Student Success

ISSN: 2205-0795
Volume 9, Issue 2, pp. 13-24
March 2018

University student social media use and its influence on

offline engagement in higher educational communities
Karen Sutherland, Cindy Davis, Uwe Terton and Irene Visser
University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia

Abstract
Previous research has emphasised social media adoption by students and the implementation of social
media by educators, yet few studies have explored whether students are using it to facilitate engagement
in offline environments with peers within university communities. Studies suggest engagement in
educational communities and extra-curricular activities can reduce student attrition. This study surveyed
106 undergraduate students to investigate whether students using social media to interact online with
their university felt: (i) connected to the broader university community, and (ii) social media helped them
engage offline by meeting up with peers and attending university events. The results indicated that the
majority (82%) never or rarely used the technology to facilitate offline engagement within their academic
communities. Fourth year students were most likely to use social media to engage offline (66.7%).
However, more than half of students (52.8%) felt that university social media profiles helped them to feel
part of their academic community.

Please cite this article as:

Sutherland, K., Davis, C., Terton, U., & Visser, I. (2018). University student social media use and its influence on offline
engagement in higher educational communities. Student Success, 9(2), 13-24. doi: 10.5204/ssj.v9i2.400

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication in Student Success. Please see the Editorial Policies under the
‘About’ section of the Journal website for further information.

Student Success: A journal exploring the experiences of students in tertiary education

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. As an open access journal,
articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings. ISSN: 2205-0795

Student Success, 9(2) March 2018 | 13

University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities

Introduction media can be used to influence university

students to engage in offline face-to-face
Public relations and marketing within the interactions with other students in the
higher education sector rely on the cultivation university community. While there are
and management of relationships with countless variations of face-to-face interactions
prospective and current students and alumni that can occur within a university community,
(Constaninides & Zinck Stagno, 2011) and social this study specifically focuses on in-person meet
media has become an important tool to assist ups with peers and student attendance at
universities in managing these relationships university-organised social events.
(Mattson & Barnes, 2009). However, the
literature places emphasis on how universities University students’ social media
are using social media to attract future students use
rather than using the technology to strengthen
relationships with current students Social media use by undergraduate university
(Constaninides & Zinck Stagno, 2011; Hou & students has increased rapidly in the past 10
Macnamara, 2017). Some studies have years. Among adults living in the United States
suggested that social media can be used to help of America (USA) aged between 18 and 29
new students successfully adjust to university years, social media use has grown from 12% in
life (Lampe, Wohn, Vitak, Ellison & Walsh, 2011; 2005 to 90% in 2015, consistent with the
Liccardi et al., 2007; Madge, Meek, Wellens, & adoption of smartphone technology (Perrin,
Hooley, 2009). Other studies have shown that 2015). A research study conducted across 15
social media can increase social capital within countries identified students in higher
university communities (Ellison, Steinfield & education as being responsible for increasing
Lampe, 2007, 2011) and reduce feelings of the use of mobile computing devices, such as
loneliness for students (Mattanah et al., 2010). tablets and smartphones, with 67% attributing
However, alternative studies have found the the technologies as being a factor in their
opposite, attributing social media to an increase academic success (Dahlstrom, Walker &
in withdrawal from offline interactions and an Dziuban, 2013). Facebook is the social media
upsurge in feelings of loneliness and isolation. platform most commonly used by university
Wohn and LaRose (2014) reported that the use students. A study of 3000 university students
of Facebook did not influence feelings of found that 90% used Facebook (Dahlstrom,
loneliness felt by first year students. Grunwald, de Boor, & Vockley, 2011).
Facebook’s popularity with university students
There is limited discussion about the potential was further confirmed in a 2015 study in the
influence social media has on encouraging United Kingdom by the organisation, Joint
university students to engage offline in their Information Systems Committee (Jisc) that
university community. Berger and Wild (2016) reported 85% of students used the social
acknowledged that the higher education sector networking platform (Parr, 2015). Sharma,
uses social media separately from the offline Joshi and Sharma (2016) highlighted that the
student experience. However, with the most influential determinants of Facebook
widespread use of social media by students, its usage by university students was resource
potential as an offline connector is an sharing followed by perceived usefulness,
unexplored area worthy of inquiry. Online perceived enjoyment, collaboration and social
interactions are based on the use of computer influence. While research has explored
technology whereas offline social interludes are adoption rates and motivations behind social
dependent on face-to-face exchanges (Yao & media use by undergraduate university
Zhong, 2014). This study explores how social students (Dahlstrom et al., 2011; Sharma et al.,

