INTRODUCTION

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1)Meaning and background of social media

Internet-based applications are changing the manner in which we communicate and

circulate professional and personal information.Improved connectivity and access to the

internet have enabled people to instantaneously share ideas and interact with others on a

global scale.social media are defined as ‘digital technologies and practices that enable

people to use, create and share content, opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives,

build relationships and promote discussion’.This includes the use of discussion groups

using messaging software, such as WhatsApp. Increasingly health care practitioners and

students are embracing advances in technology and social media within their CPD (Davis

& Voyce, 2015). Social media is defined as “numerous online communities (or platforms)

through which you can communicate with others” (COT, 2015). This study refers to

social media use within a professional capacity and not for purely social exchanges or

personal causes.(1)

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2)Types of social media platforms:

2.1)Twitter is a social media platform that is globally available and free to use. It allows

its users to share information, pictures and links to other resources via short messages of

280 characters. These messages are known as Tweets and are shared in real time. It helps

to :(1) To investigate the influencing factors that impact on the professional use of

Twitter for occupational therapists and occupational therapy students.(2) To explore

occupational therapists and occupational therapy students’ attitudes towards the use of

Twitter for professional means.(3) To identify the perceived barriers and benefits in using

Twitter for CPD within occupational therapy.

2.2)YouTube: There are a number of reasons YouTube has become the powerhouse it is,

and many of those translate to the classroom. 1. Supplements learning – There is a great

deal of educational content available on YouTube, including entire courses. This can be

invaluable for busy teachers who need supplemental resources for slow days, sick days,

complex topics, or who just want to switch up their teaching style to keep students

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interested and engaged. Blocking YouTube on a schoolwide level removes the

opportunity for teachers to lean on YouTube when it would otherwise be helpful.

2. Increases engagement – The fact that students choose to engage with videos on a

daily basis proves how enticing this format can be to young people. The combination of

visuals and audio — along with YouTube’s content culture of simple, digestible

messaging — makes YouTube videos a great tool for engaging students in learning. In

fact, 91% of educational institutions say video increases student satisfaction.

3. Encourages creativity – One other benefit to enabling YouTube in the classroom is

that it opens the door for student-led video creation. Video production is not only a viable

future career choice for students but has also become a common skillset that students

want and need to practice. Student videos don’t have to be slick productions — even a

video journal or improvised essay response can be great uses for the format.

2.3)WhatsApp: The underlying purpose of WhatsApp is to facilitate communication,

and at its most basic level, education is nothing but communication. WhatsApp can

provide a channel through which teachers can achieve faster and more seamless

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communication with their students. It can also increase the level of communication

between students and create another venue for learningEducation Strategies for

WhatsApp Here are some basic strategies that educators can utilize to take advantage of

the core abilities of WhatsApp: Use the Group Chats feature to create learning and study

groups,Create audio lessons that can be sent directly to students, Stay in contact with

students outside the classroom,Send out problems or assignments to students even when

they are not in class,Stay in contact with parents, Send videos to students, Send graphics

such as pictures or charts directly to students ,Send report cards directly to the parents’

phones, Facilitate real-time communication between students and teachers.Facilitate real-

time communication between teachers and parents and Teachers can also maintain

communication with students .

2.4)Facebook:We use social media platforms to provide support and resources to

occupational therapists, as well as talking to our members about their needs and interests.

We share information with followers and can help by answering queries or promoting

networking between members.(4)

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2.5)Instagram:Instagram is a platform that the majority of our occupational therapy

students are already using daily. There was strong evidence of student engagement via

Instagram analytics. Once a database of images with questions and answers is established,

content can readily be posted to Instagram for students to study. Once established, this

process can be applied to other visual content, such as anatomy, radiology, pathology,

and microbiology.(1)

2.6)Printerest: Pinterest is a great source for inspiration – Pinterest boards are also great

for all kinds of collaborative and personal projects on the platform itself. Let’s take a look

at the many ways we see students using Pinterest today — and this is only a small

sampling of what’s out there.1. Creative Team Brainstorming:Students can easily search

for ideas in their topic area and gain inspiration from the resources and colorful images

they find.This works especially well for visual projects. Students can pin the kind of work

they’d like to emulate in shape, content or form, as well as create a portfolio of the artists

and designers that inspire them. Other kinds of creative projects are also fair game,

especially if they have a visual aspect to them. Students will find creative inspiration for

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about every discipline out there. Give them a few guidelines and send them sleuthing.2.

Research Projects:Pinterest is also a treasure trove for research projects. For example: If

students are researching the history of the suffragist movement, each student could create

a Suffragist Board where they can pin research, YouTube videos, and pictures from both

Pinterest and around the Internet. When they’re ready to take their project to the writing

or presentation stage, they’ll have everything they need in one organized, visually

intuitive place.For younger students who are starting out with research, their Pinterest

boards can serve as a virtual bibliography, with all of the necessary links right there for

them to cite down the line.On a more meta level, having students use Pinterest for

research will foster both digital literacy and modern research skills. Now would be a

great time to have a broader discussion about what makes a good source, where you can

find them, how to gather counter-perspectives, and what the various kinds of resources

are. If you really want to get meta, you could have an entire class Pinterest board devoted

specifically to Principles of Research, which students can refer back to as they go.3.

