Author: Agarwal, Ankita
Publication Year: 2023
Keywords: Usage Pattern of WhatsApp,Students of Selected Universities in Assam
Abstract: The study "Usage Patterns of WhatsApp among the students of selected University in Assam" dwelt on the contribution and interference of social media in the behaviour of its users. This study is conducted in the four universities of Assam i.e., The Assam Royal Global University (RGU), Assam University (AU), Dibrugarh University (DU), and Tezpur University (TU).
There has been a shift in the way of communication among human beings. Face-to-face communication is diminishing while text-based communication is increasing. A medium's richness is based on the possibility of reducing equivocality and uncertainty of the transmitted information as stated in the Media Richness Theory (Information Richness Theory) developed by Richard L. Daft and Robert H. Lengel (1986). The richness of the medium depends on the duration of feedback, the capability of carrying cues, language, and personal focus. This reduces the chances of misinterpretation of the message shared on WhatsApp by university students because of the uncertainty of the information received.
The impact of social media on higher academic platforms is tremendous. The proliferation of social media platforms needs to be pondered upon and studied. Internet is felicitating opportunities to higher educational institutes which are exciting to explore and make use of. The whole discourse of the flip classroom took off due to the enlightenment of new media tools in academia. Platforms like WhatsApp, Google Classroom, Zoom Meet, and WebEx have taken a center stage during the series of the covid-19 pandemic. This study intervenes in the usage patterns of WhatsApp amongst the students pursuing their higher studies in various areas of their interest and churns the rationale behind the effective uses of WhatsApp in their daily lives.
The study focuses on the usage pattern of WhatsApp among the University students of Assam. The duration of using the application, the behavioural changes observed by the students, the inclusion of WhatsApp in formal teaching-learning practices, and the influence of WhatsApp upon the students were studied. The researcher designed a close-ended questionnaire for the University students and 600 valid data was accepted for the study. The statistical tools, frequency distribution, Cross tabulation, and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data.
The academic performance of the students is being affected by the introduction of social media platforms. This effect is both positive and negative. Students are persuaded by the ideology of the University through the teachings and their peers. There have been a lot of studies researching the addiction and behavior of people in relation to social media usage. There is a need to educate the students about the good and evil effects of ICT, specifically WhatsApp. The study found WhatsApp to be used by the majority of students for more than two hours a day. There is a significant relationship between the University and the time spent accessing WhatsApp by the students, the behavioral changes of the students, and the students expressing opinions freely over WhatsApp. The medium is a reliable resource for education. Constructive usage of WhatsApp in academic practices will benefit the students. The features of WhatsApp may be used to make the learning process easy and full of fun.
WhatsApp is a user-friendly application, used by students for exchanging messages, video calling, and sharing files, and is beneficial for learners. The students are being empowered because of WhatsApp as they are able to avoid the hierarchy process of communication through group chats. The present study reveals that learning has become more convenient and easier for students because of WhatsApp. Students rely on WhatsApp for academic purposes. Whereas students are skeptical about the authenticity of the information received from the application. This implies, that students are rationally using the application and are just not accepting any information being shared on the application.
The researcher suggests the inclusion of WhatsApp in the formal process of teaching-learning practices in universities. Strict rules and regulations shall be framed on the usage of WhatsApp during class hours, and encourage critical thinking among students in relation to the mode of communication one selects.
Keywords: Communication, Pattern, Social Media, University students, WhatsApp
Guide: Singh, N Rohinkanta and Sonowal, Rupa Rani
University: The Assam Royal Global University
Shodh Ganga Link: View Thesis
Category: Social Media
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