Does the use of WhatsApp effect satisfaction and engagement levels for students in tertiary education

Abstract

The ability to use digital technology effectively and reflectively can transform the student learning experience helping them become more engaged thinkers (Butler, Leahy, Shiel & Cosgrove, 2013). To investigate the vision of technology and integration in education a quantitative experimental research study was carried out to examine if encouraging the use of WhatsApp would help students engage more and to measure satisfaction levels. Fifty students participated and were allocated into two groups, WhatsApp intervention and control. Students watched six short instructional videos and answered an online questionnaire gathering demographic data, experimental questions and measuring satisfaction using the Life Satisfaction Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin, 1985). Statistically no significant differences were found between satisfaction and engagement with students who used WhatsApp or not. Further research is required to investigate is there a role for social network sites in particular WhatsApp and can it be used to retain students in 3rd level.