Group Projects:It’d be a shame to stop at individual projects. If you’re researching as a

class, create a class Suffragist Board that everyone can contribute to, both for class work

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and for homework.Or, if the project is one topic that a group picked to study, that group

can create a board for each student to contribute to individually.4. Digital Student

Portfolios:Another great idea is to have every student create a portfolio board at the

beginning of the year. Whenever they turn in impressive work, teachers can suggest that

they pin it to the board. The board itself can become a portfolio at the end of the year, or

it can become the source for putting together a more formal portfolio outside of Pinterest.

Older students can use Pinterest as a digital resume.Additionally, as a teacher you can

create a class board where you regularly feature great student work. Students will feel

proud when they’re featured, and parents will love the digital glimpse into the classroom.

2.7)LinkedIn: is a social media platform dedicated to professional development and

networking. Once considered a passive database of resumes, the site has grown into a

powerful tool for medical students and has helped overcome some of the setbacks caused

by the pandemic as well.The past year has been challenging for students across the globe.

As schools transitioned to digital learning, students have had fewer opportunities to

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connect with professors and each other. Medical conferences have also gone online,

further undermining chances to network and meet potential professional

connections.Social media can be a great tool to combat this isolation. For medical

students looking for professional contacts or mentors, LinkedIn offers a myriad of ways

to connect and build your network. Whether you’re a social media maven or Facebook

illiterate, LinkedIn can be a great tool for developing your school and long-term medical

career. Read on for your total guide on how to use LinkedIn effectively in med

schoolResearch and publication opportunities:Many medical journals maintain lively

LinkedIn pages and blogs, and international medical student organizations are active on

the site as well. If you’re looking for research opportunities or places to get your name in

print, LinkedIn has got you covered. Keep up to date by reading the blogs and finding an

opportunity that works for you.Medical conferences:COVID made us move many

conferences online, and many conferences now use the LinkedIn platform for the

webinars, presentations, and panels that used to be in-person. Networking will become

more and more important for you as your medical school years tick on, and now that

digital conferences are here, they are likely here to stay in some form or other.Sharing

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professional updates and growth:As your medical school career progresses, you will start

to transition from student to professional. You can share the milestones that you pass

with your peers and show potential bosses how you’re moving forward. LinkedIn is the

perfect platform for this as it helps showcase your accomplishments while hooking you

up with the people who need to know it.

2.8)Telegram: Sharing content and information with a large audience,Building a

community of like-minded individuals,Promoting a product or service,Providing support

and customer service.Pros:Reach a large audience with ease,Ability to broadcast

messages to all members instantly,Engage with members in real-time,Efficient and cost-

effective communication.(1)

2.9)Blogging :is an increasingly popular method of sharing and reflecting on experiences

of medical students in the World Wide Web with a potentially global learning community.

The authors are not aware of studies that specifically examined blogs by medical students

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and thus for the first time investigated the type of experiences and impressions that

emerged from these blogs with relevance for medical students and medical educators.

2.10) Snapchat:Educators can make use of snapchat to post short videos and photos to

give highlight of the day’s content and also summarize the content covered in the days. It

is a great way to showcase live examples to students for subjects .

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3)Need for Using Social Media:With the ever increasing diffusion of ICTs in all walks

of lives, connectedness is increasingly becoming a given part of our lives. This

connectedness brings with it many opportunities and also presents many challenges.

From the perspective of governments, the following represent some of the reasons for

using social media:Enhanced Outreach: As the recent world events have demonstrated,

social media have emerged as a powerful platform for forming an opinion as well as

generating mass support. In India, FaceBook alone has over 40 million users each. Even a

microblogging site Twitter has about 16 million users. These sites offer an opportunity to

reach out to this audience at a keystroke. Many of these facilitate access through mobile

devices and with nearly 900 million mobile users in India, it offers an unprecedented

outreach.Real Time engagement: Social Media releases the shackles of time and place for

engagement. They can connect policy makers to stakeholders in real time. In the recent

Libyan crisis, the Ministry of External Affairs used social media platforms such as

Twitter to assist in locating and evacuating Indian Citizens from Libya. Individual

Interaction: In traditional forms of media, interaction with individual user is either not

possible or is very limited. Social Media platform offers the ability to connect with each

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and every individual. Such an interaction also enables the marginalised to participate in

discussions and present their point of view, thereby improving the political position of

marginalized or vulnerable groups. It is specifically useful when seeking feedback on

services rendered. Managing Perceptions: One of the big challenges for government is to

avoid propagation of unverified facts and frivolous misleading rumours with respect to

government policies. Leveraging these platforms can help to counter such perceptions

and present the facts to enable informed opinion making.(7)

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3.1)BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

The use of social media for professional practice is an emerging trend for healthcare

professionals; however, limited literature exists on the phenomenon. Social media usage

is prevalent among students, as it is incorporated into many health professions education

curricula. This poses potential ethical dilemmas.[4]

Social Media in recent times has become synonymous with Social Networking sites such

as FaceBook or MicroBlogging sites such as Twitter. However, very broadly social

media can be defined as any web or mobile based platform that enables an individual or

agency to communicate interactively and enables exchange of user generated content.[5]

social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn that allow members

to interact with one another by sharing information, ideas, photos, and other content, has

become an integral activity embedded in the daily routines and lifestyle habits of

undergraduate and graduate students.[4]

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Social media is any web or mobile based platform that’s enables an individual or agency

to communicate interactively and enables exchange of user generated content .

occupational therapists have to consider that societal changes will have a major impact on

the way we educate, do research, and deliver occupational therapy practice.

