<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas  Lamanauskas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Costin   Pribeanu</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ANTECEDENTS OF THE PERCEIVED USEFULNESS OF AN ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM DURING THE PANDEMIC</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">distance education</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">perceived usefulness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quantitative research</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university students</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2023</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2023</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">https://oaji.net/articles/2023/457-1702996295.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">81</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The pandemic has posed a number of challenges to university studies. The whole study process, the conditions, the context, the conditions for student mobility, the technical possibilities, and finally the quality of the studies have changed. During the pandemic period, a number of studies have been carried out on how higher education is organised in the context of a pandemic, but there is still a lack of analysis on how students perceive the usefulness of distance learning. 
A quantitative study was carried out with a contingent of 132 prospective preschool and primary education teachers, and students in the field of social sciences at three Lithuanian universities. The aim was to explore possible antecedents of the perceived usefulness of an online learning platform during the pandemic. The sample consisted of 24 first-year, 52 second-year, 28 third-year and 28 fourth-year students. The data obtained during the study were processed and analysed using SPSS software. In addition, structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with Lisrel 9.3 for Windows has been used to test the model.
Three factors were extracted. All constructs have a very good convergent and discriminant validity. These factors are important for analyzing the effectiveness of distance learning in general. It was found that the most important contributor to the perceived usefulness is the ease of access. It was also found that content adaptation has a positive influence on the perceived usefulness. 
</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">861-868</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas  Lamanauskas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Violeta  Šlekienė</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Loreta  Ragulienė</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dragos Iordache</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Costin   Pribeanu</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Martin Bilek</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bulent Cavas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tatyana Mazurok</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">comparative analysis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ICT</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social networking websites</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university students</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1420056732.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">57</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Discontinuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The use of social networking websites is becoming increasingly popular. While there are many reasons for this, the rapid spread of ICT is one of the most determining factors.  New technologies provide various possibilities for education and in relation to social networking websites it is worth emphasizing their diverse possibilities. The functionality of social networking websites is increasing, and this, in its own way, opens many possibilities for the consumers, a factor encouraging the usage of social networking sites. 
This research relates to the usage of social networking websites. The purpose of the research is to ascertain how university students from a range of European countries (Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Turkey) use social networking websites; how they value them; what opinion they have about various social networking websites; what they know about them. 
A questionnaire, Social Networks, with 16 questions was used in the research. The breakdown of the questions is as follows: 3 questions were allotted to establishing the characteristics of the respondents and 5 open ended type questions were to possible advantages and disadvantages of SNW. The 6th question was assigned to evaluate the frequency of social networking website usage. A list of 23 main networking websites was presented. The 8th question was to evaluate the functions of social networking websites (e.g., communication, advertisement, friend search, information exchange and so on). In addition, the questionnaire also presented 26 various type statements about social networking websites and respondents were asked to evaluate these by applying the interval Likert scale (from “Completely agree” to “Completely disagree”). The original questionnaire was translated into the national languages by the local researchers involved in the study. 
This education research was carried out in 2012-2013, recognizing that it is especially important to understand the essential motives of using social networking websites, to analyze their probable advantages and disadvantages, to make some comparisons among students from the different countries. 
The findings illustrated that the respondents knew a lot of social networking websites, with the most frequently visited and most popular being: You Tube, Facebook and Google+. The most important functions put forward by the university students were: communication, learning and exchanging information, texting. Gender differences were noted in the case of valuing social networking websites.
The university students pointed out the following SN website advantages: 
(a)	the possibility to communicate with many people at one time, 
(b)	to get in touch with the people seen long ago also with the friends and relatives living abroad, 
(c)	the possibility to find proper information and share it, etc.
The respondents also noted that SN website had disadvantages. They indicated: lack of information publicity, a lack of privacy, insecurity in presented data, possible lies, deceptions, etc. 
</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">61-78</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas  Lamanauskas</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">SOME SKETCHES ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">educational space</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social networking websites</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university students</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1420053828.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">54</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">It is obvious, that usage of social networking websites is constantly growing. In Lithuania, a rapid growth of usage has been observed in recent years, taking into account local (national) social networking websites as well. Facebook.com is one among 10 mostly visited networks in Lithuania. Lithuanian consumers are not an exception – not a small part of them also use several social networking websites. Both in the world and in Lithuania, business takes an active interest in social networking websites. An evident tendency is the expansion of SNW possibilities in business environment. If earlier it was thought that usage of SNW is a waste of time, in the latter years business finds more and more reasons why social networking websites ought to be used. This is marketing, service and product advertisement, new client search, cooperation development and so on. The other thing – the amount and the flow of information will certainly not decrease and therefore information usage and management in general, will remain urgent (Lamanauskas, 2012a).
 Thus, can social networks effectively perform educational functions? Can they become a proper professional development instrument? We can formulate a lot of questions. The phenomenon of social networking websites is new and complicated, rapidly changing. However, not only the question of the use is problematic. Academic community, being inert, hardly accept any innovations. Researchers should focus not only on the students 'interest in and ability to use the Social Networking Websites, but also lecturers' attitude to the new opportunities. Therefore, exhaustive empirical researches are necessary, seeking to maximally use the SNW providing possibilities for educational purposes.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5-6</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas  Lamanauskas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Violeta  Šlekienė</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Loreta  Ragulienė</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">USAGE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES: LITHUANIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ POSITION</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social networking websites</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university students</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">July/2012</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1413727373.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">45</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Over the latter decade a rapid development of information communication technologies has been going on in various directions. Technological possibilities have increased very significantly (Lamanauskas, 2011). The development of internet and technologies related with it has been extremely fast. A lot of internet service providers have appeared in the market, their number still continues to grow. The internet connection methods are changing - from the ordinary usage of phone line modems (dial - up) to broadband internet technology (DSL) and cable TV internet nets. It can be asserted, that over the mentioned period Web 1.0 internet (static, used for getting information) has been changed to Web 2.0 internet (social). The internet diaries, social portals, technologies allowing live communication on the internet (Internet Relay Chat, IRC), talk programme Windows Live Messenger (MSN), ICQ forums and other have occurred and are spreading. With the appearance of “Skype”, the internet telephony has acquired a qualitatively new characteristic and practically has become a daily routine. Thus, today a consumer can create his profile on the internet, can make friends, communicate in the interest groups and so on. It can be stated, that every human being contributes in his own way to the internet and at the same time to ICT development, in general. It is obvious, that together with technological problems also arise social internet problems. Social networking websites are closely related with economical, psychological, educational, paleological and other aspects. There is a shortage of researches grounding socio-educational social network aspects. It is important to know not only how much time the consumers spend surfing the net, but how much of this time is allotted for communicating in social networking websites, which of them are the most popular and why, how the respondents evaluate social networking website functions, what in general they know about them, what advantages, disadvantages and threats they discern. Finally, it is important to find out whether the usage of social networking websites improves information – communication abilities in some way.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">27-39</style></section></record></records></xml>