The expansion of YouTube into the mainstream media and its place as the second most-used website in the world makes it a prime place for health information seeking. However, content can be created and uploaded by anyone and thus, the threat of misinformation on YouTube is high. Medical researchers have established that videos created by health professionals on YouTube promote accurate information whereas videos by non-professionals promote generally inaccurate or misleading information. Yet, videos created by non-professionals have more views and higher relevance rankings on YouTube. To begin to understand this phenomenon, a descriptive study is used to lay a foundation for this area of health communication This study focused on the ostomy community of non-professional content creators on YouTube to. The goal of this study was to thoroughly describe the innate features of the videos using media richness theory, and to describe social support and illness narrative using the framework of social presence theory. The results from the study provide deep description into this particular community of non-professional health influencers and make way for a new line of research in the communication of health information.

Internet has come afar, from connecting computers to connecting people. Since its early days, the use of Internet has evolved tremendously. People use the Internet today in a variety of different ways, including communicating with friends, family, co-workers and performing activities like paying bills and shopping. With the increase in electronic retailing (e-Tailing), attracting and retaining customers has become the most important part of running a successful business. However, the online shopping experience may be viewed as lacking human warmth and sociability as it is more impersonal, anonymous, automated and generally devoid of face-to face interactions. Thus, understanding how to create electronic loyalty (e-Loyalty) by retaining existing customers in online environments is a complex process. To maintain e-Loyalty, e-Tailing sites should provide customized user experience. Men and women have been known to have different perception of online shopping. Women tend to be less satisfied because of lack of human connection in online shopping environment. To date, how social presence (interpreting human warmth and human presence electronically) affects e-Loyalty and adoption of e-Tailing across genders has been relatively underexplored. A research on influence of gender towards social presence features in e-Tailing websites could contribute to our understanding of gender preferences in online environments, allowing researchers to predict and measure differences among user interfaces, and guide the design of customized interfaces customized for gender sensitive e-Tailing websites. In this research, we developed a research model based on extensive literature review. We developed a survey instrument to measure predictability of the model and used t-tests, principal component analysis and linear and multiple regression analysis to analyze and validate the model. We conducted an extensive survey of social presence and user experience design features, and synthesized survey response with the above methodologies using SPSS. The study revealed social presence and user experience factors that positively affect gender experience in development of e-Loyalty. Based on the analysis of survey responses, we conclude that gender plays an important role in determining the state of social presence and user experience for e-Tailing websites to create e-Loyalty among customers.

Genuine Forschungsdesigns zum Thema Social Presence in spielbasierten Lernumgebungen lagen bisher noch nicht im Fokus der Wissenschaft oder entsprechenden Forschungs‐ und Entwicklungsabteilungen der Hersteller von Game-Based-Learning-Software. Die vorhandenen Untersuchungen zu diesem Themenkomplex bezogen sich bislang entweder auf Social Presence in Computerspielen oder auf Social Presence in virtuellen Lernumgebungen, die nicht als Spiel umgesetzt worden sind. Spiel und Lernen wurden also bereits getrennt voneinander auf Social Presence untersucht, aber beide Konzepte empirisch noch nicht hinreichend zusammengebracht. Zukünftige Projekte müssen versuchen, diese Aspekte zu integrieren, um die Bedeutung von Social Presence im Kontext des spielbasierten Lernens valide einordnen zu können. Nachfolgend werden als Einführung zunächst Konzepte und Ergebnisse aus den Bereichen Social Presence im Videospiel und Social Presence beim Lernen vorgestellt, um im Anschluss daran erste Implikationen für die Gestaltung von GBL-Umgebungen abzuleiten.

