The use of WeChat in higher education: Investigation of Chinese students in Australia

Abstract

With the increasing popularity of social technologies, many Chinese students use WeChat for their studies in Australia. However, there have been limited studies about how students effectively use WeChat for their academic activities and the impacts on students' academic achievements. Therefore, this study focuses on the relationship between WeChat usage and academic activities of university students in Australia. Using a modified Delphi technique, we conducted three online focus groups of 16 university students who had an experience of WeChat. A thematic analysis revealed that the usage of WeChat could impact their academic performance, and many international students had challenges to be familiarised with a new digital environment in Australia. The findings contribute to much clear understanding of how students utilise WeChat for academic activities to provide a better usage of social media for university students.