Anireh, Uchenna N.
Amadi, Eleanor A.
&
Nwobike, Aruchi
Department of Business Education,
Rivers State University of Science And
Technology, Nkpolu-oroworukwo, Port Harcourt.
Abstract.
The wide use of social media in institutions of higher learning and its e-learning potentials of the technology are making educators to look at models social network model to be used to support and improve educational practice for human capacity building. This study examines the use of WhatsApp instant messaging media for learning, support and building research collaboration among two universities in Rivers State; namely, Rivers State University (RSU) and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE). To represent sub-regional Africa. This model is designed to be used by distant learning communities or groups and therefore could be deployed across West African Sub-regions. The study adopted descriptive survey method, using questionnaire to elicit responses from 100 randomly sampled respondents, 50 from each university. Questionnaire instrument titled ?WhatsApp an Innovative Research Support Tool for Collaboration in Higher Institutions? (WIRSTCHI) was used for data collection. The instrument validated and test for reliability was conducted using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient with an index of 0.84. Mean and Standard Deviation was used to analyze the data obtained from the respondents while hypotheses were tested with z-test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that WhatsApp if well modeled could provide innovative research support tools among institutions of higher learning and enhance learning efforts across West African Sub-region. Recommendations were made, that suggested among other things the development of different usable models and creating awareness on when and where to use them for greater effectiveness.
Keywords: WhatsApp, Social Media, Adaptive, Teaching-learning Collaboration.
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