What leads to social learning? Students’ attitudes towards using social media applications in Omani higher education

Al-Qaysi, Noor; Mohamad-Nordin, Norhisham; Al-Emran, Mostafa

doi:10.1007/s10639-019-10074-6

Cited by 23 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The data in Table 2 revealed that EFL learners have positive attitudes toward the use of social media in language learning, which is in line with the previous research with regard to the use of social media in general (Akhiar, Mydin, & Kasuma, 2017;Aloraini, 2018;Al-Qaysi, Mohamad-Nordin, & Al-Emran, 2019;Bailey, Park, & Haji, 2017;Balbay, & Kilis, 2017;Eaton, 2010;Elia, 2006;Fewell, 2014;Fleck, Beckman, Sterns, & Hussey, 2014;Kabooha, & Elyas, 2018) and the use of social media during the pandemic (Cheung, 2021;Serhan, 2020;Suadi, 2021) in particular. Some learners believed that social media could help them develop their vocabulary knowledge (Al-Qaysi, Mohamad-Nordin, & Al-Emran, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Iranian EFL Learners' Attitudes Toward Language Learning Through Social Media During the Covid-19 Pandemic

2021

NMMC

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The current research aimed at exploring Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' attitudes and perceptions toward learning a language by means of social media during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. To do so, 850 participants were selected voluntarily based on inclusion criteria from 1000 language learners enrolling in the general English courses at some specific institutions and under some tutors. To collect the intended data, a researcher-made questionnaire, devised based on the available literature to scrutinize their attitude using 5-point Likert scale items, was administered by means of social media to the participants. Out of the collected questionnaires, 850 were included for the analysis in this research. The results revealed that EFL learners consider social media as a significant element of their learning a foreign language, especially throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings of the present research can pave the way for the inclusion of social media as an indispensable instrument of nurturing collaboration and communication among learners even after the pandemic eases.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Iranian EFL Learners' Attitudes Toward Language Learning Through Social Media During the Covid-19 Pandemic

2021

NMMC

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“…In addition, although participation in this study only required basic email skills, not all households in Oman have a broadband internet connection, making our sample less generalizable to the general public. Although it can be argued that most internet users are women [ 26 ], it is also worth noting that an overall stigma towards seeking mental health services is evident in Oman [ 27 ]. Furthermore, men may be less open to discussing emotional difficulties in Oman and in Eastern culture [ 28 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy of a Six-Week-Long Therapist-Guided Online Therapy Versus Self-help Internet-Based Therapy for COVID-19–Induced Anxiety and Depression: Open-label, Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial

Al‐Alawi¹,

McCall²,

Sultan³

et al. 2021

JMIR Ment Health

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a notable increase in psychological distress, globally. Oman is no exception to this, with several studies indicating high levels of anxiety and depression among the Omani public. There is a need for adaptive and effective interventions that aim to improve the elevated levels of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective This study aimed to comparatively assess the efficacy of therapist-guided online therapy with that of self-help, internet-based therapy focusing on COVID-19–induced symptoms of anxiety and depression among individuals living in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This was a 6-week-long pragmatic randomized controlled trial involving 60 participants who were recruited from a study sample surveyed for symptoms of anxiety or depression among the Omani public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the intervention group were allocated to receive 1 online session per week for 6 weeks from certified psychotherapists in Oman; these sessions were conducted in Arabic or English. The psychotherapists utilized cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy interventions. Participants in the control group received an automatic weekly newsletter via email containing self-help information and tips to cope with distress associated with COVID-19. The information mainly consisted of behavioral tips revolving around the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. The primary outcome was measured by comparing the change in the mean scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale from the baseline to the end of the study (ie, after 6 sessions) between the two groups. The secondary outcome was to compare the proportions of participants with depression and anxiety between the two groups. Results Data from 46 participants were analyzed (intervention group n=22, control group n=24). There was no statistical difference in the baseline characteristics between both groups. Analysis of covariance indicated a significant reduction in the GAD-7 scores (F1,43=7.307; P=.01) between the two groups after adjusting for baseline scores. GAD-7 scores of participants in the intervention group were considerably more reduced than those of participants in the control group (β=−3.27; P=.01). Moreover, a greater reduction in mean PHQ-9 scores was observed among participants in the intervention group (F1,43=8.298; P=.006) than those in the control group (β=−4.311; P=.006). Although the levels of anxiety and depression reduced in both study groups, the reduction was higher in the intervention group (P=.049) than in the control group (P=.02). Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence to support the efficacy of online therapy for improving the symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 crisis in Oman. Therapist-guided online therapy was found to be superior to self-help, internet-based therapy; however, both therapies could be considered as viable options. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04378257; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04378257

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“…The fast growth of social media networks into educational systems, as well as the provision of educational services via these platforms, has pushed researchers and educators to investigate how these technologies have changed the education system (Saini and Abraham, 2019). While there are some reservations about the use of social media applications in education, it is believed that they can help students improve their cognitive and writing skills as well as their training capacities (Al-Qaysi et al , 2020). By providing online lectures and allowing students to communicate with their lecturers and classmates to gain and share information efficiently, social media has changed the educational environment (Al-Qaysi et al , 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social media usage and academic performance from a cognitive loading perspective

Hameed

Haq

Khan

et al. 2022

OTH

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Purpose Social media has shown a substantial influence on the daily lives of students, mainly due to the overuse of smartphones. Students use social media both for academic and non-academic purposes. Due to an increase in the usage of social media, academicians are now confronting pedagogical issues, and the question arises as to whether the use of social media affects students’ performance or not. Considering this, this study aims to examine the role of social media usage on students’ academic performance in the light of cognitive load theory. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative research approach, 220 valid responses were received through an e-survey administered to university students. The proposed claims were tested through structural equation modeling using AMOS version 24. Findings Findings revealed that social media usage for non-academic purposes harmed students’ academic performance. Additionally, social media usage for academic purposes and social media multitasking did not affect students’ academic performance. Most importantly, social media self-control failure moderates the relationship between “social media usage for non-academic purposes” and students’ academic performance. Practical implications The findings of the study can be used by the academic policymakers of institutions and regulatory bodies. Originality/value The study suggests that teachers not only rely on using social media as a learning tool but also concentrate on improving student self-control over the use of social media through various traditional and non-traditional activities, such as online readings, group discussions, roleplays and classroom presentations.

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What leads to social learning? Students’ attitudes towards using social media applications in Omani higher education

Cited by 23 publications

References 21 publications

Iranian EFL Learners' Attitudes Toward Language Learning Through Social Media During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Iranian EFL Learners' Attitudes Toward Language Learning Through Social Media During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Efficacy of a Six-Week-Long Therapist-Guided Online Therapy Versus Self-help Internet-Based Therapy for COVID-19–Induced Anxiety and Depression: Open-label, Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial

Social media usage and academic performance from a cognitive loading perspective

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