Effects of Social Media Learning Environments on AEC Learning Process among University Students in Nigeria

ABSTRACT An essential part of education is student learning. Good quality education is based mainly on how well student attains knowledge. One way to achieve this is to simplify and provide user-friendly platforms and content that make it as intuitive as possible. This could be challenging, especially for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) courses. Such courses require both practical and technical contacts. More contact periods are needed to keep students abreast with the technical and practical aspects of the growing needs and challenges within the AEC industry. Therefore, this study assessed the effects of social media learning environments on the AEC learning process. Data was collected from the students of AEC-related courses using a structured questionnaire. Warp 7.0 PLS-SEM was used for the analysis of the collated data and model development. The study results indicated that social media learning environments positively relate to the AEC courses learning process. The YouTube learning environment had a significant effect change on the AEC learning process. Similarly, the results further indicate that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram had moderate effects on the AEC learning process. The study is limited to only students of AEC-related courses in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria. Moreover, the results of this study could be helpful to other developing countries having issues with the learning process among students of AEC-related courses. The study recommends the adoption of social media learning environments among universities offering AEC courses in Nigeria.