Developing an Original Instructional Design Theory for Social Media-Based Learning in Nigerian Universities

Social media platforms are the dominant digital communication environment for Nigerian university students, yet instructional design theory for harnessing these platforms for purposeful learning remains under-developed, particularly for the specific linguistic, cultural, and connectivity characteristics of Nigerian higher education contexts. This study developed an original instructional design theory for social media-based learning in Nigerian universities. A theory-building methodology combining review of social media learning design scholarship, grounded theory qualitative research, and design-based research was employed across the University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, and the University of Port Harcourt, representing South West, North West, and South South zones. Grounded theory research with 60 lecturers and 120 students explored how social media learning actually occurred, what design features enabled or constrained learning, and what unique affordances and limitations Nigerian social media learning contexts presented. Design-based research cycles produced and iteratively refined seven prototype social media learning activities across different disciplines, generating design knowledge through evidence-based refinement. The original Social Media Learning Instructional Design Theory (SMaLID) for Nigerian Universities proposes six design principles: WhatsApp-first accessibility (privileging the dominant platform), asynchronous-synchronous complementarity, peer scaffolding architecture, code-switching accommodation (designing for multilingual interaction), low-bandwidth content optimisation, and contextual authenticity embedding (using Nigerian cultural and social contexts as learning content). Expert review by 18 instructional design and educational technology scholars confirmed the theory's original contribution.

Keywords: social media learning, instructional design theory, Nigerian universities, WhatsApp, original contribution