A number of benefits have been suggested including networking (Bodell & Hook, 2011),

interactive reflection (Ezzamel, 2013), collaboration (Dielmen & Duncan, 2013), wider

access to professionals and experts (Bodell & Hook, 2014) and the ability to engage with

new and emerging concepts (Bodell et al, 2009). However, Bodell & Hook (2011) and

Ezzamel (2013) argue that practitioners do have concerns regarding professional use of

social media such as confidentiality, which can create a barrier to its use.

This study therefore aims to increase the evidence base by seeking to understand

occupational therapists and occupational therapy students’ attitudes to social media use

within

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their CPD. It will also explore perceived barriers to social media use, in order to

understand how these can be overcome in the future.

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4)Core Values for Using Social Media

Unlike other traditional media, social media is more interactive, enables one-to-one

conversation and demands immediacy in response. Also, on such platforms the

perception of official and personal roles and boundaries is often blurred. Therefore, while

using social media for official purposes, the following may be kept in mind to smoothen

interaction: Identity: Always identify clearly who you are, what is your role in the

department and publish in the first person. Disclaimer may be used when appropriate.

Authority: Do not comment and respond unless authorized to do so especially in the

matters that are sub-judice, draft legislations or relating to other individuals. Relevance:

Comment on issues relevant to your area and make relevant and pertinent comments.

This will make conversation productive and help take it to its logical conclusion.

Professionalism: Be Polite, Be Discrete and Be Respectful to all and do not make

personal comments for or against any individuals or agencies. Also, professional

discussions should not be politicized.Openness: Be open to comments – whether positive

or negative. It is NOT necessary to respond to each and every comment.Compliance: Be

compliant to relevant rules and regulations. Do not infringe upon IPR, copyright of

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others.Privacy: Do not reveal personal information about other individuals as well as do

not publish your own private and personal details unless you wish for them to be made

public to be used by others.

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5)Challenges in Using Social Media

Why to use social media: Departments sometimes find it difficult to define the need or

objective to use social media. Is it for providing information, seeking feedback, generic

interaction, etc. Due to this lack of clarity, departments often either choose not to use

social media or attempt to be present on all platforms at once.

Which Platforms to use: Given the plethora of platforms and even types of social

media, it is very difficult to choose the type and no. of platform on which to engage and

how to create inter-linkages between these platforms.

Who will engage: Most departments have limited capacity to engage with traditional

media itself and since social media demands a deeper and constant interaction,

availability of such resources is even more limited. A closely associated question is that

of authority i.e. who is authorised to respond on behalf of the department, whether such a

response will be made in personal or official capacity and from personal or official

account etc.

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How to engage: Use of social media is an ongoing process and requires long term

commitment. Many have questions around rules of engagement – how to create and

manage an account, what should be response time, what are the legal implications etc.

In order to help departments and government agencies to meet these challenges,

Guidelines for use of Social Media have been drafted. In the following section, various

elements of the Framework and the Guidelines to use the different elements of

Framework have been detailed.

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REVIEW OF

LITRATURE

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1) A study was conducted byD Naidoo, PhD; P Govender, PhD; M Stead, BOT; U

Mohangi, BOT; F Zulu, BOT; M Mbele, et-al in 2018 among students. The title of the

study was Occupational therapy students’ use of social media for professional practice.It

was a quantitative, cross-sectional survey study the results was The most commonly used

device to access social media was mobile phones, with WhatsApp and YouTube

frequently used for both general and professional purposes. Uses included accessing

social media for developing professional skills and knowledge, and in fulfilling academic

requirements and Conclusion Was The study highlighted that most students use some

form of social media as part of their professional practice, which has the potential to be

used effectively to enhance learning opportunities.[1]

2)Jehangir Bharucha,et-al in 2017 among business students . The title of the study was

Social media: Creating communities of research and practice. It was a questionnaire

method.it concluded that the use of social media approaches to learning certainly

enhanced the experiences of undergraduate and post-graduate business students in this

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study.in particular, shown how technologies enhance academic performance and help to

better manage administrative communication with students.This would also probably

help them in competitive job markets in the future.social media will continue to play an

important role in the Indian education sector.[2]

3)Melanie Austin-McCain,et-al in 2017 among graduate students.the title of the study

was an Examination of the Association of Social Media Use with the Satisfaction with

Daily Routines and Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Undergraduate and Graduate Students. It

was survey questionnaire method.it concluded that Findings revealed that social media

use is substantially related to certain healthy lifestyle habits, such as relaxation, leisure,

and social participation activities, as well as satisfaction with daily routine.[3]

4)Koushik Sau, Guruprasad V, et-al in 2013 among occupational therapist.the title of

the study was facebook and occupational therapy and profession and it was a survey

method. It concluded that findings revealed that It helps to connect, collaborate with

stage for developing diverse, low density networks free of charge and with reduced cost

