Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa

Leila Karimi; Rouhollah Khodabandelou; Maryam Ehsani; Muhammad Ahmad

doi:10.30935/cedtech/6115

Leila Karimi ¹, Rouhollah Khodabandelou ² ^*, Maryam Ehsani ³, Muhammad Ahmad ⁴

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CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp. 53-72

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

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Abstract

Drawing from the Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study examined the Gratification Sought and the Gratification Obtained from using Social Networking Sites among Iranian, Malaysian, British, and South African higher education students. This comparison allowed to drawing conclusions about how social networking sites fulfill users’ needs with different cultures. Data were collected through a quantitative study applying online and paper- based questionnaire carried out in 2013, using a representative sample (N=320). Findings showed differences in students’ motivation to join to and to use of social network sites in each country. Interestingly, the researchers found that cultural differences may determine the uses and gratifications of social networking sites.

Keywords: Uses and Gratification Theory, Social Networking Sites, Higher education students, Motivation

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Citation

Karimi, L., Khodabandelou, R., Ehsani, M., & Ahmad, M. (2014). Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa. Contemporary Educational Technology, 5(1), 53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

Karimi, L., Khodabandelou, R., Ehsani, M., and Ahmad, M. (2014). Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa. Contemporary Educational Technology, 5(1), pp. 53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

Karimi L, Khodabandelou R, Ehsani M, Ahmad M. Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2014;5(1), 53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

Karimi, Leila, Rouhollah Khodabandelou, Maryam Ehsani, and Muhammad Ahmad. "Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa". Contemporary Educational Technology 2014 5 no. 1 (2014): 53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

Karimi, Leila et al. "Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, pp. 53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115

Karimi L, Khodabandelou R, Ehsani M, Ahmad M. Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Compare Higher Education Students’ Motivation for Using Social Networking Sites: Experiences from Iran, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and South Africa. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2014;5(1):53-72. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/6115