Use of social media by LIS students in Kuwait and Taiwan: A comparative analysis

Over the years, social media (SM) has gained much credibility among students, and educational institutions are leveraging it in their systems. From the educational standpoint, SM influences students to learn course information, contact peers and develop new skills. The study aims to identify the students' use of SM to access information related to the Library and Information Science (LIS) programmes in Kuwait and Taiwan, including time spent, tools used, reasons and patterns of use, and to indicate the challenges faced in providing means of LIS learning and collaboration. In total, 288 valid questionnaires were received from students in both countries. Descriptive analysis from the respondents revealed data on the participants' demography. The thematic analysis showed the results of the SM platforms' usage, hours spent, and messaging frequency. The ordinal scale provided further data on SM use in LIS education. Results from those who responded show frequent use, high GPAs, and social and entertainment purposes. Both countries respondents show similar usage and attitudes towards SM in LIS education, exchanging collaborative learning and integrating creativity and innovation. Taiwan respondents have a higher female student population, while Kuwait has a balanced gender distribution. Taiwanese students spend less time on social media (SM) daily for LIS information and prefer different platforms. Kuwaiti student respondents dedicate more time to SM and positively perceive its potential to improve grades. © 2024 - The authors. Published by IOS Press.