14 | Student Success, 9(2) March 2018

 Sutherland et al.

2016), there is limited information with regard educational communities. A study conducted by
to how students use social media to facilitate Finn and Rock (1997) did not find any
offline engagement within higher educational relationship between behavioural engagement
communities. and student retention. Pascarella, Terenzini and
Feldman (2005) confirmed the Ekstrom et al.
Student engagement (1986) findings and suggested that educational
attainment and degree completion is directly
There is much speculation as to what linked to on-campus friendships, engagement in
constitutes student engagement but there are university-sponsored activities, participation in
three different levels: behavioural, emotional extracurricular activities, and interactions with
and cognitive (Finn & Rock, 1997; Fredricks, peers. Exploring social media as a potential
Blumenfeld & Paris, 2004; Kahu, 2013). conduit to increase offline student interaction in
Behavioural engagement relates to the concept university communities instead of a
of participation in academic, social and replacement should provide insights into its
extracurricular activities and is applicable to contribution to strengthening student
our study of student behaviours, which uses engagement.
social media as a bridge to facilitate offline
engagement with peers and within their Influence of social media on
university community (Fredricks et al., 2004; students’ offline engagement
Finn & Voelkl, 1993; Finn & Zimmer, 1995).
Kahu (2013) suggested that student Before the advent of social media, a university
engagement is a multifaceted concept whereby could assess the strength of student
each component is dependent on the others, engagement in the wider university community
potentially affecting enthusiasm for course through offline participation in student clubs
content and a sense of belonging to the and societies (Berger & Wild, 2016). However,
organisation (Kahu, 2013). the emergence of social media has increased the
complexity surrounding the measurement of
Participation in out-of-class activities is student engagement, and the limited research
considered an important facet of student that has explored social media’s influence on
engagement and is included in the national offline student engagement has found mixed
surveys of student engagement studies results. While some findings have confirmed
conducted in the USA and Australasia (Zepke, that students are using social media in ways that
2015). Some research suggests a positive can influence (or be influenced by) engagement
association between participation in in offline environments (Junco, 2012), the
extracurricular activities and student retention strength of that relationship has not been
(Markwell, 2007). Ekstrom, Goertz, Pollack and determined. For example, Tufecki (2008) found
Rock (1986) found that high-school students that the use of social media increased weekly
who discontinued their studies displayed lower offline contact with friends compared with non-
rates of behavioural engagement in users and Junco (2012) found that the amount
extracurricular activities, possibly reducing of time spent on Facebook directly correlated
opportunities to motivate educational pursuits with the time spent offline engaging in the
(Holland & Andre, 1987). The study of high university community. In studies by Heriberger
school students can help to inform higher and Harper (2008) and Hurtado (2007) users of
education research due to the general closeness social media reported a higher rate of
in age of students from both cohorts (mature- participation in student groups and associations
age students as the exception) and the potential (Junco, 2012).
for similar patterns of behaviour relating to
disengagement from their respective
Student Success, 9(2) March 2018 | 15
University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities

