TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Impact of Social Media on International Students:
Cultural and Academic Adaptation
AU - Saleh Masoud Ali, Abdulkarim AU - Ahmad, Rahayu 
JO  - Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
VL  - 13
IS  - 3
SP  - 546
EP  - 551
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1816-949x
DO  - jeasci.2018.546.551
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=jeasci.2018.546.551
KW  - Cultural adaptation
KW  -academic adaptation
KW  -Facebook users and gratification
KW  -online support group
KW  -Facebook
KW  -technology
AB  - Newly admitted international students always experience a certain period of discomfort as a result
of the strangeness of the culture of their new environment. This discomfort is often traced to their cultural
differences with the host country where they will have to spend a certain number of years as a student. This
will require them to adapt both academically and culturally. In this regard, it is suggested that Social Networking
Sites (SNS) be employed as cultural and academic adaptation tools due to its inherent power to allow members
of the same or diverse cultures to interact, interrelate, build friendships and relationships, irrespective of their
geographical backgrounds. Specifically, participating in social media can help students to engage in online with
virtual communities as a way of knowing more and getting accustomed to the new culture that they are being
exposed to and subsequently, instrumental for better academic performance. This study focuses on the
international students of Universiti Utara Malaysia where 352 students were randomly selected to analyze the
impact of the usage of social media by the international students and how it helps them to adjust culturally and
academically. Firstly, this study explores gratification factors for Facebook. Secondly, it explains how different
usage of Facebook may influence the cultural and academic adjustment of international students. Thirdly, the
findings show that cultural adaptation through SNS is not statistically significant. Accordingly,
recommendations are offered to ensure that the Facebook technology is effectively utilized for cultural
adaptation. In addition, some limitations of the study are addressed.
ER  -