The Impact of SNS in Higher Education: A Case Study of Using WhatsApp in the University of Bahrain

The purpose of this research is to study impact of Social Networking Service (SNS) in higher education, and find out how WhatsApp can create a positive effect when used in education and to study its impact on student learning. This experimental study was carried out in university of Bahrain at undergraduate and graduate levels. The study was conducted on one semester which last for 14 weeks. The teachers created a whatsApp group for the students and use it to support the face-to-face learning environment. The study was conducted on undergraduate class of 18 students and graduate class of 5 students. The required information was collected using questionnaire created by the authors. The questionnaire consisted of 22 statements about WhatsApp and its impact in mobile learning skills. Results show that WhatsApp could improve the teaching process and students learning skills. Results also indicate that WhatsApp helps teachers in setting up a friendly environment that help the students outside the classroom in solving assignment and in studying the course materials.