EXPLORING SOCIAL MEDIA’S CONTRIBUTION TO ACADEMIC LEARNING THROUGH THE DUAL LENSES OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND HUMAN CAPITAL THEORIES

Abstract

Social media (SM) has impact all fields of life including academia. This investigation aimed to explore the contribution of social media to academic learning through the dual lenses of social capital theory and human capital theory.  Quantitative research method followed by survey designed was applied to test the study’s hypotheses. Results indicated that there is significant positive impact of the collaborative learning on the students’ satisfaction however a difference was observed in the collaborative learning on the basis of frequency to use social media. A significant positive correlation was identified among interaction through SM, trustworthiness on SM, intention to use SM, participation through SM and collaboration learning. It was found that collaborative learning is a predictor for academic performance while collaborative learning has no effect upon academic achievement. The study has provided pertinent theoretical, practical, and social implications.