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in terms of time and efforts . It can be used to communicate public messages with a click

any time from any place. Enhance one to one communication with clients. It also

provided about its benefits do’s and don’t.[4]

5)Sheryl Eckberg Zylstra,et-al in 2020 among occupational therapy students. The title

of the study is a study of Occupational Therapy Strategies and Psychological Regulation

of Students’ Internet Addiction in the Mobile Social Media Environment. It was survey

method. It conculuded that Social media has become a stand-alone occupation that

contributes to the shaping of the roles, habits, and routines of clients across the life span;

therefore, we firmly believe that it should consistently be a consideration during the

occupational therapy process from evaluation through discharge. Furthermore,

exploratory research to determine current occupational therapy practices, trends, and gaps

is essential. Occupational therapists have the distinct skill set needed to promote healthy

social media use to optimize the benefits while mitigating the negative consequences on

physical and emotional health. We call on occupational therapists to embrace social

media as an occupation across the life span.[5]

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6)Kirstie Hugheset-al in 2020 among the occupational therapist. The title of he study is

the use of Twitter for continuing professional development within occupational

therapy .it was an online survey method both quantitative and qualitative. It concluded

that Twitter has the potential to become a credible platform for ,not just for the clinicians’

professional development but also for the advance- ment of the profession itself.

Twitter offers occupational therapy practitioners and students a forum to share

experiences, explore areas of professional interest and promote its valuable contribution

to the world. For profession that often finds itself as the underdog and having to justify its

worth, this tool can only be seen as an opportunity for occupational therapy to be loud

and proud about its world.

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7)Department of Electronics and Information Technology Ministry of

Communications & Information Technology Government of India -al in 2011 among

personal or official.The title of the study was Department of Electronics and Information

Technology Framework & Guidelines for Use of Social Media .It was a survey method .

It concluded that Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) including internet

and mobile based communications are increasingly becoming pervasive and integral to

day-to-day functioning of our lives- whether personal or official. ICTs offer an

unprecedented opportunity of connecting to each and every individual and design the

communication structure accordingly to each person. Such a structure can be defined and

re-defined by both initiator and receiver of communication. Such a medium of

communication is referred to as Social Media and it is transforming the way in which

people connect with each other and the manner in which information is shared and

distributed.While at a personal level, the uptake and usage of such media is gaining rapid

popularity, use and utility of such media for official purpose remain ambiguous. Many

apprehensions remain including, but not limited to issues related to authorisation to speak

on behalf of department/agency, technologies and platform to be used for communication,

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scope of engagement, creating synergies between different channels of communication,

compliance with existing legislations.

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 AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES

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1)Purpose of the study: To understand the use of social media for professional

practice.To also understand how occupational therapy students use social media in

practice and how social media is used in Indian context as limited study has been

conducted in Indian. There is no evidence regarding the use of social media for

professional practice.

2) Objective of the study:To examine the nature of social media usage and knowledge

of ethical considerations by occupational therapy (OT) students.

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METHODOLOGY

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Survey method: in sample survey, since we study only a sub part of the whole

population, requires less money and less time. Most of the time, non sampling errors are

so large that the results of sample surveys are much more accurate than those of census

surveys. Non sampling errors arise due to a number of factors such as inefficiency of

field workers, non- response, bias due to interview, etc. these errors are likely to grow

when the number of units inspected increases.

However, if the objective of study is very serious in nature and information is required

about each and every sampling unit, there is no way out but to resort to censure surveys.

Moreover if time and money are not important factors or if population is not so large, a

census survey may provide better results than any sample survey, provided efficient and

trained staff is employed.

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1. Study design:survey method.

2. Study setting: The study will be conducted among the occupational therapy

students from first year to final year .The data will be obtained from students of

occupational therapy all over india.

3. Recruitment:The recruitment will be done through Survey method.

4. Sample size: 100 occupational therapy students will be recruited for the study

from india.

n=Z a2pq
------------
d2

n= sample size
Za= z statistic for a level of confidence
(z= 1.96 for 83% confidence level)

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 P= anticipated proportion
q = (1-p)
d = margin of error
Za=1.96 , p =0.83, q = (1- 0.83) , d=0.08

n= (1.96)2 x 0.83 x(1-1.96)

(0.08)2

n= 0.541824
0.0064
n =84.66

5. Eligibility Criteria:
a)Inclusion criteria: 1)occupational therapy students .
2)occupational therapy students from India.
3) occupational therapy students from first year to post graduate.
b)Exclusion criteria:
1)residential doctors
2)engineering students
3) college students

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PROCEDURE

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Following procedure to be followed: -
● Approval from the institutional review board at Goa medical College Goa had
received before commencement of data collection
● Selection of the participants through survey method.
● Administration of questionnaires for fitting eligibility criteria.
● The community reintegration questionnaire through google forms
● Google forms will be sent to the occupational therapy students.
● Responses will be evaluated and data will be prepared.
● The final step will include a detailed data analysis, followed by interpretations
and discussion.
● Results will be generated

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DATA ANALYSIS

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Analysis:• descriptive analysis was used for the data analysis.

• The transcripts were read repeatedly to examine what had been said by

the participants. Information contained in each google form and in the

entire collected data was organized.

• Detailed examination of the data was carried out to link the codes

together into categories.

