@article{Sadowski_Pediaditis_Townsend_2017, place={Melbourne, Australia}, title={University students’ perceptions of social networking sites (SNSs) in their educational experiences at a regional Australian university}, volume={33}, url={https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/view/2927}, DOI={10.14742/ajet.2927}, abstractNote={<p class="abstract">Higher education institutions, and the way education is delivered and supported, are being transformed by digital technologies. Internationally, institutions are increasingly incorporating online technologies into delivery frameworks and administration – both through internal learning management systems (LMS) and external social networking sites (SNSs). This study aims to explore how higher education students in a regional Australian dual-sector institute use and manage SNSs for personal and study-related activities and their perceptions of how this impacts their educational experiences. This mixed-methods study involved a quantitative and qualitative survey of 355 vocational training and higher education students and in-depth focus groups with ten higher education students. Four key themes were identified through thematic analysis: SNSs as a tool for fostering peer connectedness with fellow students; deliberate and distinct variation between personal and educational use of SNSs; resistance to external SNSs within education settings; and, need for a balance between digital and face-to-face learning and connectedness. Implications for curriculum design and delivery, and development of support for students in diverse learning contexts, are considered.</p>}, number={5}, journal={Australasian Journal of Educational Technology}, author={Sadowski, Christina and Pediaditis, Mika and Townsend, Robert}, year={2017}, month={Oct.} }