Engaging Students via Social Media

Abstract

This article explores for the first time the moderating effect of students’ readiness for cocreation on the student social media engagement and perceived value relationship. Ping’s and Cadogan et al.’s procedures for assessing the structural model with interaction terms were followed. Results based on a sample of 353 university students demonstrated that students who are ready to participate in value creation tend to perceive more value from social media engagement. In particular, when the students perceive role clarity, have higher ability, and are motivated to take active part in creating value, they report high functional, social, and emotional value. This research is expected to impart key insights for scholars, as well as educators and policy makers in tertiary institutions seeking to further understand the nascent student social media engagement concept, and the nature of the student social media engagement/perceived value nexus. A series of recommendations are offered to assist faculty efforts to enhance students’ willingness to take active part in value creation. The article concludes with an overview of key research limitations and implications.