Social Networking Site Usage among University Students: Differences of Educational Level

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.