The main goal of this research is to identify some notable trends, opportunities and limitations regarding the application of social media in higher education based on studying the way students use social media during their education. The re-search is focused on the impact of social media on the process of learning, creation and distribution of education related content, as well as on education related communication. The target groups of the research are students in University of Economics Varna enrolled in different bachelor and master programs. An association analysis was implemented to identify the most common pat-terns regarding the application of social media in the education process. Statistical methods for testing hypothesis were used to assess the relationship between students’ specialty and derived social media patterns. The findings show that Facebook groups are а preferable social media tool for communication with colleagues, content sharing and distribution, while wikis and university Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are most used for content creation and additional learning. Some social media channels are more preferable for content creation and additional learning compared to scientific databases and e-books. Following the research results a conclusion can be drawn regarding the leading part of the students in initiating the use of social media compared to the relatively smaller role of the academic staff in this process. A medium to small relationships were discovered between students’ specialty and the application of con-tent sharing communities and forums in knowledge process with students in computer science more likely to use these social media types compared to students in economics.

E-learning platforms have become more and more complex. Their functionality included in learning management systems is extended with collaborative platforms, which allow better communication, group collaboration, and face-to-face lectures. Universities are facing the challenge of advanced use of these platforms to fulfil sustainable learning goals. Better usability and attractiveness became essential in successful e-learning platforms, especially due to the more intensive interactivity expected from students. In the study, we researched the user experience of students who have used Moodle, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. User experience is, in most cases, connected with a person’s perception, person’s feelings, and satisfaction with the platform used. Data were collected using a standard UEQ questionnaire. With this research, we examined whether user experience factors: perceived efficiency, perceived perspicuity, perceived dependability, perceived stimulation, and perceived novelty affect perceived attractiveness, which is an important factor in the sustainability of e-learning tools. The collected data were processed using SmartPLS. The research study showed that all studied factors have a statistically significant impact on perceived attractiveness. Factor perceived stimulation has the strongest statistically significant impact on the perceived attractiveness of e-learning platforms, followed by perceived efficiency, perceived perspicuity, perceived novelty, and perceived dependability.

Structure and functioning of two model industrial entrepreneurial networks are investigated in the present paper. One of these networks is forming when implementing an integrated project and consists of eight agents, which interact with each other and external environment. The other one is obtained from the municipal economy and is based on the set of the 12 real business entities. Analysis of the networks is carried out on the basis of the matrix of mutual payments aggregated over the certain time period. The matrix is created by the methods of experimental economics. Social Network Analysis (SNA) methods and instruments were used in the present research. The set of basic structural characteristics was investigated: set of quantitative parameters such as density, diameter, clustering coefficient, different kinds of centrality, and etc. They were compared with the random Bernoulli graphs of the corresponding size and density. Discovered variations of random and entrepreneurial networks structure are explained by the peculiarities of agents functioning in production network. Separately, were identified the closed exchange circuits (cyclically closed contours of graph) forming an autopoietic (self-replicating) network pattern. The purpose of the functional analysis was to identify the contribution of the autopoietic network pattern in its gross product. It was found that the magnitude of this contribution is more than 20%. Such value allows using of the complementary currency in order to stimulate economic activity of network agents.

In recent years, education has been increasingly influenced by information technology and digitization

Social media have enormous power and trigger changes in whole spectrum of businesses, as well as learning and education. A study of students’ adoption of social media at the University of Economics – Varna (UE-Varna), Bulgaria, has proven its significant impact on young people. Using online questionnaire among 378 students, the high popularity of social media has been confirmed. An important research question is whether higher education institutions teaching students mainly in the fields of social, economic and legal sciences use the benefits of the social media in the context of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and integrated social media tools. The majority of the examined 24 universities use two LMSs - Moodle and Blackboard Learn. Both possess tools like forums, chat, wikis, internal messaging, blogs, learning groups, collaboration tools. The study of the two Moodle platforms implemented at the UE-Varna shows use of discussion forums, chat, and internal messaging.

DEVELOPING A WEB-BASED ONTOLOGY FOR E-BUSINESS