Historically, internet users have been reported survey as a research method and does not focus
to have fewer offline interactions with others on one specific social media site. Furthermore,
(Nie, 2001). Many studies have suggested that this study addresses a gap in the literature by
less trust is placed in relationships that have exploring whether undergraduate university
been formed online, with internet users viewing students are using social media as a tool to
such relationships as less reliable and valuable assist them in engaging offline with their peers
(Haythornthwaite, 2002; Mesch & Talmud, through the organisation of face-to-face
2006). Furthermore, Berger and Wild (2016) meetings or through the attendance of
found that social media groups, such as on university-organised social events. This cross
Facebook, rarely encourage offline interaction between online and offline was not a focus in the
between members. Zhong (2014) reported that Barnes study.
offline civic participation did not influence
online participation and vice-versa. However, The study closest in focus to our research is that
using social media to bond and bridge social of Berger and Wild (2016) who explored the
capital was positively associated with online influence of social media on encouraging offline
civic involvement but was unrelated to offline engagement by students in university-led event.
civic behaviours. Civic participation has been Berger and Wild discovered that that setting up
described as volunteering and/or fundraising a Facebook group (that attracted more than 500
for a non-profit organisation or cause (Park, Kee students) then encouraging students to attend
& Valenzuela, 2009). However, others (Park et an offline event was an unsuccessful method of
al., 2009) found a positive relationship between encouraging offline interaction within a
the intensity of involvement in a Facebook university community. However, a more
group and levels of offline civic participation. effective approach was to organise a regular
event that was popular with students and that
Barnes (2017) explored the experiences of 26 resulted in the formation of Facebook groups
first year students through their Facebook that were “parasitic on the relevant live
statuses at four key points during their interaction group activity” (Berger & Wild,
transition into university: orientation week, 2016, p. 8). Therefore, it was offline
first assignment, end of first semester, end of engagement that initially encouraged social
academic year. The study focused on how first media interaction, resulting in increased
year students used Facebook to navigate their engagement in both offline and social media
social integration into university. Social spaces. Berger and Wild’s study demonstrated
integration is best defined as the level at which the benefits of students being guided and
students feel connected to members of their encouraged to use social media as a conduit to
university community (peers, academic and build new offline connections with university
professional staff), and to the environment and peers. In comparison, the Barnes (2017) study
the extent at which they are involved in suggests that using online interactions via social
university activities. The Barnes study found media as a replacement for offline connections
that Facebook played a key role for participants can result in students remaining within their
navigating their first year of university, similar existing online social groups rather than
to a student by Stephenson-Abetz and Holman’s cultivating new connections within their
(2012). However, participants utilised the university community.
advice from their existing networks to assist
with their social integration rather than using Our study differs from that of Berger and Wild
the social networking site as a tool to create new (2016) because it surveys students directly and
connections. The study outlined here differs then aims to determine if there is a relationship
from the Barnes study because the sample is not between specific characteristics of the sample
limited to first year university students, uses a and the students most likely and least likely to
16 | Student Success, 9(2) March 2018
 Sutherland et al.

