Experiences of students and faculty members about using virtual social networks in education: A qualitative content analysis

DEHGHANI, ALI; KOJURI, JAVAD; DEHGHANI, MOHAMMAD REZA; KESHAVARZI, ABDOLKHALEGH; NAJAFIPOUR, SEDIGHEH

doi:10.30476/jamp.2019.44712

Experiences of students and faculty members about using virtual social networks in education: A qualitative content analysis

Authors

ALI DEHGHANI ¹

JAVAD KOJURI ²

MOHAMMAD REZA DEHGHANI ³

ABDOLKHALEGH KESHAVARZI ⁴

SEDIGHEH NAJAFIPOUR ⁵

¹ 1Department of Nursing, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran; 2Department of Medical Education, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;

² Clinical education research center, Education Development Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

³ Education Development and Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

⁴ General Surgery Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

⁵ Department of Medical Education, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30476/jamp.2019.44712

Abstract

Introduction: Virtual social networks are increasingly beingused by academics and students in health sciences. It is necessaryto examine opportunities and challenges of these networks basedon the views of faculty and students to describe the existingsituation and planning for proper use. The purpose of this studywas to explore the experiences of students and faculty membersabout opportunities and challenges of using virtual socialnetworks in education.
Methods: In this qualitative content analysis study, twentytwosemi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 facultymembers and 14 students at Jahrom Universities of MedicalSciences. Participants were selected by purposive sampling.To analyze the data, an inductive content analysis method wasused. The rigor of qualitative data was checked, using Guba andLincoln’s criteria.
Results: Five main categories were extracted from the dataas opportunities for using virtual networks in educationincluding improving communication skills; promoting learning;strengthening and facilitating learning of clinical procedures;creating research questions; and educating patients. Four maincategories were also derived as challenges of using virtualnetworks in education including accuracy and validity ofinformation; security and privacy; proper contextualization andculture-building; and control and monitor on virtual networks.
Conclusion: According to the results, unique opportunities andchallenges were explored regarding using virtual networks ineducation. These opportunities and challenges and finding waysto obviate challenges and converting it to the opportunities canlead to effective virtual learning, particularly in students whomainly use this method of education, and consequently increasethe quality of learning.

Keywords

Social network

Education

Students

Faculty

Qualitative research

Luna-Cortes G, Lopez-Bonilla JM, Lopez-Bonilla LM. Self-Congruity, Social Value, and the Use of Virtual Social Networks by Generation Y Travelers. Journal of Travel Research 2018:0047287518755502.
Abbasi Shavazi MT, Homayoon P. Social media and social relationship: A study of relationship between new communication technologies and social isolation. J Cultural Students and Communication 2014; 10 (36): 43-66.
Beigzadeh A, Kohan S, Yamani N, Rezaei H. Perception of Graduate Students Regarding the Use of Social Networks in Education: A Qualitative Research. Strides Dev Med Educ 2016; 13 (3):220-234
Escobar-Rodrguez T, Carvajal-Trujillo E, Monge-Lozano P. Factors that influence the perceived advantages and relevance of Facebook as a learning tool: An extension of the UTAUT. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 2014; 30(2). 136 â 150.
Erfanian M, Javadinia SA, Abedini M, Bijari B. Iranian students and social networking sites: Prevalence and pattern of usage. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 2013; 83:44-6.
Borhani F, Vatanparast M, Abbaszadeh A, Seyfadini R. The effect of training in virtual environment on nursing students attitudes toward virtual learning and its relationship with learning style. Iranian Journal of Medical Education 2012; 12 (7):508-17.
Yu S, Yang KF. Attitudes toward web-based distance learning among public health nurses in Taiwan: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2006; 43(6):767-74.
Virtual Networks and Students: Opportunities, Threats and Solutions. Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science 2014 â 2015.
Dehghani A, Dehghani nayeri N, Ebadi A. Features of Coping with Disease in Iranian Multiple Sclerosis Patients: a Qualitative Study. Journal of Caring Sciences 2018; 7 (1): 35 â 40. doi:10.15171/jcs.2018.006
Graneheim UH, Lundman B. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Educ Today 2004; 24 (2): 105-12. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2003.10.001.
Dennison L, Morrison L, Conway G, Yardley L. Opportunities and challenges for smartphone applications in supporting health behavior change: qualitative study. Journal of medical Internet research 2013; 15(4). 86. doi: 10.2196/jmir.2583.
Greenhow C, Lewin C. Social media and education: reconceptualizing the boundaries of formal and informal learning. Learning, media and technology 2016; 41(1):6-30.
Blazer C. Social networking in schools: benefits and risks; review of the research; policy concideration and current practices. Florida: Reports â Evaluative; 2012; 11(2): 1-23.
Al-rahmi WM, Othman MS, Yusof LM, Musa MA. Using social media as a tool for improving academic performance through collaborative learning in Malaysian higher education. Review of European Studies 2015; 7(3):265.
Al-Rahmi W, Othman MS, Yusuf LM. The role of social media for collaborative learning to improve academic performance of students and researchers in Malaysian higher education. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. 2015:16(4). 177 â 204.
Grajales III FJ, Sheps S, Ho K, Novak-Lauscher H, Eysenbach G. Social media: a review and tutorial of applications in medicine and health care. Journal of medical Internet research. 2014:16(2). Doi: 10.2196/jmir.2912
Sarrafzadeh M, Alavi S. The state of online social networking among library and information sciences students. J Human Information Interaction 2014; 1(1): 44-56.
Rutter R, Roper S, Lettice F. Social media interaction, the university brand and recruitment performance. Journal of Business Research 2016; 69(8):3096-104.
Lau WW. Effects of social media usage and social media multitasking on the academic performance of university students. Computers in human behavior 2017; 68: 286-91.
Jones N, Blackey H, Fitzgibbon K, Chew E. Get out of MySpace! Computers & Education 2010; 54 (3): 776-82.
Scott KS, Sorokti KH, Merrell JD. Learning âbeyond the classroomâ within an enterprise social network system. The Internet and Higher Education 2016; 29: 75-90.