THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN VERITAS UNIVERSITY ABUJA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study: The use of social media (internet powered) in the 21st century has become a core integral part of humans everyday life. Beyond the visible observations in our environment, some researchers have also attested to the pervasiveness of this global situation. Far back 2012, Nielsen, a communications company in the United States of America reported that internet users across the country have continued to spend additional time than the usual on social media when compared to any other category of website ever had. This report further detailed that as at July 2012, social media usage time was 121 billion minutes which shows a rise from 88 billion minutes in July 2011. Global Web Index (2019, p.3) reports that average social media user now spends 2 hours and 16 minutes each day on social media platforms, which equates to roughly one third of their total internet time and one-seventh of their waking lives. Increased usage of social media can be tagged a global phenomenon.

Online technologies have continued to erase the line between the traditional media and their audience. This significant success has been facilitated by the two-way communication system which social media provides than the one-way broadcast method of the traditional media. Social media have given masses a voice which the traditional media though committed to achieve has not yet totally achieved.

With the continuous improvements in information and communication technologies and increasing possibilities for ubiquitous internet connectivity, more freedom is anticipated for using social media whenever and wherever one wants. Relating to freedom, and as indicated by Nielsen (2012), social media (appearing in the form of MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook, Mebo, Twitter and others) continue to alter the way in which humans access, generate, share and use information (Cabral, 2011). With the possibility for more freedom (i.e. of connectivity and access) regarding networking online anywhere and at any time, it is not difficult to note that social media use will remain a regular aspect of humans everyday life. Social media use is already pervasive in all contexts, but many implications of the specific use of social media in the lives of specific sets of users are not adequately conspicuous and they may not be until further researches are focus on their exposure.  

Students are a specific group of high percentage social media users. For example, the study on social media use involving selected students from all the colleges at the University of New Hampshire in the United States of America showed that 96% (1,082) of the surveyed students were regular Facebook users (Martin et al 2009). The widespread use of social media by students, in general, is no more remarkable than the implications of the use of it in their academic lives. The need to examine these implications (i.e. in other social contexts unlike the United States of America) is quite important for researchers today to understand how the use of social media impacts learning either by enhancing it or eroding it.

The place of time used for academic and extra-mural activities by students could not be overlooked especially when considering how they use social media. As noted in the study conducted by Bronnert (2016) which focused on time management regarding the use of social networking websites, people have time for using Facebook and they are capable of managing their time except that there are various factors that generally influence fundamental behavior of time usage.

The advent of social media has impacted significantly on how students learn and the mode instructors teach. In today’s higher education settings, social media has influenced instructors, students, and others to cooperate with each other on the tasks of knowledge construction in learning and teaching environments. Social media applications can strengthen class material and positively influence discussions collaborative work, and authoring (Devi, Eragamreddy, Lakshmi & Vijaya, 2019, p.96).

According to James (2010, p.80) educators and researchers are constantly experimenting with social media technologies hoping to stimulate critical thinking skills, collaboration, and knowledge construction . However, the fact that these media are generally open to the world implies a need to carefully consider its’ benefits, impacts and risks of openness as well as need for ongoing communication with students in order to address their concerns and deal with issues in the use of social media as they arise.

Academic excellence or achievement plays an important role in an individual placement, be it in the academic institutions or job placement. Due to this, many people are concerned with the ways they can enhance their academic achievement. The emphasis on academic excellence which is also prevalent worldwide has encouraged many studies about the conditions promoting it. Kyoshaba (2009) contended that the role of academic achievement as one of the predictors of one’s life success and also in the aspect of academic placement in schools to higher institutions as well as the level of employability in one’s career is inevitable.

Academic performance, which is measured by the examination results, is one of the major goals of a school. Hoyle (1986, p.22) argued that schools are established with the aim of imparting knowledge and skills to those who go through them and behind all this is the idea of enhancing good academic performance.

Academic performance or achievement is the outcome of education, the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals. In support Annie, Howard & Mildred (1996) also notes that academic performance is commonly measured by examinations or continuous assessment but there is no general agreement on how it is best tested or which aspects are most important, procedural knowledge such as skills or declarative knowledge such as facts (.

A direct relationship exists between Social media usage and the academic performance of students in universities. However the darker side within technological evolution has resulted in dilemmas such as the setback of real values of life especially among students who form the majority of users interacting through the use of social networking sites. Online social networking sites focus on building and reflecting social associations among people who share interests and or activities. With so many social networking sites displayed on the internet, students are tempted to abandon their homework and reading times in preference for chatting online with friends. Many students are now addicted to the online rave of the moment, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

Statement of the problem

Social media has gradually become one of the many habits of students. This acquired habit has mopped its way into their personal time substituting time meant for reading, library and other academic activities. More interestingly is the continued conversation of students on topics bothering on social media trends other than their curriculum. This upward habit have bothered scholars such as Choney (2010, p.13), MehMood & Taswir, 2013, p.111), Kist, 2008, p.245), Jacobsen & Forste (2011, p.275) to  earnestly agree that the continuous use of social media is among the important factors that can influence academic performance of students positively or negatively. The usage by social media has been debated by authorities as its negative effects continue to permeate the society. Despite this public and private outcry, students have continued to access and use social media (Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) on an increasing ratio. It is based on this premise that this study seeks to  examine impact of social media on the academic performance of students in Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

​​​​​​​Objective of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact  of social media on the academic performance of students. Specifically, using academic performance:

1. Assess how the study of the student is impacted upon by social media .

2. Examine the impact of social media on the overall  grade point average (GPA) of students.

3. Assess how the frequency of social media usage has impacted the  students academic performance.

Research Questions

The following research questions guides the study:

1. How do social media impact students’ study?

2. What is the ascendancy of social media on students’ grade point average (GPA)?

3. How has the frequency of social media usage impacted students’ academic performance?

Research hypothesis

The study developed for testing the following null hypothesis:

H01:  There is no significant positive relationship between social media usage  and students grade point average (GPA) achievement.

H02: There is no significant positive relationship between social media usage frequency and student’s study habits.

1.6 Significance of the study

An understanding of social media, its usage and how it is impacting  students learning environment would be of great relevance to students, researchers, students affairs practitioners and all the various bodies that comes to play when talking of social media and school life. The outcome of the study will help students to strategize and reconstruct their attitude regarding the use of social media. It will also push people further to identify the exciting opportunities and threats social media add to human and student life as a whole.

​​​​​​​Scope of the study

The study is focused on assessing the impact  of social media on students academic performance. The various ways social media affects students academic performance will be examined in this study.

1.8 Definition of terms

Social Media:  In this study, this term refers to network platforms used for social interactions like facebook, Instagram, twitter and tik tok.

Student: A person who is studying at the university or other place of higher education.

Academic: relating to education and scholarship.

Performance: This refers to the positive achievement expected from students in terms of learning and character.