use social media as a tool to engage offline in approaches seem to be lacking in the literature
their university community. that proposes the facilitation of seamless
student engagement online and on-campus.
Community
A possible approach to digital engagement and
Creating a strong university community as both community building was proposed by
a prompt and product of student engagement Sutherland (2016) who suggested that, instead
has been recognised as both a priority and a of keeping social media and offline engagement
challenge for Australian tertiary institutions as separate activities, taking a propinquital
(Krause, 2005; McGowan & Partridge, 2014). approach to social media may be more
Social media has also been identified as being beneficial. Propinquity, a component of Kent
used to build and strengthen campus and Taylor’s (2002) dialogic theory, refers to an
community by actively encouraging student organisation’s extension of dialogue to issues
involvement and participation in university that affect its stakeholders and vice versa. The
activities (Davis, Deil-Amen, Rios-Aguilar & three key characteristics of propinquity,
Canche, 2012). McGowan and Partridge (2014) (‘immediacy of presence, temporal flow and
suggested that students can make greater sense engagement’) require that i) issues affecting
of their educational environment by forming both parties must be discussed in the present
links with the wider university community rather than after decisions have been made, ii)
through membership to peer groups. Yet, both parties understand the history of the
previous research has suggested that student relationship, and are committed to maintaining
participation is low in offline university it in the present, and the future, and iii) both
community events, diminishing the parties are willing to actively participate in the
development of a community with a high level dialogue (Kent & Taylor, 2002, p.26). Within the
of social capital (McGowan & Partridge, 2014). context of our study, propinquity relates to the
interaction and dialogue that occurs between
Consequently, social media is now seen as an universities and their student stakeholders via
integral part of the building of university social media and offline. Adopting a
campus communities, strengthening social propinquital approach to social media would
capital and increasing opportunities for involve blending social media and offline
student-to-student interaction (Davis et al., environments to simultaneously address
2012; Selwyn, 2007; Goode & Woodward, interactions in both spaces (Sutherland, 2016).
2016.). Some aspects of social media have been Sutherland (2016) proposed that social media
compared to a well-functioning educational has the technological capabilities to facilitate
community such as facilitating peer feedback, the realisation of all three propinquital
providing similar learning and social contexts, components, because it can: i) facilitate dialogic
and enabling the formation of groups with interactions between parties in real-time, ii) be
shared interests which, in turn, create online used to build new and strengthen existing
knowledge communities (Selwyn, 2007). relationships, and iii) provide a mechanism to
Unofficial (or student-initiated) social media execute engagement between both parties.
spaces, such as Facebook, can provide students Therefore, adopting a propinquital approach to
with opportunities for casual engagement and social media by blending social media and
community building (Woodward & Goode, offline environments has been suggested to
2016). Goode & Woodward (2016) suggested increase engagement and strengthen
that, because students are spending more of organisational stakeholder relationships, but
their time online, universities need to engage this approach has not yet been tested within a
more with what is a digital extension of their student engagement context.
campuses. Yet, a range of theoretical
Student Success, 9(2) March 2018 | 17
University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities

As such, the scarcity of research and diversity of the two research questions about their social
results to better understand social media’s media habits and attitudes towards its use as an
influence on university students’ offline educational tool, as well as three related
engagement in higher educational communities questions to investigate different aspects
have led to the development of the following relating to engagement in higher educational
research questions: communities in order to provide ample data for
analysis.
Research Questions
These three questions were:
RQ1. How often do students connected with
official or unofficial university social media 1. How often have you attended an event or
profiles use social media technology to engage other offline activity after seeing it on an
offline in higher educational communities and official/unofficial USC social media profile?
what factors are related this usage?
2. How often do you use social media to
RQ2. Does being connected with official or organise in-person meet ups with members of
unofficial university social media profiles make the USC community?
students feel part of a broader higher
educational community, and what factors are 3. Being connected to USC official and/or
related to this feeling of connection to unofficial social media profiles makes me feel
community? part of the broader USC community.

The response rate to these three questions in

Material and Methods
comparison to the overall sample of 111
An online SurveyMonkey survey, with participants ranged between 90.1% (100) Q 2
descriptive and analytic elements, was and 70.3% (78) Q 3. Five respondents were
distributed within lectures and via email, removed from the data because they answered
Blackboard announcements, and social media that they did not use social media. Cross-tab
(Twitter and Facebook) to 647 undergraduate analysis was performed on the data from each
students enrolled in seven courses across five of the three questions to explore relationships
disciplines: advertising, design, public relations, between the variables: age, gender, year level,
public communication and psychology (Walter, and course. A Pearson Chi-Square test was
2010). The rationale behind using this largely applied to measure the strength of any
quantitative approach was to explore habits and association between the variables.
attitudes relating to social media’s influence on
students’ offline engagement. This is a Results
standardised method of gathering uniform
RQ1. How often do students connected with
empirical data that can assist in describing and
official or unofficial university social media
contrasting variable relationships (Axinn &
profiles use social media technology to
Pearce, 2006; Berger, 2000; Weerakkody,
engage offline in higher educational
2008). Four reminders were sent to students
communities and what factors are related
throughout the 30-day data gathering phase
this usage?
using the same communication channels
(lectures, email, Blackboard and social media). Survey participants were asked to state the
The overall survey attracted a response rate of frequency at which they used social media to
17.2% or (n = 111), 66% (n = 73) were female, organise face-to-face meetings with other
33% (n = 37) were male and 1% (1) person
identified as other. The survey asked students
18 | Student Success, 9(2) March 2018
 Sutherland et al.

members of their higher educational were most likely to use social media to organise
community (Figure 1). meetings with their university peers.