• data was generated from google form the converted to excel sheets and

Exploring

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occupational therapy using social media by occupational therapy students a survey cross

sectional study In- depth interview Manual coding of data

Generation of understanding the practice of occupational therapist students using

social media.

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7. Ethics and Dissemination: -

Ethical approval for the study will be taken from Goa Medical College, Goa- Institutional

Review Board (IRB). All the participants in this study will be consented (informed).

Data collected from each participant will be coded so that participants’ identity will be

kept confidential. The data will be kept confidential and only senior researcher will able

to access the data.

All personal information and data will not be shared or discussed with members outside

the researcher without the patient's consent. Electronic personal information will be

stored securely.

Electronic personal information should not leave the secure storage base. If personal

information needs to be emailed, this should be in an encrypted form. Results of the study

will be communicated to the participants, health professionals who referred the

participants for the trial through dissemination workshops.

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We will be also disseminating results of the study through publications in high impact

and open access journals and national and international conferences.

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RESULTS

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1.Age of participants:

Table 1. shows the Age of participants

AGE OF OT STUDENTS NO OF PARTICIPANTS

18 - 19 18

19 - 21 13

21-22 25

22- 24 20

24-25 22

25-27 3

total 101

FIGURE 1.shows the Age of participants

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Description :table1, and figure 1 shows that the participants were occupational therapy

students all over India majority of the students ranged from 21 to 22 year 25 participants.

From 24 to 25 years were 22 participants.From 22 to 24 years were 20 participants. From

19 to 21 years we’re 13 participants.From 18 to 19 years were 18 participants.And the

minority students ranged in the age group of 25 to 27 years ie 3 participants.

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2)Gender

Table 1.2 shows the gender participation

Gender percentage

female 79.2%

male 20.8%

figure 1.2 shows the gender participation

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Description:table 1.2 and figure 1.2 shows that the majority of the students participated

were females ie 79.2% And minority were male ie 20.8%.

3) Students of occupational therapy

Table 2. shows the year vise participation of occupational therapy students

Students of occupational % of students count of students
therapy

1st year OT 24.8% 25

2nd year OT 10.9% 11

3rd year OT 15.8% 15

4th year OT 13.9% 14

Intern of OT 21.8% 23

MOT 1st year 7.9% 8

MOT 2nd year 4% 4

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 Figure 2. shows the year vise participation of occupational therapy students

Description: Table 2 .and Figure 2. shows students from which years had participated. A

majority of the participants were 1st year occupational therapy students with 24.8%. Then

followed by intern of occupational therapy with 21.8%. There after followed by 3rd year

occupational therapy with 15.8%.followed by 4th year occupational therapy students with

13.9%.followed by 2nd year occupational therapy students with 10.9%.followed by by

1st year masters in occupational therapy students with7.9%.later on 2nd year masters in

occupational therapy students with 4%

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4)College
Table 3. shows various college participation
colleges number of students

Goa medical college 95

national institute of locomotor 1

disabilities( DIVYANGJAN)
Kolkata

JKKM college of occupational 1

therapists

Meenakshi university 1

SRM college of occupational 1

therapy and GMC

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GMC Nagpur . 1

figure 3. shows various college participation

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Description: Table 3 and Figure shows the various colleges from all over India

participated in the survey study method. 95 of occupational therapy students were from

Goa medical colleges . 1% of the participants were from the following colleges that

ie.national institute of locomotor disabilities( DIVYANGJAN) Kolkata, JKKM college of

occupational therapists, Meenakshi university, SRM college of occupational therapy and

GMC Nagpur .

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5) How long do you spend on social media networking sites during a typical day?

Table 4 . shows time spend by the students on social media.

time spend percentage

none 1%

5 to 10 minutes 2%

10 to 30 minutes 5%

1 to 2 hrs 34.7%

2 to 3 hrs 28.7%

3 to 4 hrs 19.8%

4 to 5 hrs 8.9%

others 0%
figure 4 . shows time spend by the students on social media.

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Description: table 4 and figure 4 how much time do the students spend on social. A

majority of the participated students spend 1-2 hours ie 34.7%. Then followed by 2-3 hrs

ie 28.7 %. There after followed 3 to 4 hrs 19.8%.followed by 4 to 5hrs ie 8.9%.followed

by 2nd year occupational therapy students with 10.9%.followed by 5 to 10 hrs with

5% .later followed up by 5 to 10 minutes with 2%.Minority is none.

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6)Which of the following social media platforms do you use?

table 5. shows various social media platforms used.

social media student count percentage

platforms

WhatsApp 74 students 87.1%

Instagram 71 students 83.5%

YouTube 70 students 82.4%

Snapchat 32 students 37.6%

telegram 36 students 42.4%

Pinterest 29 students 34.1%

Facebook 14 students 16.5%

LinkedIn 7 students 8.2%

twitter 4 students 4.7%

blog 4 students 4.7%

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 tumbler 1 student 1.2%

all of the above 2 students 2.4%

figure 5. shows various social media platforms used.

