How social network applications enhancing team project collaborations at home

Abstract

Team project collaboration is an important teaching and learning activity. Informal learning spaces are required to support such outside classrooms learning activity. There are increasing numbers of students who use virtual space platforms and social network applications (SNA) to support team project works at home. The objectives of this study were to understand how students used SNA to support team project works at home, how they learn about SNA, students’ views of pro and con of SNA, and how much students need any supports from higher education institutions on this matter.  This research used business students of a Bangkok private university as a case study. The results showed that though numerous advantages of SNA, students still valued face-to-face meetings in many phases of a team project. Students with higher cumulative grade point averages reflected higher proportions of needs for universities to teach them how to use SNA for team project collaboration at home than the lower cumulative grade point average students.        

Keywords: Higher education institutions; Home; Informal learning spaces; Social network applications; Virtual spaces