Abstract:

In recent years, due to the rise of technology and social networks, interest on virtual communities has increased. According to the literature, typical social processes of physical communities were identified in them (e.g. giving support, emotional connection, norms development). In this sense, it has been found that participation in virtual communities occurs for hedonic reasons, help, sharing knowledge or socialization. In educational context, virtual communities have also emerged, specifically academic groups that are informally created by the students as an e-learning tool that facilitates collaborative learning, communication, organization and increases motivation among students. Thus, this work aims to study virtual academic groups in university students and their influence on academic performance and satisfaction.

A total of 955 students from seven Spanish universities participated in the study (21.0% men, 78.6% women and 0.4% non-binary), aged between 17 and 55 years (M = 21.60; SD = 3.39). Data were collected from 2016 to 2021. For this purpose, an ad hoc questionnaire was designed,in which participants were asked about their average grade in the degree, their general satisfaction with the degree (grading scale 1-10), whether they participated in virtual academic groups and the reasons for participating or leaving these groups (open response format). The open response questions were coded in a post hoc methodical categorical system, created specifically for this study including exhaustive categories, with mutual exclusion between them, homogeneous, objective, reliable, productive and relevant.

The results report a significant relationship between participation in virtual academic communities and general satisfaction with the degree, such that participants tend to be more satisfied. However, no significant relationships were found between presence in virtual academic communities and average grade. On the other hand, the main reasons that led students to participate in virtual academic communities were the obtaining of information, the organization of academic aspects and social relationships. Finally, the abandonment of these groups was mainly motivated because the academic reason for the group´s creating had ended, the lack of usefulness and the excess of irrelevant messages.

It can be concluded that participation in virtual academic communities has an important influence in academic satisfaction, as well as being a source of support, social connection and information for students. In this sense, participation in virtual groups can contribute to increase the sense of belonging and integration, which can also influence in students’ satisfaction with the degree. Nevertheless, there is a risk, as these groups should never lose their academic purpose and become excessively informal, because it can lead students to give up it.

Keywords:

Virtual communities, academic communities, academic satisfaction, socialization.