Computer-gestütztes kollaboratives Lernen ist zunehmend Teil der Lehr- und Lernmethoden der akademischen Ausbildung. Die optimale Unterstützung von Koordination in virtuellen Gruppen ist ein Anliegen von Pädagogen und Lerndesignern. Effektive Kommunikation und bedeutsame Interaktion treten in online Lernumgebungen nicht natürlicherweise auf, sind aber erforderlich für die Koordination in Gruppen. Diese Arbeit exploriert die Komplexität von Lernerfahrungen und Prozessen in computer-basierter Kollaboration und beleuchtet in diesem Zusammenhang zwei Aspekte näher: Koordinationsprozesse in Gruppen und die Erfahrung Sozialer Präsenz. Diese zwei Dimensionen sind besonders wichtig, da sie zwei der größten Problem in computer-gestützten kollaborativem Lernen repräsentieren: Belastungen bedingt durch unnötigen Koordinationsaufwand und fehlendes Gruppengefühl. Im Vergleich zu Präsenzsettings stellt die Koordination in online Gruppen eine Herausforderung dar. Dies birgt das Risiko, dass Gruppenmitglieder nicht mehr nur das Lernziel im Auge haben sondern ihre Aufmerksamkeit auch im gesteigerten Maße auf Gruppenprozesse wie Koordination richten; solche Koordinationsanforderungen können sich schnell zu Kosten entwickeln. Darüber hinaus wird die soziale Dimension in online Umgebungen oft vernachlässigt. Zur Entwicklung eines Zusammengehörigkeits- und Gruppengefühls ist die Erfahrung von Sozialer Präsenz erforderlich. Anhand einer Fallstudie werden Lernprozesse und Erfahrungen von Studenten eines Blended Learning Kurses an einer Pädagogischen Hochschule analysiert. Eine darauf aufbauende quantitative Studie untersucht gezielt die kausalen Beziehungen. Die Koordination und Soziale Präsenz werden anhand von qualitativen und quantitativen Methoden untersucht. Die Analyse findet auf drei Granularitätsebenen statt: auf der Ebene einer einzelnen Perspektive, auf einer Konzeptebene und auf einem Integrierten Level. Diese Vorgehensweise hat einen mehrschichtigen Analysezugang zur Folge. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die eingesetzte Medien, gestellte Aufgaben und auch einzelne Individuen die Gruppenkoordination bestimmen. Jede der drei Faktoren beeinflusst die Koordinationsaktivitäten auf ihre charakteristische Art. Soziale Präsenz bestimmt als Kontextparameter die Erfahrung in online Gruppen; auch sie wird von eingesetzten Medien und den Gruppenmitgliedern beeinflusst. Diese Ergebnisse werden im Detail vorgestellt und ihre Implikationen für kollaboratives Lernen in akademischer Bildung sowie für dessen weitere Forschung, d.h. für Praxis und Forschung, werden herausgearbeitet. / Net-based collaborative learning is increasingly included in the repertoire of teaching and learning methods in higher education. Supporting coordination within distributed learning teams has become a concern for educators and learning designers. While effective communication and meaningful interaction do not occur naturally in online learning, they are essential for group coordination. The aim of the thesis is to explore the complexity of learning experiences and processes in computer-supported collaboration from the perspectives of group coordination processes and social presence. These two dimensions are particularly important because they represent two problems in net-based collaborative learning: coordination costs and a lacking sense of group feeling. Compared to face-to-face settings, coordination demands on groups are greater in online settings. Increased demands present the risk of distracting group members from learning goals; coordination demands rapidly turn into coordination costs. Additionally, social presence is required to establish a sense of group feeling and team culture amongst students. Unfortunately, this sense, supporting the social dimension in online settings, is often missing. This case study-based research analyses the learning processes and experiences of students participating in a blended course in Educational faculties. A subsequent quantitative study further inquired into causal relationships. Students collaborated via various synchronous and asynchronous media: wikis, online chat, etc. Qualitative and quantitative methods were applied, investigating coordination of activities and how social presence was established. Data was analysed at three levels of granularity: single perspective, concept and integrative levels, creating a multi-layered approach. The findings show, tools, tasks and members influence group coordination, each uniquely contributing to coordination activities. Social presence operates as an enabling context parameter, influenced by media and member characteristics. The thesis describes these findings and delineates their implications for collaborative learning practices in higher education and for further research.

