The impact of online social networking on learning: a social integration perspective

Abstract

Relying on social integration theory, this paper develops a conceptual model to explain how college students’ online social networking (i.e., using Facebook) influences their social and academic social integration, and learning outcomes. Several rounds of focus group discussions were conducted to explore college students’ current online social networking experience and their attitude toward using Facebook for education. Our findings indicate that students’ online social networking is straightforwardly influential to their social learning, while its influence on the academic learning might be realised through a gradual and longitudinal process.