CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE USING INFORMAL SOCIAL LEARNING SPACES: A CASE STUDY OF BUSINESS SCHOOL IN SRI LANKA

Business Schools are more than mere collections of classrooms and offices, rather destinations for studying, collaboration, group discussions, and they contribute to developing a sense of community among students and faculty therein enhances student experience for effective learning. Although it has been brought to attention in previous research studies that, informal SLS support enhanced student involvement in their learning mainly through generated social experiences, limited empirical evidence has examined the characteristics of students who are using them. The objective of the study is to identify the characteristics of students who are using informal Social Learning Spaces in a Business School in Sri Lanka. A qualitative case study approach is adopted in the study. The data are gathered through six focus group discussions held at three different purpose-built informal social learning spaces at the selected Business School and thematic analysis is used. In this exploration, the thoughts, feelings, emotions and judgments of students are brought into discussion. The findings disclosed that the usage of informal social learning spaces differ based on personal characteristics of students like; gender, year of study, distance to campus from their residence, and engagement in co-curricular activities. Hence, this study will fill that empirical vacuum by raising the student voice to examine the under-examined area of student experience to facilitate effective learning. Therefore, it will contribute to the growing body of empirical evidence on student preferences for learning and the use of informal social earning spaces.