ERIC Number: EJ1366014
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Mar
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1469-7874
EISSN: EISSN-1741-2625
Available Date: N/A
Buffering against Academic Loneliness: The Benefits of Social Media-Based Peer Support during Postgraduate Study
McLaughlin, Christopher James; Sillence, Elizabeth
Active Learning in Higher Education, v24 n1 p63-76 Mar 2023
Although the support provided by social relationships may be essential to a successful student transition, the transition to postgraduate study has had little consideration from a social support perspective. The study described in this article investigated the role played by social support in postgraduate taught students' adjustment to university, and how social media contributes to this support. Thematic analysis indicated that participants benefitted most from specialised support from peers dealing with similar academic challenges. Facebook groups showed potential as a platform for building supportive peer networks. However, the heightened visibility of communications on this platform led some participants towards Facebook Messenger as a medium for peer contact. The study suggested that, in order to meet postgraduates' needs, institutions could ensure postgraduate students have sufficient opportunity for collaboration within their cohorts. In addition, while social media may aid this process, students' individual communication preferences may inevitably influence their engagement with particular platforms.
Descriptors: Interpersonal Relationship, Graduate Students, Student Adjustment, Social Media, Peer Relationship, Psychological Patterns, Foreign Countries, Social Networks, Student Attitudes
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A