Social Networking Site Usage among University Students: Differences of Educational Level/ Uporaba društvenih mreža među studentskom populacijom: razlike s obzirom na obrazovnu razinu

Abstract

Abstract
This study examined the social networking site usage profiles, usage purposes and frequency of activity among university students. Using the survey method the study was conducted among 1818 university students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. It focused on the use of Facebook as a social networking site. The study established that the frequency with which students visit Facebook, the time spent on Facebook while using the internet, the number of Facebook friends and their educational usage purposes vary significantly with respect to the level of education. According to the results, undergraduate students use Facebook to maintain their existing relationships instead of establishing new ones and they are active on Facebook for communication and entertainment purposes; postgraduate students use Facebook for educational purposes and to follow up on their friends. What is more, unlike other studies mentioned in the literature, this study concluded that postgraduate students use Facebook frequently.
Key words: Facebook usage; social networking site; university students.

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Sažetak
U ovom radu istraživani su profili uporabe društvenih mreža, svrhe korištenja i učestalost aktivnosti studentske populacije. Služeći se metodom upitnika, istraživanje je provedeno na 1818 studenata na preddiplomskoj i poslijediplomskoj razini. Težište je bilo na uporabi Facebooka kao društvene mreže. Studija je ustanovila da je učestalost posjećivanja Facebooka, vrijeme provedeno na Facebooku tijekom korištenja interneta, broj prijatelja na Facebooku i uporaba u obrazovne svrhe značajno varira s obzirom na razinu obrazovanja. Prema rezultatima, studenti dodiplomske razine služe se Faceboookom da bi održali postojeće odnose s prijateljima umjesto uspostavljanja novih, na Facebooku su aktivni zbog komuniciranja i zabave, kao i da bi pratili što im prijatelji rade. Studenti poslijediplomske razine služe se Facebookom u obrazovne svrhe i da bi pratili prijatelje. Štoviše, za razliku od drugih istraživanja spomenutih u literaturi, u ovom radu došlo se do zaključka da se poslijediplomanti Facebookom učestalo služe.
Ključne riječi: društvene mreže; sveučilište; studenti; uporaba Facebooka