How and why college students use Web 2.0 applications: the role of social media in formal and informal learning Online publication date: Thu, 30-Jan-2014
by Sun Joo Yoo; Sooyoung Kim
International Journal of Web Based Communities (IJWBC), Vol. 9, No. 2, 2013
Abstract: College students frequently use Web 2.0 applications or social media such as blogs, Facebook, and YouTube. Non-classroom-based, unstructured, informal learning is believed to be as important as formal learning in school settings. The purpose of our exploratory study is to explain how and why college students use Web 2.0 applications and to explore the potential impact of social media on students' formal and informal learning. A quantitative survey was used to collect data from students in a cyber-university in South Korea. A total of 316 students voluntarily participated in the survey. The results showed that students use Web 2.0 applications for fostering both formal and informal learning. In particular, students are using the online community for their formal learning while using instant messenger and social networking tools for their informal learning. Future research is needed to investigate what aspects of Web 2.0 applications contribute to formal and informal learning.
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