Instant messaging to humanize online learning: lessons from the use of WhatsApp in a higher education context

The inclusion of technological tools is frequently seen as a landmark of online study programs. However, the use of technological advancements per se does not guarantee students' success. Interaction among peers and with the teacher are important success factors often linked to students' motivation. Skills for autonomous learning are also crucial in the context of online learning. The purpose of this study was to highlight factors of academic success and to investigate the impact of instant messaging tools like WhatsApp, to humanize the learning experience of higher education students enrolled in online programs. Our results show that autonomous learning, the structure of the course, and the flexibility of mentoring sessions are key academic success factors. The amount of interaction student-student and student-teacher interaction favored by the use of WhatsApp influenced to a large degree students' motivation. In addition, students showed a greater consumption of self-directed content and larger participation in collaborative activities. Altogether these factors contributed to the humanization of online education.