Consumers acquire products to enhance their lives, but the happiness from these acquisitions generally decreases with the passage of time. This process of hedonic adaptation plays an integral role in post-acquisition consumer satisfaction, product disposal and replacement behavior, and the "hedonic treadmill" that partially drives the relationship between consumption and happiness. Humans are social animals, however, and we know little about the relationship between the social environment and hedonic adaptation. My dissertation addresses this gap by exploring the moderating role of social presence (Essay 1) and self-concepts (Essay 2) on hedonic adaptation to products. Essay 1 explores how social presence affects hedonic adaptation to products. Research on general happiness has shown that significantly positive life events tend to maintain their positivity for longer periods of time when they involve active social interactions. I examine a more common situation in the domain of product consumption, i.e., the presence of others during consumption, and test whether hedonic adaptation to products is moderated by public contexts. By tracking happiness with products over time, I show that a "social audience" (i.e., the presence of others and the perception that those others notice the consumer) moderates hedonic adaptation through a consumer's inference of the social audience perspective. Inferring that the social audience is admiring one's product slows down adaptation, and inferring that the social audience is negatively viewing one's product accelerates adaptation. Essay 2 explores the role the identity-relevance of a product plays in hedonic adaptation. Extant research illustrates that consumers avoid consuming identity-inconsistent products in order to avoid dissonance arising from product choices conflicting with important self-concepts. I show that dissonance can also arise from consuming identity-consistent products because of the force of hedonic adaptation. I provide evidence that consumers feel uncomfortable experiencing declining happiness with identity-consistent products and thus resist hedonic adaptation to such products in order to resolve the dissonance. / text

A presente dissertação de mestrado discorre sobre uma pesquisa referente à inserção de recursos tecnológicos colaborativos em processos de ensino e de aprendizagem para favorecer o desenvolvimento da Presença Social (PS). O objetivo principal é mapear alguns indicadores de PS em Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC), especificamente, nas funcionalidades de interação e colaboração do Editor de Texto Coletivo (ETC). Nesse sentido, verificaram-se as interações dos sujeitos em espaços do ETC como nos fóruns, no editor de texto online e por meio de trocas de mensagens virtuais. Tal proposta está ancorada na concepção de que a tecnologia pode oferecer variadas possibilidades à educação. Inicialmente, busca-se compilar os conceitos da PS e sua relevância na educação online. Em seguida, apresenta-se um embasamento para a inserção de recursos tecnológicos como as TIC em processos educacionais. Posteriormente, faz-se uma reflexão sobre Formação de Professores e se abordam as características do uso de TIC em práticas pedagógicas. Além disso, são aprofundadas questões acerca da PS e sugerem-se algumas TIC com potenciais de inserção na educação. Logo após, é apresentado o ETC, com sua contextualização histórica e detalhes acerca das suas ferramentas e funcionalidades. Por fim, vislumbra-se identificar os elementos constituintes da metodologia planejada para a realização deste estudo. Para tal, escolheu-se como metodologia desenvolver uma pesquisa qualitativa tendo como método estudo de caso exploratório, sendo que a primeira etapa do seu desenvolvimento foi a construção do Objeto de Aprendizagem PSAVA. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de categorias, partindo das produções dos sujeitos que participaram de um curso de extensão, cujo objetivo foi observar os indícios de PS nas interações que os participantes estabeleceram por meio dos recursos de uso colaborativos digitais do ETC. Entre essas, destacam-se o fórum e as trocas de mensagens no editor de texto do ETC. Assim, através de um mapeamento de PS, verifica-se quais são alguns indicadores de Presença Social dos sujeitos que interagem nas funcionalidades do Editor em questão. Nesse sentido, constata-se a relevância de se considerar tais elementos para uma ação docente em meio virtual mais eficaz. / This master’s thesis considers research on the insertion of collaborative technological resources in teaching and learning processes to favour the development of Social Presence (SP). The principal objective is to map out indicators of SP in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), specifically in the functionalities of interaction and collaboration associated with the Collective Text Editor (CTE). To this end, interactions of individuals were verified in CTE spaces such as in forums, in the online text editor and through the exchange of virtual messages. Such a proposal is anchored in the idea that technology can offer a range of opportunities for education. To begin with, SP concepts and their relevance to online education are compiled. Next, a foundation is presented for the insertion of technological resources, such as ICT, in educational processes. Finally, a reflection is made on Teacher Training while the characteristics of the use of ICT in pedagogical practices are also dealt with. In addition to this, questions surrounding SP are deepened and ICT with the potential for insertion in education is highlighted. Following this, the CTE is presented within its historical context and with details of its tools and functionalities. Finally, the thesis seeks to identify the constituent elements of the methodology planned for this study. In pursuit of this, a qualitative study with an explorative case study method was selected as methodology – the first stage being the construction of the Learning Object PSAVA. Data analysis was carried out by category, starting with the work of individuals participating in an extension course aimed at observing the indicators of SP in interactions established through the digital collaborative use resources of the CTE. The forum and the exchange of messages in the text editor of the CTE are at the forefront amongst these resources. In this context, through SP mapping, it is possible to verify indicators of Social Presence in individuals who interact using the functionalities of the Editor in question. One is thus able to note the relevance of considering such elements in order to produce more efficient teaching in the virtual environment.

