Are virtual and physical communities different on their academic use?

Resumo

Social relationships are built on different scenarios that investigation reference as communities, especially the sense of community that express the belonging, the emotional connexion and the needs satisfaction among members. The importance of the sense of community in different physical context (community, organizational) has been highlighted by the scientific literature, in particular academic performance on school and college and social wellbeing has been related in the educational field. Furthermore, new technologies modify communications and relationships, also, have become an essential tool to support the teaching-learning process in the education field. Thus, virtual communities have significantly increased their impact on academic life; changing the scenario and developing new social relationships; social recognition and bonding; or identification with other members. Among virtual communities and new technologies, WhatsApp groups are widespread in their use among undergraduates, nevertheless, there are few studies that analyse which are their differences with traditional communities, such as classroom groups. Hence, a cohort study in three different periods is presented, with a sample of 390 undergraduate students, to whom an ad hoc scale was applied to compare academic WhatsApp groups with physical communities -to know, classroom groups-. Results show significative differences in every assessed variable. Limitations of the study and the implications of this type of groups to improve the teaching-learning process and the student well-being will be discussed.