This investigation of social media and quality control in teaching and research was done. The investigation used a survey methodology. Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was the site of the investigation. All of the lecturers at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education made up the study's population. The study included 100 lecturers as its sample. For the study, the mean and standard deviation were used. In order to gather data for the study, a structured questionnaire titled "Social media and quality assurance for teaching and research purposes" was utilized as the instrument. Simple random sampling procedures were also used. Test retest was applied to measure reliability of the instrument and 0.84 coefficient was obtained. Mean was the statistical tool used for the study. The study found that social media sites like twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are helping teachers and students communicate and share knowledge and also carrying out research. Also, the study found that some lecturers have more than 40 articles published online through the use of social media sites. Based on the conclusion, the researchers recommended that lecturers should encourage other lecturers to use social networking sites in their teaching and research publication. Furthermore, social networking sites should be encouraged so that more publications can be done using social media.
Keywords: Blended learning, E-learning, Information and communication technology, Quality assurance, Research, Social media, Teaching.
DOI: 10.55284/gjss.v8i2.716
Citation | Kasumu, Rebecca Oluwayimika; Idoghor, Uduak (2022). Social Media and Quality Assurance for Teaching and Research Purposes. Global Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 8(2): 48-55.
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Funding : This study received no specific financial support.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
History : Received: 4 August 2022 / Revised: 14 September 2022 / Accepted: 26 September 2022 / Published: 12 October 2022.
Publisher: Online Science Publishing
Highlights of this paper
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Social media enables better, quicker, and more continuous social connections amongst online users, students, gamers, professionals, or just regular individuals with similar interests. Social media has the unique ability to reunite people online with one another, allowing them to reconnect with old friends, neighbors, coworkers, or classmates.
The most common method for integrating new media into school is to add the aptitude and attitude that are most closely linked with it to the required skill set. Primary and secondary education still mostly include classroom instruction. Social media frequently discusses the personal circumstances and way of life of the student. Very few social media platforms have been set up to address the entire class of students. Typically, learning support systems like Blackboard and Moodle have staked claim to this purpose. These platforms are managed by the teacher or the school, and they are used to promote the course materials and to make announcements about major occasions like exams and final presentations. In order to provide the best results for kids and teenagers, the education system needs to develop its competence and ability, which quality assurance helps to do. Quality assurance aids in raising standards, expectations, and degrees of uniformity among teachers and schools through communicating, comprehending, and applying standards and expectations. In order to achieve cross-service and cross-sector cooperation on standards and expectations, it is crucial that a partnership and inter-establishment approach be utilized in the planning and coordination of professional development activities (Storey, Briggs, Jones, & Russel, 2020). Preschool facilities, primary, special, and secondary schools, services, and local authorities all have quality assurance in education as part of their daily operations. Staff members engage in a variety of activities to guarantee that high standards are upheld and outcomes for kids and teens are enhanced. These comprise monitoring, introspective assessment, and improvement planning. These quality assurance techniques also apply to assessment because it is a crucial component of learning, teaching, and the curriculum. Parental and other stakeholders can have faith in teachers' judgments and be certain that all students are making expected growth and receiving the proper acknowledgment for their accomplishments in accordance with agreed-upon national standards. Specific precautions are needed when assessing students for high stakes certification and qualifications in order to ensure fairness to all students and to inspire confidence in parents, colleges, universities, and businesses. For its qualifications, software quality assurance has a number of well-established quality assurance mechanisms in place. In order to assure the accuracy of information presented on development and accomplishments, rigorous and robust procedures will also be crucial as part of a broad general education, especially at times of transition (Roddy et al., 2017).
