Utilization of social media platforms among information science students at university of Kabianga

Abstract

Social media has rapidly revolutionized the information and communication domain in the world. The applicability of social media in the academic sphere is occasioned by prospects and challenges. Consequently, it has created a bone of contention within the academic realm. The study therefore reviewed social media applications and their preferential utilization by university students in knowledge sharing. This study seeks to address the research problem; the university management has endeavored in connecting the institutions with the outside world through developing information communication and technological (ICT) infrastructures. However, little is known on how students use new media technologies for academic purposes. The study adopted a descriptive research design, where closed-ended questionnaires were distributed to the respondents. The respondents comprised of 103 students in the University of Kabianga, school of information science and knowledge management. The research revealed that students use social media majorly for entertainment purposes. Subsequently, it realized that the new media affect university students both positively and negatively but without authentic studies locally. It is hoped that this study will shade more light than darkness into the application of new media formats in learning at Kenyan universities. This will open new avenues of knowledge sharing and networking for maximum utilization of mined and captured information within the academic corridors.