Implications of policies on the use of social networking sites for knowledge sharing: Experiences from postgraduate students in higher education institutions in Tanzania

Abstract

Like elsewhere in the world, students’ use of social networking sites (SNSs) in higher education institutions in Tanzania has dramatically increased in recent years – something which has called for policies and guidelines to guide its proper usage. This study examined the effects of policies on the use of SNSs on postgraduate knowledge sharing in the four northern Tanzanian higher education institutions that were chosen for the study. The purpose was to examine the effect of such policies on students’ usage of SNSs, to assess students’ awareness of such policies, and to determine whether they adhered to it. This study is important in addressing the role of policies on the use of SNSs in knowledge and information sharing among postgraduates at higher education institutions in Tanzania. In order to collect quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously, the study employed a convergent mixed-methods approach. Thirty members of the academic staff who oversaw the instruction and supervision of postgraduate students as well as a total of 171 postgraduate students participated in the study as survey re spondents, and eight heads of academic departments participated in interviews. According to the research, the selected Tanzanian higher education institutions did not have any specific regulations on the usage of SNSs. The use of SNSs had been included into other institutional guidelines and procedures. The study found that students had a general awareness of the use of SNSs as stipulated in other national ICT and related policies but little knowledge of the contents of those policies. Despite lacking in-depth knowledge of these policies, however, students almost unknowingly adhered to them because they intuitively understood the repercussions of violating the cyber laws as stated by the national authorities. Policies and guidelines may provide proper guidelines on the use of SNSs on academic-related matters, which may in turn improve students’ academic performance. The recommendation is that the government of Tanzania should revise its policies and direct higher education in stitutions in the country to comply by formulating stand-alone policies to guide the use of SNSs for knowledge and information sharing among postgraduate students. This may safeguard users from any form of harm, protect the image of the institutions, and help to ensure institutional competitiveness. A further recommendation is to provide training for the purpose of raising awareness among postgraduates on the proper use of social networking sites for knowledge and information sharing.