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Description:table 5 and figure 5 shows the various social media platforms used by

occupational therapy students . A majority of the students use WhatsApp 74 students ie

87.1%. Then followed by Instagram 71 i.e. 83.5%. Thereafter followed by YouTube 70

students i.e. 82.4%. followed by Snapchat 32 students i.e. 37.6% .followed by telegram

36 students i.e. 42.4%. Followed by Pinterest 29 students i.e. 34.1%.followed by

Facebook 14 students i.e.16.5%.later followed up by LinkedIn 7 students i.e. 8.2%. Same

number of students used twitter and blog 4 students ie 4.7%.Minority used tumbler 1

student i.e.1.2%.and 2 students opted for the option of all of the above I.e. 2.4%.

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7)Is social media a tool that should be utilized by occupational therapy students?

table 6. shows social media as a tool.

Is social media a tool that should be percentage
utilized by occupational therapy students

yes 95%

no 5%

figure 6. shows social media as a tool.

Description:The above pie chart shows that social media is a tool that should be utilized

by occupational therapy students, 95% of students opted for yes and 5% opted for no.

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8) benefits did you get from social media usage as a occupational therapy student
table 7. show the benefits of social media
Benefits from social count of students percentage
media usage

It enhances knowledge 60 students 70.9%

about occupational
therapy.

discussion of further 42 students 49.4%

career opportunities.

seeking out advice and 39 students 45.9%

learning from peers.

promoting general 29 students 34.1%

occupational therapy
education.

all of the above count of 29 students 34.1%

29 students i.e 34.1%

none 3 students 3.5%

figure 7. show the benefits of social media

56
Description:The above table 7 and figure 7shows how social media benefited

occupational therapy students.Majority of the students opted for the option it enhances

knowledge about occupational therapy count of 60 students I.e. 70.9%.followed by the

option discussion of further career opportunities , count of 42 i.e. 49.4% . Thereafter

followed by seeking out advice and learning from peers , count of 39 I.e. 45.9%.

Followed by the option of promoting general occupational therapy education, count of

29 students i.e 34.1% . Followed by the option of all of the above count of 29 students i.e

34.1%. Followed by the option of none count of 3 students i.e.3.5%.

57
9) social media can be used to improve learning

table 8. shows social media to improve learning

social media can be used to improve percentage
learning

all of the above 29.9%

conveying your views by posting 25%

photos , articles and videos.

gathering data through online mode to 24.3%

make assignments

providing a smooth , more direct 20.8%

communication tool between students,
teachers and parents

figure 8. shows social media to improve learning

58
Description:The above figure shows how social media improves learning. The majority

of the students opted for the option of all of the above 29.9% .Followed by the option of

conveying your views by posting photos , articles and videos 25%. Followed by

gathering data through online mode to make assignments 24.3%.followed by the option

of providing a smooth , more direct communication tool between students, teachers and

parents 20.8%.

59
10)Why do you feel it is necessary to verify the content we are consuming through
social media?

table 9 shows is it necessary to verify the content we are consuming on social media
verify the content we are consuming percentage
through social media

all of the above . 32.2%

it assists in monitoring the relevant topics 30.5%

that are trending on a general level .

This way you can find new and innovative 25.4%

ideas and perceptions for your content.

you can use your competitors ideas as a 11.9%

source of inspiration

figure 9 shows is it necessary to verify the content we are consuming on social media

60
Description:The above table 9 and figure9 shows is it necessary to verify the content

we are consuming through social media . Majority of the students opted for the option of

all of the above 32.2%.followed by the option of it assists in monitoring the relevant

topics that are trending on a general level 30.5%.thereafter followed by the option of this

way you can find new and innovative ideas and perceptions for your content 25.4%.

Followed by the option of you can use your competitors ideas as a source of inspiration

11.9%.

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11)How do you think a combination of social media and an education curriculum
will improve occupational therapy education?

table10. shows combination of social media on education curriculum

social media and an No of students percentage
education curriculum will
improve occupational
therapy education

all of the above . 50 students 58.8%

it also offers flexibility to 32 students 37.6%

students to learn innovative
clinical practices .

adapting social media to be a 21 students 24.7%

part of the collaborative
learning .

figure 10. shows combination of social media on education curriculum

62
Description:The above table 10 and figure10 shows how social media and an education

curriculum will improve occupational therapy education. Majority of the students opted

for all of the above option , count of 50 students i.e.58.8%. Followed by the option of it

also offers flexibility to students to learn innovative clinical practices count of 32

students i.e 37.6%.minority of the students opted for the option of adapting social media

to be a part of the collaborative learning count of 21 students i.e 24.7%.

63
12)social media is connected to education and its pros?

table11.show how social media is connected to education

Pros percentage

all of the above by 28%

it can provide students with unlimited 22%

resources and texts from credible sources
that can be utilized to their advantage in
essays, projects and presentations

increase in communication which has led 19%

to deeper understanding of class materials
in occupational therapy students

it can also be used as a means of giving 16.1%

and receiving feedback at any time

it can help the occupational therapy 14.9%

students in communicating with the
professors even when they’re outside the
classroom

64
 figure 11.show how social media is connected to education

Description:The above table11 and figure11 shows how social media is connected to

education by Listing its pros.Majority of the students opted for the option of all of the

above by 28%. Followed by the option of it can provide students with unlimited

resources and texts from credible sources that can be utilized to their advantage in essays,

projects and presentations by 22%. Followed by the option of increase in communication

which has led to deeper understanding of class materials in occupational therapy students

by 19%. thereafter followed by the option of it can also be used as a means of giving and

receiving feedback at any time by 16.1%. a minority of the students opted for the it can

help the occupational therapy students in communicating with the professors even when

they’re outside the classroom by 14.9%.

