Promoting Physics-Entrepreneurship Via Facebook: A Thematic Study

Abstract

This study addresses the use of Facebook (FB) as a media for promoting science’ product. By adopting the concept of entrepreneurship education, the study explored the role of FB in promoting science message through “Learning Shirt-theme”. A thematic study was conducted, involving a group of Indonesian undergraduate physics students (34 members) in FB namely “Learning Shirt” and the content of their sites as the entrepreneurs and 192 active members as the service users. The students pursued their study at a public university in Surabaya, Indonesia, which contributed to the group’s community. These groups of students established entrepreneurship activities and promoted their message of physics via FB. The role of the researcher is a tutor of the community. Data analyses were used, including a thematic and documentation analysis and supported by questionnaire analysis. The results of the study categorized the physics-shirt into five themes: the history of physics, derivation of the equation in physics, physics symbols and equations, physics values, and models in physics. The FB users’ understanding of physics themes were in a good category with an average score of 79.79. The trend of FB user’s positive response regarding ten expressions in the questionnaire was increased significantly in three weeks.