ABSTRACT
Long before Covid-19 transitioned in our lifestyle and the ‘New Normal’ began, digital communication through instant messaging application in smartphones has been used over the conventional way of communicating in Malaysia. WhatsApp is the most preferred application when it comes to communicating with peers, friends and family and that is also true for schools in Malaysia, especially in the Klang Valley. The present study aims to investigate the use of digital communication focusing on parent-teacher engagement in a public school in Putrajaya, Malaysia that uses WhatsApp as the application of choice. This qualitative research employs in-depth interviews to collect data to describe the themes that have emerged in the discussion between parents and teachers on WhatsApp as a medium of communication in parent-teacher engagement process. This study incorporates theories such as Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Sphere’s of Influences (TOSI) in describing the data. The results suggest that both parents and teachers agree on the importance of using digital platform for communication and engagement between them. The versatility of digital communication, convenience, speed and cost effectiveness are the reasons for using digital communication. However, the challenges for teachers that have been identified in the use of digital communication are increase of stress, distractions of messages and abuse of working time. Theoretical and practical implications for academics, parents, teachers and students were also included in the study. © 2022, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
"Fake news" is a fairly recent term. However, literature demonstrates that the dissemination of fake news on social media has increased over recent years. While existing studies have mostly looked at fake news detection, research on the motives behind why people share fake news has been limited especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying a thematic analysis on data collected from faceto-face and online interviews, the purpose of this qualitative study is to gain an understanding of how social media users gather and share fake news through the lived experiences of 15 social media users in Selangor, Malaysia. All social media users involved had experienced receiving and sharing fake news with their circle of friends and family. We found that the users share unverified news mainly via WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook. We conclude that news is shared with the intention to be the "first messenger", to educate others, to gain more followers, and to create chaos and panic. This research, identifying a few knowledge gaps, proposes more future research on the spread of fake news during the COVID-19 pandemic.