Secondary students’ utilization of facebook for academic learning and creating social awareness in Nepal

In the present context, students’ utilization of social media has increased, and this has become a contested and critical domain. This paper analyzes secondary students’ perceptions of Facebook about their academic learning. This study is based on a qualitative interpretive research design and employs semi-structured interviews with the participants and observations of their Facebook walls to collect qualitative information. Findings report that secondary students utilize Facebook to receive referential materials for their academic courses at their schools and are proactively involved in following, sharing, and commenting on publicly shared information. Further, the study reveals that secondary students used Facebook to acquire information about recent worldwide activities. In addition, they utilize Facebook to create public awareness of social problems and resist social injustice. They know the potential challenges of using Facebook and employ it to develop their academic growth and fulfill their social responsibilities. Findings can contribute to a better understanding of how Facebook and other social media can be used to promote academic growth and create social awareness in the changing context of the world.