Learning and social software: exploring the realities in India
| Pages | 75-89 |
| Date | 12 March 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-04-2017-0025 |
| Published date | 12 March 2018 |
| Author | Jehangir Bharucha |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information & communications technology |
Learning and social software:
exploring the realities in India
Jehangir Bharucha
Hassaram Rijhumal College Churchgate, Mumbai, India and
Lincoln University College, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Abstract
Purpose –Digital India’s attempts to transformIndia into a digitally empowered society and knowledge
economy. This research examines three questions: What is the educational importance of social media in
Indian highereducation? What gains and dangers does it posewhen used for formal learning? Could informal
learningvia technology powerfully supplement learningthrough the formal system?
Design/methodology/approach –In total, 640 students were contactedthrough email lists provided by
their institutions afterthese institutions had obtained their consent to participate in the study.The response
rate is worked out at 44.84 per cent. Telephone interviewswere conducted with 22 “veterans”in the field of
higher educationin India. All this provided areas of importanceon which this study is based.
Findings –India is no doubt experimenting with more creative methods of learning and teaching. Educational
technology is at embryonic stage compared to many of the advanced countries. The results showthat even when
all facilities are present, students are not fully taking advantage of the benefits technology affords for formal
learning. Not only is there a digital divide between generations but also within generations. How the technology
is integrated into the learning process is important. The entire learning infrastructure is certainly available in
India and it is struggling to meet student expectations and offer a more dynamic and appropriate pedagogy.
Practical implications –This paper throws light on modelsexplicit to the Indian scene in how students
can benefit from social media beyondthe classroom. It discusses challenges in its adoption in Indian higher
educationand ways to meet these challenges.
Social implications –Technology-led learning brings about a difference and the present generation in
India is better equippedto tackle the challenges of the workplace, will be helpfulto their employers and would
fit well into a global businessenvironment.
Originality/value –Because of the relative newness of the approach in India and fairlyrestricted use in
the Indian highereducation system, the impact of social media on student engagement in the highereducation
sector in Indiais not fully known.
Keywords Higher education, Social media, Youth, Teaching and learning, Digital age
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Indian economic growth has beenremarkable in the recent past with an average growth rate
of approximately 7 per cent over the last two decades. According to the International
Monetary Fund (IMF, 2017) India’s growth is expected to rebound to 7.2 per cent in 2017-
2018 and 7.7 per cent in 2018-2019. With the Digital India programmer’svision to transform
India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy, the education sector in
India is poised to witness major growth. Technology-led reach and easy access will bring
about a socio-economic difference in the lives of Indian learners (Malik, 2017). This new
generation of students, as is evident from their social media posts, would like a rapid
transformation which is making a big difference in the way Indians learn. India will have
world’s largest tertiary-age population and secondlargest graduate talent pipeline globally
by the end of 2020 (Savitha and Sundar, 2016). According to Technopak’s analysis, India’s
Learning and
social software
75
Received29 April 2017
Revised28 July 2017
Accepted2 August 2017
Journalof Information,
Communicationand Ethics in
Society
Vol.16 No. 1, 2018
pp. 75-89
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/JICES-04-2017-0025
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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