Effectiveness of Customer Social Participation for Academic Purposes: A Case of Informal WhatsApp Groups

Autor/inn/en	Lakmali, A. A. I.; Abeysekera, Nalin; Silva, D. A. C. Suranga
Titel	Effectiveness of Customer Social Participation for Academic Purposes: A Case of Informal WhatsApp Groups
Quelle	In: Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 16 (2021) 3, S.326-343 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2414-6994
DOI	10.1108/AAOUJ-08-2021-0093
Schlagwörter	Participation; Social Media; Groups; Undergraduate Students; Foreign Countries; Open Education; Technology Uses in Education; Student Attitudes; Computer Mediated Communication; Program Effectiveness; Sri Lanka + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teilnahme; Soziale Medien; Ausland; Offene Erziehung; Offener Unterricht; Technology enhanced learning; Technology aided learning; Technologieunterstütztes Lernen; Schülerverhalten; Computerkonferenz; Ceylon
Abstract	Purpose: Customer social participation (CSP) is a new phenomenon that has emerged with the evolution of social media. Current literature designates customer participation in social media as "CSP". Although CSP has been investigated in the online brand community context in social media, it has been little investigated in the context of student customers using WhatsApp -- a highly trending social media platform among learners. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of CSP in informal WhatsApp groups for academic purposes among undergraduate students of management studies. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a single cross-sectional survey design. A structured online questionnaire was employed. Using convenience sampling technique, data were collected from 170 undergraduates of the Bachelor of Management Studies programme at the Open University of Sri Lanka. Findings: The results revealed significant positive effects of functional, social and hedonic benefits with CSP. Meanwhile, the relationship between psychological benefits and CSP was insignificant. Furthermore, there is no influence of age and level of study on CSP among the learners in informal WhatsApp groups. Moreover, at present, the level of CSP in WhatsApp for academic purposes among students is moderate. Originality/value: The role of the student as the customer and student behaviour in informal WhatsApp groups established for academic purposes have been little investigated in the field of open and distance education services. In this context, this study empirically validated the model of participation benefits and CSP in WhatsApp groups informally established for academic purposes. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01