We commonly hear sentences labeling the virtual learning environment and all interaction which takes place on the web in a negative way. My experience in the virtual environment has made me feel differently. For me, it s a space where I meet people to learn together. This research has the objective to observe and analyze how participants of an online course live and feel the social presence and how different views of this concept can influence the teaching and the learning process. The research was developed throughout an online course moderated by me via the Federal University of Uberlândia offered to twenty English teachers from different areas in Brazil where three teacher-students were direct participants. The field texts were composed by diaries written by me during the moderation of the online course, messages exchanged between participants throughout the course, my autobiographical stories, posts written by participants on their individual e-portfolio, the recordings of our synchronous classes, e-mails exchanged by us during and after the online course and texts written by participants. The literature review brings studies on social presence (SHORT et al., 1976; GUNAWARDENA, 1995; WALTHER, 1996; GARRISON et al., 2000; TU, 2002; SWAN, 2003; LOWENTHAL, 2010), on interaction (HILLMAN, WILLIS; GUNAWARDENA, 1994; MOORE; KEARSLEY, 2005), on learning communities (WENGER, 1998; GARRISON, ANDERSON; ARCHER, 2000; GARRISON, 2006; WENGER; WHITE; SMITH, 2009) as well as on and the presence of teachers and students in the online learning environment (MASON, 1998; BERGE, 2000; MORGADO, 2001; SILVA, 2011). The theoretical-methodological path chosen was Narrative Inquiry (CONNELLY; CLANDININ, 2000; CONNELLY; CLANDININ, 2006; CLANDININ; ROSIEK, 2007; CONNELLY; CAINE, 2013; MELLO, 2005; MELLO, 2013). To compose meaning of our lived experience, I adopt the perspective of Ely, Vinz, Downing e Anzul (1997). Throughout the research, I could observe that each participant lived social presence in a unique way. As I see it, our convictions of what it means to be present in an online environment have shaped both the way we lived the experience, as well as how we choose to teach and learn online. I believe the results of this research can bring forth reflections and discussions about social presence and its role in online courses. / É comum ouvirmos frases que rotulam negativamente o ambiente virtual de aprendizagem e toda interação que ali ocorre. Entretanto, minha experiência nesse ambiente faz com que eu não perceba o ambiente virtual como frio e, sim, como um espaço onde encontro pessoas para aprender. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo observar e analisar como participantes de cursos online vivenciam a presença social e como as concepções desse conceito podem influenciar o processo de ensino e aprendizagem online. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida durante um curso de extensão online moderado por mim1 por meio da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia para vinte professores de Inglês de diferentes partes do Brasil, dos quais três foram participantes diretos. Os textos de campo foram compostos por diários de bordo escritos por mim durante a moderação do curso online, mensagens trocadas entre os participantes ao longo do curso, minhas narrativas autobiográficas, postagens escritas pelos participantes no portfólio virtual individual, as gravações de nossas aulas síncronas, e-mails trocados entre nós durante e após o curso online e relatos escritos pelas participantes. A revisão da literatura traz estudos sobre a presença social (SHORT et al., 1976; GUNAWARDENA, 1995; WALTHER, 1996; GARRISON et al., 2000; TU, 2002; SWAN, 2003; LOWENTHAL, 2010), sobre a interação (HILLMAN, WILLIS; GUNAWARDENA, 1994; MOORE; KEARSLEY, 2005), sobre comunidades de aprendizagem (WENGER, 1998; GARRISON, ANDERSON; ARCHER, 2000; GARRISON, 2006; WENGER; WHITE; SMITH, 2009) e sobre a presença do professor e do aluno no ensino online (MASON, 1998; BERGE, 2000; MORGADO, 2001; SILVA, 2011). O caminho teórico-metodológico escolhido foi o da pesquisa narrativa (CONNELLY; CLANDININ, 2000; CONNELLY; CLANDININ, 2006; CLANDININ; ROSIEK, 2007; CONNELLY; CAINE, 2013; MELLO, 2005; MELLO, 2013). Para a composição de sentidos da experiência vivida, utilizo a perspectiva de Ely, Vinz, Downing e Anzul (1997). Durante esta pesquisa, pude observar que cada participante vivenciou a presença social de maneira singular. A meu ver, nossas convicções do que é estar presente no ambiente online influenciaram tanto a maneira pela qual vivemos a experiência, quanto o modo de ensinar e de aprender nesse espaço. Acredito que os resultados dessa pesquisa poderão oportunizar reflexões e discussões sobre a presença social e sua importância em cursos online. / Mestre em Estudos Linguísticos

