Abstract

OLIVERA, Mauricio  and  PARENTELLI, Varenka. University, students, and virtual learning community: WhatsApp as a driver of a new technological, geographical, and social space. Infor [online]. 2021, vol.26, n.2, pp.189-218.  Epub Dec 01, 2021. ISSN 2301-1378.  https://doi.org/10.35643/info.26.2.9.

This study researches the it appropriations that students make to access online study materials, considering their digital practices on social networks from a selfadministered questionnaire (n = 1300), focus groups (n = 22), and an in-depth interview with the school’s Virtual Learning Environment coordinator. The combined application of these techniques confirms that students have created a new technological and netlike scenario by using WhatsApp to communicate and mediate information, transforming their study practices, appropriation of institutional information and formal and informal study materials. Findings, future research and implications are discussed in the context of a virtual learning community that we call: new technological, geographical and social space.

Keywords : WHATSAPP; UNIVERSITY; VIRTUAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION; TECHNOLOGICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL AND SOCIAL SPACE.

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