65
13) social media is connected to education and Listing its cons

table12 shows how social media is connected to education and Listing its cons
Cons percentage

increased use of social media which can lead 32.2%

to anxiety, depression and lack of self-esteem

all of the above 25.2% 25.2%

cyberbullying and cyberstalking 20.9%

it had bridged the gap in communication 21.7%

between the students and professors

figure 12 shows how social media is connected to education and Listing its cons

66
Description:The above table12 and figure 12 shows how social media is connected to

education by Listing the cons. Majority of the students opted for the option of increased

use of social media which can lead to anxiety, depression and lack of self-esteem by

32.2%. Thereafter followed by the option of all of the above 25.2%. later followed by the

option of cyberbullying and cyberstalking by 20.9%. In a minority others opted for it had

bridged the gap in communication between the students and professors by 21.7%.

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14)potential abuse of social media by students

table 13. shows potential abuse of social media by students

potential Abuse percentage

yes 55.4%

no 38.6%

partially 1%

If social media is used responsibly It won’t 1%

be a problem

Sometimes 1%

maybe 1%

Not like abuse, but a little bit afraid as a 1%

student to use it

figure 13. shows potential abuse of social media by students

68
Description:The above table13 and figure13 shows the potential abuse of social media

by students. the majority of the students opted for the option of yes by 55.4%. followed

by the option of no by 38.6%. Followed by mixed options of 1% that is partially,If social

media is used responsibly It won’t be a problem, Sometimes , maybe and Not like abuse,

but a little bit afraid as a student to use it.

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15) If yes then why should it be used by occupational therapy students?

to the above question it had an mixed opinion. social media is used to provide awarness

and knowledge about occupational therapy,you also get to know the latest trends,to

provide new updates and recent advances, also learn about the new intervention, to get

information about various things related to OT,to understand a particular topic, sharing

useful documents ,to reduce the risk caused by non communicable diseases,getting

answers to the to the queries,update of daily news, for leisure and ppts, sharing

information about workshop and better understanding of the subject like anatomy and

physiology.

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16) If no then why should not it be utilized by occupational therapy students?

the opinions were as follows its based on our wish, because its waste of their time and it

may lead to misuse.

71
17) If yes then explain how the potential abuse can be cased?

the opinion were as follows, the abuse could be by cyberbulling , it could also lead to

addiction and loss of focus and drive for studying it may also lead to overdependency

which may lead to anxiety and depression . there can be unrealistic expectation of getting

famous . increase in screen time which may lead to decrease in sleep time and decrease

in attention .It could also be used in wrong way, it could disturb in routine of life of

students. hacking, spending of to much of time on social media and neglect of study.

72
DISCUSSION

73
The SA internet user population reached 20 million in 2016.students used their mobile

phones for the majority of their academic activities. study found that students felt that

social media enhance their academic and social lives. OT students use social media for

both general and professional purposes. As noted in the literature. WhatsApp, Facebook

and Instagram were the most commonly used social media sites in this study. WhatsApp,

YouTube, Facebook and Pinterest were all commonly used by the students for academic

purposes. WhatsApp appears to be popular owing to the speed of communication, which

includes the ability to share text messages, pictures and voice notes rapidly. identified

that the use of software applications, such as WhatsApp, has the potential to enhance

communication in healthcare and medical education. There is evidence that students use

social media for educational purposes, which corresponds with that in the current

literature.[2,1,3] systematic review highlighted that blended learning (face-to- face and e-

74
learning) has a positive effect on learning in higher education.The participants noted that

fulfilling university requirements, developing skills and knowledge and improving

clinical practice were the main reasons for professional social media use. described social

media as an open environment where ideas can grow online. YouTube and Facebook

have both been found to be useful sites for content sharing within academic institutions.

For example, Facebook has been used to start health science special interest/discussion

groups, while YouTube enhances learning by providing additional content from an

outsider’s perspective. In our study, there was a decline in the frequency of tumblr , blog

and twitter use as students progressed to their final year. The highest frequency of usage

occurred in 1st and 2nd years. This finding could be owing to 1st- and 2nd-year students

still seeking foundational knowledge. Additionally, YouTube videos have been used to

enhance clarification of difficult concepts, especially in subjects such as anatomy and

physiology. found that 70% of students used YouTube as an online information resource

to enhance their understanding of human anatomy.

75
Pinterest, has gained rapid popularity. WFOT acknowledged Pinterest in their position

statement on social media usage.Despite Pinterest mainly being used as a social tool,

business and education have shown much interest in it. The social and visual aspects of

Pinterest make it extremely appealing to educators, as it has the potential to provide

learning opportunities for students.The current study noted an increase in the frequency

of Pinterest use, as students progressed from 1st to final year. This could be attributed to

the increase in students’ exposure to service-learning settings; hence the need to generate

creative ideas when planning intervention sessions.

