| Student use of Facebook is burgeoning, but there are limited recommendations for universities to effectively integrate Facebook (Fb) in their curriculum. Drawing from Enactivism theory, this study evaluated higher education students' perceptions of the relevance of Fb to academics, how it facilitates student-faculty interaction and dissemination of educational information. The research tested for gender differences and associations linking Fb use, communication with professors, and grade point average. The exploratory correlational design was used to survey 283 Fb members who were currently students enrolled in higher education through an intentional snowball sampling technique. Descriptive analysis was used to reveal that Fb members generally did not perceive Fb as a useful or important factor in achieving their academic goals, did not desire Fb contact from their professor, or did not believe Fb should be integrated into the educational process. Pearson correlational analyses were employed to document a significant but small negative association between general Fb use and GPA and significant positive links connecting general Fb use, use of Fb for education, perceived importance, and need for Fb integration. ANOVA analyses were used to demonstrate no significant gender differences in general Fb use; however males used Fb significantly more than females for educational purposes. These findings lead to the conclusion that higher education institutions will need to monitor the importance of Fb as its use continually evolves within specific student populations. This study can contribute to positive social by providing empirical evidence to inform planning for specific applications in curriculum, student community building or extra-curricular activities. |
