Use and preference of information technology and social media networks in medical sciences education in the West Bank of Palestine

Information technology and social media networks have tremendously changed the landscapes of education and learning. This study was conducted to assess medical sciences students' preferences and usage of information technology and social media networks in learning. The study was an observational cross-sectional questionnaire-based. The questionnaire was completed by 200 students. The response rate was 42.6%. About 93% of the participants used Facebook. LinkedIn, Myspace, and Researchgate were less frequently used. About 79% of the participants reported using social media networks to communicate with classmates about questions pertaining to course content. About 76% of the participants preferred a blend of online and classroom structure for their lectures. About 64% of the participants believed that online courses were equal to live classroom lectures in regards to their educational values and nearly 70% of the students preferred online examinations. Social media networks might present an excellent opportunity to supplement the curricula, stimulate further discussions, and improve engagement of students in the learning process.