Online communication as participatory culture: A case study of university students at Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City
Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital media has reshaped fundamentally contemporary communication practices, particularly among university students. Drawing on Henry Jenkins’ theory of convergence culture, this study conceptualises online communication as a form of participatory cultural practice among students at Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City. Using a cross-sectional survey of 538 students across seven member universities, the study examines patterns of media convergence, content creation, online community participation, and collective knowledge-sharing. The findings indicate that students actively engage in multi-platform communication and content production, reflecting a convergence-driven media environment. Online communities function as key sites of participatory culture, facilitating collective meaning-making, peer-based support, and informal learning, while also generating normative pressures and ambivalent experiences. By framing online communication as participatory culture rather than passive media use, this study extends Jenkins’ theoretical framework to a non-Western higher education context and contributes to cultural studies on youth digital practices in Southeast Asia.