Perception of Stakeholders on the Use of Social Networking Tools for Classroom Instruction in School Environment: Use of Social Network Tools for Classroom Instruction

Introduction

Social networking is difficult to define because it is constantly changing as technologies grow and transform. Webster’s Dictionary (2013) defines social networking, social networking, or social technologies simply as, “Forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, messages, and other content.” It frequently refer to the implementation of social networking as a campaign because it represents a connected series of operations designed to reach a set of specific goals (Webster, 2013). Each social networking platform, such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, offer users different tools for sharing information and ideas through news articles, photos, videos and information or personal posts with friends and online communities.

Social networking are internet applications that rely on openly shared digital content that is authored, critiqued and re-configured by a mass of users. Social networking applications therefore allow users to converse and interact with each other; to create, edit and share new forms of textual, visual and audio content; and to categorize, label and recommend existing forms of content. Perhaps the key characteristic of all these social networking practices is that of ‘mass socialization’—i.e. harnessing the power of the collective actions of online user communities rather than individual users (Shirky, 2008).

Eke, Omekwu and Odoh, (2014) noted that social networking sites are fast becoming very popular means of both interpersonal and public communication in Nigeria. They further defined it as modern interactive communication channels through which people connect to one another, share ideas, experiences, pictures, messages and information of interest. Boyd and Ellison (2007) define social networking sites as web based services that allow individuals to construct a Public or semi public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection and view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. Also, Ahn (2011) define SNS as online community of internet users who want to communicate with other users about areas of mutual interest. They are also sites built on web 2.0 which allows users to generate and transfer contents to peers, friends and relatives. These sites like facebook, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), 2go, myspace, and WhatsApp among others have become an established part of the online environment that enables individuals, institutions and organizations to maintain and visualize their social networks. They have become global phenomenon’s that have attracted extensive population from different ages, cultures, and educational levels (Mazman & Usluel, 2011).