THE CHANGING FACE OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: SCHOOL WHATSAPP GROUPS
THE CHANGING FACE OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: SCHOOL WHATSAPP GROUPS

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study is to analyze the school WhatsApp groups, which are used as organizational communication tools at schools with regard to the opinions of teachers and administrators. In this context, the school WhatsApp groups were evaluated in teacher-parent WhatsApp groups. This is qualitative research and it is structured according to phenomenological design. The study group consists of 110 teachers and 51 administrators working at 30 schools located in the city center of Sivas. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher and consisting of open-ended questions. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis method and presented under six themes. According to the findings of the research, both teachers and administrators expressed mostly negative opinions on teacher-parent WhatsApp group. According to the opinions of the participants, while school WhatsApp groups provide an advantage in terms of instant communication, saving stationary and time, quick decision making and implementation, improving internal relations, they are also disadvantaging in regard to misuse, conflicts due to misunderstandings, engaging on out-of-hours, harming the school climate and culture and minimizing face-to-face communication. In this context, the participants made suggestions such as determining group rules and ensuring observance of them, informing group members regarding the aims of the group, only group admins texting the group and not abandoning face-to-face communication.

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