Presenters
Abstract
As the online world becomes the dominant means by which students communicate, it is imperative that a better understanding of how students are self-representing and communicating via online social networking sites (SNS) is developed, as they attempt to interact with their professors, collaborate with their academic peers, and attract potential employers. This research project uses semi-structured interviews, investigating the motivations and outcomes of College students who use SNS to engage with their course material and the people in their classes. I ask three research questions:
- Are students using SNS for their classes?
- Which SNS are students using?
- What type of information is being shared/exchanged?
This project seeks to understand the ideas that College students come to SNS with, how they represent themselves, how and what information is shared/exchanged, and how they talk about forming and developing relationships online. Findings reveal that racial and gender identifications, the privacy paradox (a theory that posits that people are concerned about their privacy, but their actions do not reflect this concern), and academic discipline impact how students engage with their course material and the people in their classes.