Knowledge Sharing among Students in Social Media: The Mediating Role of Family and Technology Supports in the Academic Development Nexus in an Emerging Country

Abstract

Social networking has opened up new avenues for learning and knowledge sharing. Because of its document exchange, virtual communication, and knowledge production capabilities, social media is a helpful tool for learning and teaching. This research embraces multiple goals. First, this study examines Bangladeshi university students’ social value, communication and collaboration, trust, and the perceived benefits of knowledge sharing through social media in academic advancement. The second goal is to examine how families and technology support mediate those aspects of social media knowledge sharing with student academic development. This study uses the Technology Acceptance Model and Social Exchange Theory as an example of how knowledge sharing through social media with the help of family and technology impacts academic progress among Bangladeshi university students. This paper uses PLS-SEM on the survey data from 737 Bangladeshi students to test the model with the help of SmartPLS 4. Social value, communication and collaboration, trust, and the perceived benefits of sharing knowledge through social media significantly enhance Bangladeshi students’ academic growth. In the case of mediation, family and technological support mediate the relationship between communication and collaboration, trust, perceived benefits and academic development. However, there is no mediation between the social value of knowledge sharing in social media and students’ academic development. The article concludes with implications, limitations, and future research.

Social Media Influence on Students’ Knowledge Sharing and Learning: An Empirical Study

“…According to Kirschner [33], student engagement utilizes different instructor-focused communication with the participatory student-focused teaching style, increases exam scores, and fosters students' enthusiasm and drive in learning [34][35][36]. A recent study in Bangladesh showed a connection between students use of social media and platforms to share their knowledge and students' overall development [37]. The utilization of social media platforms has also been linked to favorable student engagement experiences, according to published research (e.g., (Lockyer and Patterson [38]; Baird and Fisher [39]).…”

Exploring Motivations and Trust Mechanisms in Knowledge Sharing: The Moderating Role of Social Alienation

“…It postulates that individuals tend to act in their own self-interest, calculating benefits and sacrifices in interpersonal exchange activities [19]. This theory underscores the idea that social behavior often involves two parties seeking to maximize benefits while minimizing costs [20]. Previous research has demonstrated that various resources, such as economic resources, socioemotional resources [21], and trust resources, play significant roles in interpersonal exchange, ultimately influencing engagement and knowledge sharing in online communities [22].…”

“…In essence, people can be motivated by factors such as rewards, reciprocity, expectations, costs, and resources, depending on the specific conditions of the exchange [18]. For example, suppliers' anticipation of future dependence can drive relational and learning motives, thereby encouraging knowledge sharing [23] Perceived benefits of sharing knowledge through social media significantly enhance students' academic growth [20]. Therefore, in the context of knowledge sharing within organizations, professional-cultural knowledge sharing is influenced by different exchange modes, including negotiated exchange, reciprocal exchange, generalized exchange, and productive exchange [24].…”

“…Given employees' needs for knowledge sharing, transfer, communication, and acquisition, emerging business intelligence technologies based on social media have influenced knowledge sharing by providing monitoring and listening capabilities that keep organization members updated with the latest conversations and trends [39]. Haque, A. et al [20] have also argued that social media's technological support is closely linked to the development of an individual's career and personal skills. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed: H8.…”