EMPOWERING STUDENTS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Social media refers to a variety of technologies that facilitate the sharing of ideas and information among their users. The study adopted descriptive survey research designed to explore empowering students through collaborative learning on social media platforms: enhancing knowledge sharing in higher education. The study was carried out in Rivers State, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The population of the study is 168 students from University of Port Harcourt and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. A sample size of 84 was used for the study. A stratified sampling technique was used for the study. The instrument used for the study was a structured questionnaire titled empowering students through collaborative learning on social media platforms: enhancing knowledge sharing in higher education (ESCLSMPKHE) with 20 items. Face and content validity was used for the study, and reliability co-efficient of 0.82 was obtained. Mean and Z-test were the statistical tools used for the study. The study found that social media platforms eliminate geographical barriers, enabling students from different universities and regions to work together on joint research projects, academic discussions, and even virtual classrooms, which further enhances the learning experience. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended that universities should implement formal training programs to improve students' digital literacy, focusing on the effective and responsible use of social media for academic purposes.