Abstract:
This study assessed the use of social media for exchanging knowledge and information by
postgraduate students at four higher learning institutions in northern Tanzania. The study used a
convergent research design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data concurrently. The
population of the study comprised of 633 postgraduate students from which the samples of 239
was drawn. Simple random sampling was used to select postgraduate students to participate in the
study. The online survey was used to obtain 171 responses from 239 postgraduate students. Data
from interview sessions was obtained from eight (8) heads of academic staff purposefully selected
to participate in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics while
qualitative data was transcribed and subjected to content and thematic analyses using Atlasi Ti. The
study establishes that postgraduate students were willing to exchange knowledge and information
using social media to interact and socialize. Based on their willingness, the study revealed that
social media offered various benefits to postgraduate students, including timely access to
knowledge and information, collaborative learning, strengthening their knowledge base and
enhancing their academic performance. Among other recommendations, the selected tertiary
institutions need to formulate social media usage policies to guide postgraduate students on the
use of such platforms. This includes informing them of the risks associated with the use of social
media and alternative ways of avoiding such risks.