A presente dissertação de mestrado discorre sobre uma pesquisa referente à inserção de recursos tecnológicos colaborativos em processos de ensino e de aprendizagem para favorecer o desenvolvimento da Presença Social (PS). O objetivo principal é mapear alguns indicadores de PS em Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC), especificamente, nas funcionalidades de interação e colaboração do Editor de Texto Coletivo (ETC). Nesse sentido, verificaram-se as interações dos sujeitos em espaços do ETC como nos fóruns, no editor de texto online e por meio de trocas de mensagens virtuais. Tal proposta está ancorada na concepção de que a tecnologia pode oferecer variadas possibilidades à educação. Inicialmente, busca-se compilar os conceitos da PS e sua relevância na educação online. Em seguida, apresenta-se um embasamento para a inserção de recursos tecnológicos como as TIC em processos educacionais. Posteriormente, faz-se uma reflexão sobre Formação de Professores e se abordam as características do uso de TIC em práticas pedagógicas. Além disso, são aprofundadas questões acerca da PS e sugerem-se algumas TIC com potenciais de inserção na educação. Logo após, é apresentado o ETC, com sua contextualização histórica e detalhes acerca das suas ferramentas e funcionalidades. Por fim, vislumbra-se identificar os elementos constituintes da metodologia planejada para a realização deste estudo. Para tal, escolheu-se como metodologia desenvolver uma pesquisa qualitativa tendo como método estudo de caso exploratório, sendo que a primeira etapa do seu desenvolvimento foi a construção do Objeto de Aprendizagem PSAVA. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de categorias, partindo das produções dos sujeitos que participaram de um curso de extensão, cujo objetivo foi observar os indícios de PS nas interações que os participantes estabeleceram por meio dos recursos de uso colaborativos digitais do ETC. Entre essas, destacam-se o fórum e as trocas de mensagens no editor de texto do ETC. Assim, através de um mapeamento de PS, verifica-se quais são alguns indicadores de Presença Social dos sujeitos que interagem nas funcionalidades do Editor em questão. Nesse sentido, constata-se a relevância de se considerar tais elementos para uma ação docente em meio virtual mais eficaz. / This master’s thesis considers research on the insertion of collaborative technological resources in teaching and learning processes to favour the development of Social Presence (SP). The principal objective is to map out indicators of SP in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), specifically in the functionalities of interaction and collaboration associated with the Collective Text Editor (CTE). To this end, interactions of individuals were verified in CTE spaces such as in forums, in the online text editor and through the exchange of virtual messages. Such a proposal is anchored in the idea that technology can offer a range of opportunities for education. To begin with, SP concepts and their relevance to online education are compiled. Next, a foundation is presented for the insertion of technological resources, such as ICT, in educational processes. Finally, a reflection is made on Teacher Training while the characteristics of the use of ICT in pedagogical practices are also dealt with. In addition to this, questions surrounding SP are deepened and ICT with the potential for insertion in education is highlighted. Following this, the CTE is presented within its historical context and with details of its tools and functionalities. Finally, the thesis seeks to identify the constituent elements of the methodology planned for this study. In pursuit of this, a qualitative study with an explorative case study method was selected as methodology – the first stage being the construction of the Learning Object PSAVA. Data analysis was carried out by category, starting with the work of individuals participating in an extension course aimed at observing the indicators of SP in interactions established through the digital collaborative use resources of the CTE. The forum and the exchange of messages in the text editor of the CTE are at the forefront amongst these resources. In this context, through SP mapping, it is possible to verify indicators of Social Presence in individuals who interact using the functionalities of the Editor in question. One is thus able to note the relevance of considering such elements in order to produce more efficient teaching in the virtual environment.

