Communication
Latest communication and technological developments facilitated communication industry. Innovation and new inventions created new dimensions in the communication world. Social media is a dynamic form of communication in today’s world. Social media is a set of websites collected along with their services and practices to support participation, exchange, and sharing etcetera among its users, giving birth to communities. Social media especially Facebook, Twitter, MySpace etcetera have become an integral part among the young generations (Junco & Mastrodicasa 2007). Most of the high school and college students use social media to connect and share with their friends.
Significance
However, the frequency of utilizing the social media varies between high school and college students. The main purpose of this research is to study the differences in usage of social media between the high school and the college students. The study would be helpful to know the practices of its usage by the both groups. The study will also help us to understand the importance and effects of social media communication on the students.
Review of literature
Many studies were reviewed for the purpose of this study. According to Boyd and Ellison (2007) social networking allows its users to create their own identity by developing personal profiles and connect with other friends to share and post ideas and messages. It is a web-based service. Baym, Zhang, and Lin (2004) found that most unlike high school students, most college students prefer email to connect and contact with their friends followed by chat and instant-messaging. Social networking sites engage students in instant sharing, posting and exchange of ideas. Raacke and Bonds-Raacke (2008) utilized the uses and gratifications to study the use of social networking websites by college students -‘why they use them.’
Social networking sites like Facebook has facilitated cultural learning of ‘being’ a student through online interactions (Selwyn, 2007). Now-a-days, universities and colleges develop social media websites to facilitate the connections among students, professors, teachers and other staff (kaya, 2010). Also younger students use social media more frequently than the old ones (Pempek et al., 2009).
Research question
Research Method
The study can be productive with any research method. But, I would like to apply survey method. Its application would help to address the basic research need (Groves, 1989). This method would likely make the collection of data much easy and comfortable. Questionnaires, interviews and non-response follow up techniques would be used for the data collection. However, the questionnaires and interviews would provide me with enough data to do a dependable study of the college students regarding their study habits. It would also be helpful to know the main purposes for which the students use this media.
Also, hypothesis can be tested like
The high school students spend more time on Facebook than college students.
Conclusion
Social media usage is expanding beyond geographic barriers. Its users are increasing with every passing day, adding more information to these online platforms. Most of its users are the young students from around the world. Although its usage depends on many aspects like geographic location, digital divide, gender etcetera. However, its usage also varies in the student community. High school students more often utilize social media more than the college students.
References
Baym, N. K., Zhang, Y. B., & Lin, M. (2004). Social interactions across media. New Media &Society, 6(3), 299-318. doi: 10.1177/1461444804041438
Boyd, D.M. & Ellison, N.B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship.Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, 13, 210-230. doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x
Junco R. & Mastrodicasa J. (2007) Connecting to the Net. Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know about Today’s Students. NASPA,Washington, DC.
Kaya, T. (September 29, 2010). “CUNY social network mixes scholarship with Facebookstyle friendship.” Chronicle of Higher Education. (Retrieved November 1, 2010 from) http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/cuny-social-network-mixes-scholarshipwith-facebook-style-friendship/27266
Raacke, J. & Bonds-Raacke, J. (2008). MySpace and Facebook: Applying the uses and gratifications theory to exploring friend-networking sites. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11(2), 169-174.
Selwyn, N. (2007). Web 2.0 applications as alternative environments for informal learning — A critical review. OECD CERI- KERIS International expert meeting on ICT and educational performance. Cheju Island, South Korea: Organization for Economic Co- Operation and Development.
Pempek, T. A., Yermolayeva, Y. A., & Calvert, S. L. (2009). College students' social networking experiences on facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(3), 227-238. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.010
Groves, R. M. (1989) Survey Errors and Survey Costs, New York: John Wiley and Sons.
