Social Networks as Learning Facilitators for Exact Sciences in Higher Education

The use of social networks is widespread in all areas and the education sector is no exception. This research was conducted with students of the administrative area. It was a non-experimental, descriptive, transactional and mixed-type research. The methodology was performed based on Sandoval-Almazán, Romero-Romero and Heredia-Rodríguez (2013) and team's proposal. The objective was to determine the social networks use by students within class as facilitator of learning. The random sample was based on students enrolled in three subjects of exact sciences: Statistics, Quantitative Methods 1 and Quantitative Methods 2, considering only students enrolled in groups where they can use social media in class. Correlation and validation was performed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The results support the hypothesis: social networks facilitate learning because 99% of students use social networks. Most of the students often use social networks in class, to perform and share information or tasks and explain a topic. The device most used to access a social network in class is the mobile phone. The social network more used is WhatsApp, followed by Facebook.