USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING AS AN E-LEARNING PLATFORM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Social networking has become increasingly popular in providing unprecedented services using platforms that facilitate sharing interests, activities, ideas and events with ease of use. Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are frequently used by the students throughout the world. The goal of this research is to investigate the perceptions of students regarding adoption of social networks as a platform for e-learning. The research is based upon data collected through a questionnaire from the undergraduate students of the department of computer science of the Air University Islamabad Pakistan, and explores the attitudes of students towards the academic use of social networking sites (SNSs), skills required to effectively use SNSs, and effect of their study programs on their perception towards e-learning in particular and the use of SNSs in the present learning system.

The results of this study show that the learners:
(a) readily consider suitable and accept the use of social networking in education,
(b) possess enough skills to undertake learning through social networking tools
(c) agree that these tools help increase interactivity and allow personalizing the learning experiences.

The research outcomes will help to shape up the use of SNSs in the academic context and will assist in devising appropriate strategies and policies that provide enhanced learning beyond the traditional classroom and supports education using the current technological trends.