A learning process formed by interaction with digitally provided content, network-based services, and tutoring support is what Markus, Marker, and Timo (2019) defines as e-learning. It is a shift from traditional education or training to Information and communication technology based personalized, flexible, individual, self-organized, collaborative learning based on a community of learners, teachers, facilitators, and experts. E-learning is any technologically mediated learning using computers, whether from a distance or in a face-to-face classroom setting (computer assisted learning), (Zdrava, 2018). The incorporation of e-learning into education can spur a movement toward the application of adult learning theory, where educators will play a larger role as facilitators of learning and competency evaluators rather than primarily as information providers. E-learning is the practice of delivering a wide range of solutions that improve knowledge and performance using Internet technology (Akram & Bushra, 2020). It has been more frequent over the past ten years, but usage varies greatly between medical schools and seems to be more prevalent in fundamental science courses than in clinical clerkships. Web-based learning, online learning, dispersed learning, computer-assisted instruction, or Internet-based learning are additional names for e-learning. The two most popular e-learning methods in the past were distant learning and computer-assisted education. Information technologies are used in distance learning to send teaching from a central place to students who are in distant areas (Kim & Sei-Ching, 2015). Multimedia e-learning is found to improve teaching and learning by academics, administrators, and students. These benefits can be divided into two categories: learning delivery and learning augmentation. The most frequently mentioned benefit of e-learning is learning delivery, which includes easier access to information, standardization of content, tailored training, simplicity of distribution, and accountability. Accessibility means that a user can locate what they need, when they need it (Suman & Vardhan, 2014). It is imperative to provide access to educational resources because learning frequently happens on the fly. Compared to upgrading printed materials, updating electronic information is simpler and faster thanks to e-learning technologies. Learners may customize their experience to match their unique learning goals since they have control over the content, learning process, learning speed, time, and, frequently, the media (Shabnoor & Singh, 2021). Additionally, outcomes evaluation can be incorporated into e-learning designs to show whether learning has taken place (Manning, 2014).
Students frequently use the websites listed below for instructional purposes, but for the purposes of this study, the researcher will only highlight a select few:
Facebook, Twitter, Opera Mini, Skype, YouTube, Wiki, Google+, Moodle, WhatsApp, and YouTube. In recent years, the usage of social media and social networking for education and learning has skyrocketed (Williams & Adesope, 2017).
1.1. Statement of the Problem
These days, it seems like all we hear about are failing schools and failing teachers. Business, government, and economists have joined in, attacking educators, schools, and instructors while suggesting frequently simplistic, incorrect, or politically motivated solutions. We cannot overlook how socioeconomic class, family history, geographic location, and the resources available in schools affect learning and development. Every instructor will not be able to raise every student's performance to the average level despite their best efforts because doing so is both statistically impossible and practically impossible. Although life is not fair, the finest tools we have for overcoming obstacles are good teaching and good schools.
1.2. Aim and Objectives of the Study
The purpose of the study is to ascertain the effect of social media on quality assurance in teaching and research. Specifically, the study intends to:
1. To ascertain the effect of social media on quality of teaching and research.
2. To find out types of social media used for teaching and research.
3. To find out how social media can be applied in teaching and research.
4. To find out the usage of social media for teaching and research.
1.3. Research Question
1. What are the effects of social media on quality of teaching and research?
2. What are the types of social media used for teaching and Research?
3. How can social media be applied in teaching and Research?
4. What is the usage of social media for teaching and Research?
This study is a descriptive survey research designed to investigate social media and quality assurance for teaching and research purposes. The study is a survey research design. The population of the study comprises of all lecturers from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State, Port Harcourt. A sample of 100 lecturers was involved in the study from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State, Port Harcourt. 25 lecturers were randomly selected for the study from four faculties of the University. Simple Random sampling technique was applied in the selection process. A list of the various faculties of the school identified for the study includes: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Computer Science, Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Business Studies. The instrument used in this study to collect data from respondents is a structured questionnaire. The researcher's instrument was supplied to professionals in the field of educational technology to ensure validity. This was done to aid in the researcher's evaluation of the items' quality in relation to their clarity, ambiguity, and generality. The researcher's conviction that the instrument is acceptable and valid for the research came from their numerous remarks and evaluations. Twenty copies of the instrument were given to selected students on two separate occasions over the course of three weeks in order to test the instrument's reliability. In order to achieve the dependability co-efficient of 0.84, their responses were correlated. Utilizing mean and standard deviation, data were evaluated.
