Characteristics of whatsapp interactions of undergraduate students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the characteristics of interactions of students when using WhatsApp, their perception towards this tool, the kinds of academic activities they undertake when using it and the interaction patterns in these chat conversations. This study was carried out through a qualitative case study research design which involved nineteen BA in Foreign Language students in a public university in the northern coast of Colombia with ethnographic data collection methods which included an interview, a questionnaire and document analysis based on their WhatsApp chats. The analysis revealed that the implementation of mobile devices in the classroom seems to be an interesting feature to respond the way the educational system is evolving, besides, considering this application helps not only teachers but also students to facilitate the teaching and learning process even outside the classroom and it turns out to be an innovative trend that derives in better outcomes for both. Also the analysis revealed that the use of a WhatsApp chat group represented a step given to combine technology with an innovative methodology addressed to enrich the learning process of students. Contextual factors were also analyzed in this study since these become essential part of the analysis done.