Participants were also asked how often they

attended offline events at university after
learning about them via official or unofficial
university social media channels (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Frequency of students using social

media to organise face-to-face meetings
with peers from their higher educational
community (n=99)

The results indicate that most students (59,

55.7%) rarely (18, 17%) or never (41, 38.7%)
use social media to organise face-to-face Figure 2: Frequency of students attending
meetings with their peers. More than a quarter an offline activity within their higher
of participants (28, 26.4%) use social media educational community after learning about
regularly (daily to weekly) and 12 (11.3%) it on official or unofficial university social
(every two weeks to monthly) to meet up in-
media profiles (n=100)
person with their peers.

Data analysis determined that there was no

significant relationship between the frequency
Most participants (87, 82%) have never (53,
of university students using social media to
50%) or rarely (34, 32%) attended an offline
organise face-to-face meetings with university
event within their university community after
peers based on gender (x²(8)=7.73, p=.460) or
seeing it on social media. Only 13 participants
age (x²(8)=13.06, p=.110). However, there was
(12.3%) answered that they have attended an
a statistically significant association between
offline event after learning about it through
the organisation of face-to-face meetings and
university-related online social networks.
both the year of study (x²(16)=27.37, p=.038)
There was no statistically significant
and the course of study (x²(24)=46.32, p=.004).
relationship based on gender (x²(6)=6.04,
Approximately one third of 2nd year (31.8%)
p=.418) or age (x²(6)=7.56, p=.272) but a
and 3rd year (38.1%) students were the cohort
relationship between year of study
most likely to use social media on a daily to
(x²(12)=28.66, p=.004) and course of study
weekly basis to organise in-person meetings
(x²(18)=32.23, p=.021) was significant. The
with their university peers. Nearly half of first
majority of 1st year university students (64.3%)
year students (48%) had never used social
had never attended a university event after
media for this purpose. Advertising students
seeing it on social media. Fourth year students
(50%) and public relations students (47%)
(66.7%) were the most likely cohort to attend

Student Success, 9(2) March 2018 | 19

University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities

offline university events after learning about significant relationship to feeling part of their
them on social media. Students studying broader higher educational community. More
Typography (29.4%) were the least likely and than half of 3rd year students (52.4%) and half
Public Health students (42.9%) the most likely of 2nd and 4th year students answered yes to
to attend a university event after seeing it on the statement: Being connected to USC official
social media. and/or unofficial social media profiles makes me
feel part of the broader USC community. Only
RQ2. Does being connected with official or 28.6% of first year students answered ‘yes’ to
unofficial university social media profiles this question. Gender (x²(8)=6.51, p=.590), age
make students feel part of a broader higher (x²(8)=12.12, p=.146) and course
educational community? (x²(24)=25.64, p=.372) had no statistically
significant relationship to students feeling part
Participants were asked to indicate whether of the broader higher education community
being connected to their university’s official or from being connected to their university’s social
unofficial social media channels provided them media profiles.
with a sense of belonging to the broader higher
educational community (Figure 3). Discussion
This study demonstrates that the majority of
university students do not use social media as a
tool to engage offline with their higher
educational community, and that age and
gender does not influence this behaviour. This
finding differs from studies conducted by Junco
(2012), Tufecki (2008), Heriberger and Harper
(2008) and the Hurtado (2007) who found the
amount of time spent using social media
directly correlated to offline participation rates
in university communities. While most students
Figure 3: Frequency of students fail to use social media as a tool to interact
connected with official or unofficial offline, the majority still feel connected to their
university social media profiles that feel university community as a result of following
part of their broader higher educational university social media profiles. This finding
supports the attempts being placed on social
community (n=78)
media as a tool to strengthen university
communities and their social capital (Clark, Fine
The results (Figure 3) indicate that more than & Scheuer, 2017; Davis et al., 2012; Ellison et al.,
half of participants (56, 52.8%) definitely (24, 2007; Ellison et al., 2011; Raza, Qazi & Umer,
22.6%) or sometimes (32, 30.2%) felt part of 2016;).
their broader university community as a result
of being connected with university social media The most important finding in our study is that
profiles. A small percentage of participants (9, students in the later years of their
8.5%) did not or felt unsure (13, 12.3%) about undergraduate degree programs felt a stronger
the connection. connection to their university community from
following their university on social media and
Student year of study (x²(16)=27.55, p=.036) used social media frequently as a tool to engage
was the only variable with a statistically offline with their university community. This
may be because students in the final years of
20 | Student Success, 9(2) March 2018
 Sutherland et al.

