WhatsApp as an academic platform for Higher Education in Cuba/WhatsApp como espacio académico de la Educación Superior en Cuba

Abstract

The WhatsApp Messenger application for smart phones has been recognizing in the education as a way to improve teaching-learning processes. However, some authors, taking into account that its study is not completely examined, consider that it will be the object of several researches of educational sciences. In Cuba its uses with educational aims was increasing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hence it was necessary to research emerging experiences. The present paper has the objective to expose research results as of studying WhatsApp groups in the Faculty of the Social Sciences and Humanities at University of Pinar del Río “Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca”. The research was developed from a qualitative methodological approach and a phenomenological design. It was used research techniques as: words and ideas association and interviews, along with researchers' logs and literature review for to understand study object and results discussion. The qualitative analyzes of data show four dimensions: functional, affective, content and values. The main result revealed that functional category was prevalent between students and professors followed the affective and values ​​categories. The participants concur that use of application was extended to scientific and academic area. In the main conclusion was established that WhatsApp groups are socio-cultural spaces close to its collective management for to be in parallel communicated and define process form participation and interdependence.