Despite the benefits gained through the use social media, there is a risk of unethical

practice. Some risks include the blurring of professional and social boundaries, breaching

patients’ privacy and confidentiality (especially with taking or sharing pictures or

information) and damaging the public image of the profession.[7,4] Students reported

that even though ethics is covered in lectures, ethics specifically focusing on social media

use requires further input. cyberbulling , it could also lead to addiction and loss of focus

and drive for studying it may also lead to overdependency which may lead to anxiety and

76
depression . there can be unrealistic expectation of getting famous . increase in screen

time which may lead to decrease in sleep time and decrease in attention .It could also be

used in wrong way, it could disturb in routine of life of students. hacking, spending of to

much of time on social media and neglect of study.

WFOT guidelines include the setting of a clear boundary when individuals speak for

themselves and when they speak for the profession, understanding that the image

presented online represents both the individual and the profession and therefore treating

others on a public platform with consideration.[6] Although this position paper provides

individuals in the OT profession with good social media principles, there is lack of detail

as what exactly good ethical conduct online constitutes, especially around what can be

shared on social media. Ethical considerations are fundamental concepts that students

must learn, as they need to be accountable for their online posts and can be legally bound

to uphold standards of professional practice.final-year OT students use social media to

convey information to patients and their caregivers about home programmes and reflect

77
on their practice in blogs. However, they reported feeling less aware of ethics than the

1st- and 2nd-year students, which may be attributed to 4th-year students experiencing

ethical dilemmas in real-life situations during service-learning placements and feeling

inadequately equipped to translate the theory they learnt during their 1st year into

practice. Students need to have a well- established understanding of the ethical practice

around social media use to prevent breaches of confidentiality or blurring of professional

and personal boundaries.

practising and student physicians felt it was ethically problematic to interact with

patients on social networks for either personal or professional reasons. However, 56% of

patients wanted their physicians to use social media for activities such as scheduling

appointments and answering general questions about their conditions.[5] This highlights

the challenge of negotiating between meeting patients’ needs and following ethical

guidelines. There is a need for the establishment of clear ethical guidelines from

professional bodies to protect both the healthcare practitioner and patient and for health

professions programmes to ensure that 2nd - 4th-year students have sufficient

opportunities for lectures and discussions on social media ethics.

78
LIMITATION OF
STUDY

79
There were several limitations to this study. The study was based on a relatively

confined geographical area. Recruiting more participants could have allowed the

researchers to further understand the processes under study. Findings were gleaned

from single in-depth interviews. Conducting multiple interviews with each

participant and increasing time in the field may have added richness to the

data .Therefore the generalization of the study findings should be considered with

caution.

The study was aimed at acquiring rich descriptive data; however the information

gathered only reflects the challenges of the participants as interpreted by the

interviewer. In order to generalize these findings to a larger population, future

quantitative research needs to be conducted.

80
CONCLUSION

81
This quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the nature of

social media usage and ethical awareness among a cohort of OT students. Sites such

as WhatsApp, YouTube and Facebook appeared to be more popular in this

particular context. The study has highlighted the important role that social media

play in many students’ professional lives, with a variety of sites being used for

fulfilling university requirements and improving clinical practice. Another vital area

highlighted was the challenges of ethical practice and social media use. Students

appeared to have some awareness of ethical considerations. However, many

students lacked awareness of policies, guidelines and legislation that relate to their

online usage, thereby placing them at risk of overstepping boundaries and incurring

legal implications. The authors therefore believe that social media need to be

covered in ethics lectures and measures have to be put in place to ensure that

policies, procedures and guidelines are adhered to. We therefore suggest that this

study be used as a starting point for further studies into the extent of the benefits of

social media for professional practice.

82
 FUTURE SCOPE

In further, studies could be carried out in more different states in India in more

83
occupational therapy students.To deepen our understanding on how occupational therapy

students use social media for various purposes.

84
REFERENCES

85
1)Sheryl Eckberg Zylstra,Kimberly Erler,Wendell Nakamura,Brenda Kennell,Social
Media as Occupation: Implications for Occupational Therapy Practice,Volume 8 Issue 2
Spring 2020,1-8.

2)D Naidoo, PhD; P Govender, PhD; M Stead, BOT; U Mohangi, BOT; F Zulu, BOT; M
Mbele,Occupational therapy students’ use of social media for
professionalpractice,volume10,2018,1- 5.

3) Jehangir Bharucha,Exploring education-related use of social media: business students

perspectives in a changing India,2017,1- 16.

4) Melanie Austin-McCain,Attitudes to Social Media Use as a Platform for Continuing

Professional Development (CPD) within Occupational Therapy,2019,1-38.

5) Koushik Sau, Guruprasad V, International Journal of Medical Research &

Health Sciences,Facebook and occupational therapy Professionals ,volume 2,2013 ,1-2.

6)Sheryl Eckberg Zylstra,Public and private blogging during placements: perspectives of

occupational therapy students,20121-9.

86
7)Kirstie Hugheset,The use of Twitter for continuing professional development within
occupational therapy, Journal of Further and higher education2020, VOL. 44, NO. 1,
113–125.

8)Hindawi,A Study of Occupational Therapy Strategies and Psychological Regulation of

Students’ Internet Addiction in the Mobile Social Media Environment ,Occupational
therapy International 2022,volume 2022,1-10.

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ANNEXURES

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