Social Media as an Educational Support for Studying

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an empirical study aimed at determining students’ attitudes toward social media as a digital tool in the process of studying. The research used a descriptive research method, and data collection was done using a specially constructed instrument – a rating scale. The research sample was intentional and consisted of 314 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš. The results of the study indicate that the majority of respondents express positive attitudes toward the use of social media during their studies. Namely, respondents recognize the potential of these tools for sharing and exchanging educational materials and are aware of their usefulness in supporting cooperative work, especially when it comes to solving tasks at the group level or collaborating on joint projects. Students perceive social media as a platform for active discussion with peers and teachers, as well as for solving academic challenges and problems. The study found no statistically significant differences in relation to independent research variables (years of study, study program, grade point average, length of presence on social media, frequency of access). It is concluded that further research into specific social media platforms is necessary to make a greater contribution to higher education.