Perceptions of Social Media Impact on Social Behavior of Students: A Comparison between Arts and Science Faculty

K. Hashim ^{1 *}, L. Al-Sharqi ¹, I. Kutbi ¹

Abstract

Social media is now a pervasive element impacting the social and cultural fabric of our society. It has revolutionized the way we communicate, interact and socialize. This study investigates differences and similarities of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) Arts and Science instructors’ perceptions of social media impact on social behavior of students. Data were collected using a specially designed survey during the academic year 2013/2014. The sample size was 507 instructors of different ages and genders representing Arts and Science colleges. Research outcome indicates that instructors are familiar with and are immersed in social media use. Findings support the advantages of social media use on students’ social behavior and do not indicate any obvious disadvantages. Survey results also highlight affinities for various social media tools and purposes of use between the two groups. The findings include identification of college discipline-based dominant views pertaining to advantages and disadvantages of social media on social behavior of students. These findings can help in providing solutions to mitigate concerns relating to the use of social media.

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