The Informational Utilization of WhatsApp in Supporting the Educational Process: A Descriptive Study from the Perspective of Omar Al-Mukhtar University Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65421/jibas.v1i2.37Keywords:
Informational benefit, WhatsApp, Collaborative learning, technical skills, Omar Al-Mukhtar UniversityAbstract
The study aimed to identify the extent of the informational benefit from the WhatsApp application in supporting the educational process from the perspective of Omar Al-Mukhtar University students. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach and utilized a questionnaire consisting of (23) items, applied to a sample of (135) male and female students distributed across three departments: Library Science (32), Planning and Administration (70), and Media (33). This was done by monitoring the patterns of academic use of the application and identifying the most prominent obstacles limiting its effectiveness.
The results showed that the vast majority of the sample students own smartphones (93.9%). Participation in WhatsApp groups reached (90.2%), reflecting the students' readiness to use the application in an educational context. The results also indicated that (66.5%) of students use WhatsApp to exchange opinions and discuss lectures, and that (60.7%) rely on it to obtain educational process information, such as lecture schedules and exam dates.
The results indicated that (54.8%) of students exchange academic files via WhatsApp, while (75.6%) believe that multimedia contributes to facilitating the understanding of study content. Furthermore, (79.3%) of students reported that using WhatsApp contributed to developing their technical skills, and (75.5%) see it as supporting self-learning, while (60.8%) confirmed that its use increases their motivation to learn.
The results also showed that (88%) of students do not consider WhatsApp merely a chatting tool but rather an effective educational tool. Conversely, the study revealed some obstacles, represented by poor internet network, acknowledged by (88%) of students, in addition to the abundance of unimportant messages indicated by (54.7%), as well as the feeling of discomfort reported by (65.8%) due to the blending of personal and educational life.
The study concluded that the WhatsApp application is an effective informational medium in supporting the educational process and achieving informational benefit for students, provided its use is organized academically, the role of faculty members is activated, and the infrastructure of internet networks within the university environment is improved
