As higher education increasingly adopts blended learning, understanding students preferences for online interaction platforms becomes critical for effective course delivery and engagement. This study investigates the platforms undergraduate students prefer for academic communication and explores the underlying reasons for these choices. Data were collected from 37 students enrolled in two summer courses at a Ghanaian university using a structured questionnaire consisting of both closed and open-ended items. Quantitative results revealed a strong preference for instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram over institutional learning management systems. Qualitative content analysis of the open-ended responses identified five key factors influencing platform preference: convenience and familiarity, ease of use, accessibility, popularity among peers, and support for real-time interactions. These findings highlight a significant mismatch between students communication habits and institutional platform offerings. The study highlights the importance of aligning digital learning strategies with students lived digital experiences to enhance interaction, collaboration, and learner satisfaction in blended learning environments.

翻译：随着高等教育日益采用混合式学习模式，理解学生对在线互动平台的偏好对于有效的课程实施和学生参与变得至关重要。本研究调查了本科生在学术交流中偏好的平台，并探讨了这些选择背后的原因。数据通过一份包含封闭式和开放式问题的结构化问卷，从加纳一所大学两门暑期课程的37名学生中收集。定量结果显示，相较于机构的学习管理系统，学生对WhatsApp和Telegram等即时通讯平台表现出强烈的偏好。对开放式回答的定性内容分析确定了影响平台偏好的五个关键因素：便利性与熟悉度、易用性、可访问性、在同伴中的流行度以及对实时交互的支持。这些发现凸显了学生的沟通习惯与机构提供的平台之间存在显著的不匹配。本研究强调了将数字化学习策略与学生的实际数字体验相结合的重要性，以增强混合式学习环境中的互动、协作和学习者满意度。