Research Question 1: What is your perception of social media on quality of teaching and research?
S/N |
Perception of social media on quality of teaching and research | Mean score |
Standard Deviation |
1 |
Social media has the potential of teaching and research | 3.44 |
0.49 |
2 |
It offers a new way to develop relationship between the students or learners and their institutions | 3.37 |
0.48 |
3 |
Growing emphasis on the students as an active partner in governance, curriculum design, quality enhancement and even in leading organizations | 3.43 |
0.49 |
4 |
Helps to create trusted relationships in an increasingly digital, distributed study environment | 3.37 |
0.48 |
5 |
Involving learners/students as partners in their study experiences | 3.40 |
0.49 |
6 |
Social media sites like twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are helping teachers and students communicate and share knowledge and also carrying out research | 3.69 |
0.46 |
| Overall Mean | 3.45 |
0.48 |
2.1. Data Presentation
Research Question 1: What is your perception of social media on quality of teaching and research?
According to Table 1, lecturers accepted the mean as their opinion of social media's potential for research and instruction. This is due to the fact that every item's mean was higher than the 2.50 criteria mean. As a result, the study discovered that social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest aid in research and information sharing among professors and students.
Research Question 2: What are the types of social media sites used for teaching and research?
According to Table 2, lecturers accepted the mean as their opinion of social media's potential for research and instruction. This is due to the fact that every item's mean was higher than the 2.50 criteria mean. As a result, the survey discovered that Google Classroom, Facebook, Twitter, Zoom, YouTube, LinkedIn, Schoology, Edmodo, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
Research question 3: How can social media be used in teaching and research?
According to Table 3, lecturers accepted the mean as their opinion of social media's potential for research and instruction. This is due to the fact that every item's mean was higher than the 2.50 criteria mean. Accordingly, the survey discovered that they utilize Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Classroom, and other social networking sites for both teaching and research.
Research Question 4: What is the usage of social media for teaching and research?
S/N |
Types of social media sites used for teaching and research | Mean Score |
Standard Deviation |
1. |
3.50 |
0.50 |
|
2. |
3.19 |
0.63 |
|
3. |
Zoom | 3.01 |
0.61 |
4. |
YouTube | 3.25 |
0.52 |
5. |
3.21 |
0.68 |
|
6. |
Schoology | 3.51 |
0.50 |
7. |
Edmodo | 3.41 |
0.51 |
8. |
Telegram | 2.56 |
0.92 |
9. |
3.22 |
0.76 |
|
10. |
Google Classroom | 3.43 |
0.57 |
| Overall Mean | 3.22 |
0.62 |
S/N |
Application of social media in teaching and research | Mean Score |
Standard Deviation |
1. |
I use social networking sites like YouTube, Zoom, Google classroom, Facebook etc for teaching my students and for research purposes | 3.67 |
0.47 |
2. |
Add on-line elements to course traditionally delivered face-to-face | 3.45 |
0.50 |
3. |
I use social networking sites as a virtual educational tool | 3.31 |
0.48 |
4. |
Enhance teaching with on-line supplementary activities, both remedial and extension | 3.40 |
0.49 |
5. |
Upload series of learning activities created in some authority software | 3.36 |
0.48 |
6. |
Post classroom blogs | 3.41 |
0.49 |
7. |
Create, conduct and grade quizzes using Moodle platform | 3.47 |
0.50 |
8. |
Set up a list of things for students to do before coming to a lesson through social networking sites | 3.50 |
0.50 |
9. |
Work collaboratively on a classroom wiki edited document and much more | 3.46 |
0.50 |
10. |
Assign, collect, review and upgrade assignment like Moodle Platforms | 3.44 |
0.49 |
11. |
Provide students with links to websites relevant to a course | 3.40 |
0.49 |
12. |
Engage students in a discussion forum | 3.40 |
0.49 |
13. |
Upload videos, audios and links relevant to a lesson | 3.39 |
0.49 |
14. |
Create or design lessons online for students to read | 3.36 |
0.48 |
15. |
Guide a real time discussion or chat | 3.39 |
0.49 |
| Overall Mean | 3.42 |
0.48 |
Table 4 showed that lecturers accepted the average as their understanding of social media's potential for research and teaching. This is due to the fact that every item's mean was higher than the 2.50 criteria mean. As a result, the survey discovered that some lecturers had more than 40 articles online that they have produced using social media platforms. Through social networking websites, they can also communicate with experts all around the world.
