Undergraduate physical therapy students’ attitudes towards using social media for learning purposes at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract Background Social media has become an almost essential part of daily life, especially among college students. The wide use of social media by students makes it an attractive tool for educational institutions. Therefore, this study aimed to ascertain physical therapy (PT) students’ attitudes towards using social media for learning purposes, assess the differences in attitudes between genders, and assess the benefits of using social media in the learning process. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, data were collected from 158 undergraduate PT students at King Saud University (KSU) University in Riyadh using a custom self-reported questionnaire. Results Results indicate that, in general, PT students have positive attitudes towards using social media platforms for learning purposes. YouTube, Wikis, WhatsApp, and Twitter have been utilized for learning purposes by 82.9%, 44.3%, 30.4%, and 27.4% of the students, respectively. Furthermore, students favorably reported that social media platforms are better than traditional teaching methods. These platforms facilitate finding educational resources, develop writing, listening and social skills, share knowledge, enhance self-independent learning, increase collaborations, and develop creativity. Conclusion This study showed that PT students, both males and females, have positive attitudes towards using social media platforms. It is convenient to use social media platforms for learning purposes. It may help enhance the quality of the students’ learning experience and academic performance.

Keywords

• Attitudes, Benefits, Learning purposes, Physical therapy students, Social media, Saudi Arabia