Ecological perspectives on virtual community engagement among university students during and after COVID-19

Abstract

This research, conducted at Hail University, explores how university students interact with online communities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic using an ecological perspective. It aims to understand the increased role of these platforms in education and socialization during the pandemic. The study focuses on examining students' views, activities, and motivations in online interactions. A detailed electronic questionnaire was used to investigate students' understanding, use, and application of online communities. It also looked at ecological methods to improve involvement, such as increasing awareness, assessing risks, providing support, and tackling challenges in online communities. Various methods, including content analysis, surveys, case studies, and detailed interviews, were used to test these approaches. The results show that students frequently use online communities, with no significant differences in use based on gender, field of study, or academic level. The research highlights the importance for educational institutions to adopt these findings and methods to create an effective online community environment that supports students' overall growth and academic success. This study is unique in its ecological approach and offers new insights into student engagement in virtual communities.