S/N |
Usage of social media for teaching and research | Mean Score |
Standard Deviation |
1. |
How many courses do you teach | 3.49 |
0.50 |
2 |
Have you improved the quality of your teaching materials since the last year | 3.51 |
0.50 |
3. |
I update my lessons regularly | 3.52 |
0.50 |
4. |
I plan and prioritize students lesson | 3.47 |
0.50 |
5. |
I introduce social media tools to my teaching/active learning in class | 3.48 |
0.50 |
6. |
I write Instructional objectives for every lesson since useful material are easy to find through social networking sites | 3.51 |
0.50 |
7. |
I have more than 40 articles published online through the use of social media sites | 3.96 |
0.17 |
8. |
Research is made easy for me with the use of social media | 3.41 |
0.49 |
9. |
I can access on-line journal to get useful materials for my teaching | 3.47 |
0.50 |
10. |
I connect with other professionals all over the world through social networking sites | 3.50 |
0.50 |
| Total Mean | 3.53 |
0.46 |
Research Question 1: What is your perception of social media on quality of teaching and research?
The study found that social media sites like twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are helping teachers and students communicate and share knowledge and also carrying out research. The result of the present study is in agreement with those of Seechaliao (2015) who found that majority of the lecturers had some experience using social media in higher education courses, mostly Facebook for teaching and research purposes
The study is also in agreement with those of Harisa (2016) who found that some lecturers used Facebooks, Internet and twitter for teaching and research purposes.
Research Question 2: What are the types of social media sites used for teaching and research?
The study found that Facebook, Twitter, Zoom, YouTube, LinkedIn, Schoology, Edmodo, Telegram, WhatsApp and Google Classroom. Therefore, the result of the present study is in agreement with those of Kuruva, Gouthami, and Vijaya (2019) who found that Facebook, twitter, blogs, YouTube, Instagram, Google Doc, LinkedIn, Myspace, Wikis used to experiment the social media technologies to stimulate collaboration, knowledge constructions and thinking skills.
The study is also in agreement with those of Michelle (2014) who found that lecturers teach and learn informally via the YouTube videos and Facebook postings with the information knowledge that extent beyond the boundaries of the textbook and the classroom.
Research Question 3: How can social media be applied in teaching and research?
The study found that lecturers use social networking sites like YouTube, Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Classroom and Facebook for teaching their students and for research purposes. The result is in agreement with those of Jamal and Nawab (2020) who found that online social media used for collaborative learning had significant impact on interactivity with peers, teachers and online knowledge sharing behaviour.
The findings of the study concur with those of Antoine, Marieke, and Myrthe (2019) who concluded that school boards need to recognise and recognize the purpose of social media and incorporate it into reform plans if they want to see education rejuvenate in the direction of digital teaching.
Research Question 4: What is the usage of social media for teaching and research?
The study found that some lecturers have more than 40 articles published online through the use of social media sites. They also connect with professionals all over the world through social networking sites. The study is agreement with those of Vikash (2013) who found that integrating social media in education system assist the process of curriculum delivery systems and extend learning environment to real world and to enrich teachers’ publications online.
The study is also in agreement with those of Waseem and Kumar (2018) who found that lecturers use Facebook, twitter, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, Reddit, snapchat, WhatsApp etc. for research and online publications.
The following conclusions were made by the researchers:
Based on the conclusions, the researchers recommend that:
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