their courses have had more time to develop Berger and Wild’s (2016) initiative supports the
relationships with university peers and a feeling propinqutial loop theorised by Sutherland
of connection within their university (2016). A propinquital loop occurs when social
community but it may also be because first year media interactions between organisations and
students have not have yet learned how to use stakeholders are encouraged (and supported)
social media other than in a social context in moving between social media and offline
within their existing networks. Supporting this spaces on a regular basis. These behaviours
notion is a study of first year students by Lodge create a loop of activity which keeps the
(2010) who found online social networks to be stakeholder in close proximity to the
used predominantly for socialising, “…it is the organisation (Sutherland, 2016, p. 82). Rather
students’ realm so students are under no than assuming first year students will follow
obligation heed any incursions by the university social media profiles and use the
institution into this space and therefore technology to engage offline, it is recommended
messages are being ignored.” (p. 104) that relevant university staff are strategic and
proactive in educating this cohort about the
Students in the final years of their degrees may wider benefits of using social media.
have had time to acquire the skills (and to Discovering the types of offline events that are
experience the possible benefits) of using social of most interest to first year students may be the
media as a bridge between online and offline first step in achieving wider participation.
interactions in their university community; this Providing first year students in particular with
is defined as a propinquital approach by regular, accessible, enjoyable and interesting
Sutherland (2016). The minimal use by first opportunities to make offline connections may
year students of social media as a tool to assist in improving student engagement. Using
connect and engage both online and offline with offline events to encourage attendees to connect
their university community may be due to a skill with the university (and each other) on social
deficiency or a lack of understanding from first media would support the development of
year students about how to use social media students’ relationships within their university
technology in this way. Or, as demonstrated in community. Finally, first year students should
the Barnes (2017) study, first year students may be provided with regular incentives to keep
be connecting with people outside of the driving their activity between university social
university about university matters on social media profiles and the offline community, with
media rather than building new connections the aim of strengthening feelings of connection
with fellow students and university staff. in the process.
Universities are encouraged to introduce
initiatives to directly address this issue. Berger One in five university students discontinue their
and Wild (2016) found that encouraging studies within the first year of their course
students to connect via social media at a regular (Australian Government Department of
(and popular) offline event, resulted in higher Education and Training, 2015). Therefore,
rates of engagement (via social media and employing social media in more proactive and
offline) in their university community. strategic ways to improve the student
However, for some students, the organised experience may reduce this economic and
offline events in the Berger and Wild study may academic inefficiency. Using a propinquital
have also been the conduit for friendships to be approach to increase first year students’
formed between peers after meeting elsewhere connection to their university communities and
in the university and conducted online until peers may reduce the time it takes for this
their next face-to-face interaction. cohort to adjust to and integrate with all aspects
of university life (Lampe et al., 2011; Liccardi et
al., 2007; Madge et al., 2009) and in turn, reduce
Student Success, 9(2) March 2018 | 21
University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities

attrition rates (Ekstrom et al., 1986; Holland & Axinn, W. G., & Pearce, L. D. (2006). Mixed method data
collection strategies. University of North Carolina,
Andre, 1987; Markwell, 2007; Pascarella et al.,
Chapel Hill: Cambridge University Press.
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Barnes, N. (2017). Navigating social integration into
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Clark, M., Fine, M., & Scheuer, C. (2017). Relationship quality
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