Federated social networking sites as a tool for elearning: a case of Midlands State University in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The literature shows a surge in social networking sites, users of social networking sites, the frequency of visits to social networking sites and the time spent on each visit. This calls for a paradigm shift from asynchronous to synchronous means of communication. Asynchronous communication is being used worldwide, particularly for online lectures, business meetings, business launches or mere communication. However, some of the literature has expressed concerns about the challenges of the effect of social networking sites on students, including time spent on social networking sites for non-academic purposes, which may negatively affect their academic performance. Even though it would be futile to explore detaching the upcoming generation from social networking sites, capitalising on such a challenge is certainly a research opportunity. Accordingly, this study suggests an appropriate and effective solution by proposing the federation of social networking sites as an eLearning tool in universities. This is accomplished by recommending a framework that leverages existing social networking sites’ capabilities by aggregating communication channels to facilitate eLearning. Even though there are many eLearning frameworks in the literature, including some federated eLearning frameworks, this study specifically investigates the cutting-edge social networking sites that are increasingly used seamlessly as mobile applications and, therefore, need to be embedded in eLearning systems to achieve their added benefits. Research objectives and questions were formulated to assess the typology of social networking sites on the one hand and the extant eLearning frameworks and their contributions to the educational system on the other to achieve the main purpose of this study. The analysis of the outcome of findings from research questions linked to the foregoing objectives paved the way for the development of three different types of federated frameworks as eLearning tools in higher and tertiary educational institutions, these were further developed into a conceptual framework, a hybrid federated social networking sites for eLearning (HFSNS4eL). Our proposed conceptual hybrid framework was considered for further evaluation by key stakeholders in the eLearning value chain. To this end, an intensive survey was conducted and data collected from participants in the survey were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively, resulting in some improvement of the framework. The study contributes not only to the body of knowledge on information systems and applications to social networking in general but has provided a solution to problems associated with SNSs use in higher educational institutions, an HFSNS4eL and the use of cheaper means of data communications in education.