SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE AND NEEDS GRATIFICATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF LAGHMAN UNIVERSITY, AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

The study examines how students at Laghman University, Afghanistan, use social media to gratify their academic needs. The data was collected through an online questionnaire from 324 students from various departments at the university, which was analyzed through quantitative research methods. Facebook and YouTube were found to be the most frequently used social media forums among students for the gratification of their educational needs. Access to educational materials, study groups, and up-to-date information were found as means that social media helps students meet their academic requirements. The benefits of students' and instructors' use of social media for more accessibility and better communication are also highlighted in the research. Students were found gratified with their usage of social media for education, especially in the time of corona pandemic and the law and order situation after the regime change in Afghanistan in 2021. The study also identifies themes for future study to understand better the developing role of social media in satisfying the academic demands of students and offers ideas for maximizing the use of social media in academia.