………………………………………………………………
Most popular site ……………………..……………………………………………………………………………..
Information being shared …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Money paid for browsing by each student/teacher ………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..
Frequency of students to the cyber café ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..