A presente dissertação de mestrado discorre sobre uma pesquisa referente à inserção de recursos tecnológicos colaborativos em processos de ensino e de aprendizagem para favorecer o desenvolvimento da Presença Social (PS). O objetivo principal é mapear alguns indicadores de PS em Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC), especificamente, nas funcionalidades de interação e colaboração do Editor de Texto Coletivo (ETC). Nesse sentido, verificaram-se as interações dos sujeitos em espaços do ETC como nos fóruns, no editor de texto online e por meio de trocas de mensagens virtuais. Tal proposta está ancorada na concepção de que a tecnologia pode oferecer variadas possibilidades à educação. Inicialmente, busca-se compilar os conceitos da PS e sua relevância na educação online. Em seguida, apresenta-se um embasamento para a inserção de recursos tecnológicos como as TIC em processos educacionais. Posteriormente, faz-se uma reflexão sobre Formação de Professores e se abordam as características do uso de TIC em práticas pedagógicas. Além disso, são aprofundadas questões acerca da PS e sugerem-se algumas TIC com potenciais de inserção na educação. Logo após, é apresentado o ETC, com sua contextualização histórica e detalhes acerca das suas ferramentas e funcionalidades. Por fim, vislumbra-se identificar os elementos constituintes da metodologia planejada para a realização deste estudo. Para tal, escolheu-se como metodologia desenvolver uma pesquisa qualitativa tendo como método estudo de caso exploratório, sendo que a primeira etapa do seu desenvolvimento foi a construção do Objeto de Aprendizagem PSAVA. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de categorias, partindo das produções dos sujeitos que participaram de um curso de extensão, cujo objetivo foi observar os indícios de PS nas interações que os participantes estabeleceram por meio dos recursos de uso colaborativos digitais do ETC. Entre essas, destacam-se o fórum e as trocas de mensagens no editor de texto do ETC. Assim, através de um mapeamento de PS, verifica-se quais são alguns indicadores de Presença Social dos sujeitos que interagem nas funcionalidades do Editor em questão. Nesse sentido, constata-se a relevância de se considerar tais elementos para uma ação docente em meio virtual mais eficaz. / This master’s thesis considers research on the insertion of collaborative technological resources in teaching and learning processes to favour the development of Social Presence (SP). The principal objective is to map out indicators of SP in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), specifically in the functionalities of interaction and collaboration associated with the Collective Text Editor (CTE). To this end, interactions of individuals were verified in CTE spaces such as in forums, in the online text editor and through the exchange of virtual messages. Such a proposal is anchored in the idea that technology can offer a range of opportunities for education. To begin with, SP concepts and their relevance to online education are compiled. Next, a foundation is presented for the insertion of technological resources, such as ICT, in educational processes. Finally, a reflection is made on Teacher Training while the characteristics of the use of ICT in pedagogical practices are also dealt with. In addition to this, questions surrounding SP are deepened and ICT with the potential for insertion in education is highlighted. Following this, the CTE is presented within its historical context and with details of its tools and functionalities. Finally, the thesis seeks to identify the constituent elements of the methodology planned for this study. In pursuit of this, a qualitative study with an explorative case study method was selected as methodology – the first stage being the construction of the Learning Object PSAVA. Data analysis was carried out by category, starting with the work of individuals participating in an extension course aimed at observing the indicators of SP in interactions established through the digital collaborative use resources of the CTE. The forum and the exchange of messages in the text editor of the CTE are at the forefront amongst these resources. In this context, through SP mapping, it is possible to verify indicators of Social Presence in individuals who interact using the functionalities of the Editor in question. One is thus able to note the relevance of considering such elements in order to produce more efficient teaching in the virtual environment.

The role of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) is coming under increased scrutiny as their online prowess grows. The objective of this research work is to investigate the students’ perception of this reality and try to understand their understanding of the SNSs potential for learning. The theory of Social Presence provides the academic impetus as the main conceptual framework for the study. Students of the Virtual University, Pakistan, were interviewed to understand their sense making of the SNSs role as platforms for learning in a virtual setting. The results highlight the importance of social presence dependent on myriad other factors, significant in their own right but extremely potent when they act together and thus influence the role of SNSs as virtual online conduits. It also indicates that our understanding of these networks, in the context of online learning especially in a developing country environment is still in its infancy and the numerous external environmental factors equally play a significant impact on the students’ perception of the role of these SNSs.