ABSTRACT
The study was on the influence of social media on academic performance of undergraduates in Imo state University, Imo, Edo State. The survey research method was adopted for the study. Questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Out of 300 copies of the questionnaire that were distributed,280 (representing 93.3%)were retrieved and analysed, from three faculties, using the stratified sampling techniques, which included the table of random numbers technique for the first stratum, and the accidental sampling technique for the second stratum: and the sample size was 100 respondents from each faculty, to make a total of 300. The research showed that undergraduate go on-line very often, they are aware of and use social networking sites, they spend above 3hours on social networking activities, and the use of social media has influenced their academic performances positively in so many ways such as: Information retrieval skill, activities participation in group discussion on assignment with classmate, and in their grades. They use social networking sites for entertainment, reading newspapers, academic, and looking for advertisement. The research recommendation, lecturers and undergraduate should use social media for academic purposes, and undergraduates should be oriented on how to manage their time effectively when using social media for socialising and academic purposes.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The world is today celebrating the improvements in communication technology which has broadened the scope of communication through information and communication technologies (ICT) (Asemah, Okpanachi, andEdegoh, 2013). Modern Technology in communication no doubt, has turned the entire world into a “Global Village” (Osharive, 2015). It helps people to be better informed, enlightened, and keeping abreast with the world developments. Technology exposes mankind to a better way of doing things.
Information and communication technology is a very broad term, which refers to various gadgets that aids in communication such as computer, mobile phone, and satellite communication. Information and communication technology is a tool that helps in improving communication among people. According to Okwuchukwu (2015), information and communication technology has given rise to unlimited access to information in almost all spheres of human endeavor. Issa, Uzuegbu and Nwosu (2014)also noted that ICT can be seen as the aggregate of computers, telecommunication gadgets, multimedia resource and other related technologies that are applied and utilized in the total process of information management and dissemination. Talukder, Alam, and Apu (2015) state that educational institutions adopted ICT-based teaching method and offering ICT related academic programms, impacting the students with skills of using different smart devices and internet to have access to information, which is of supreme importance’s to Academic. According to Ntui (2014), ICT has been regarded as an important tool to leverage the economy and society, thus mastering basic skills and concepts of ICT has become one core part in education, beside reading, writing, and numeracy. ICT skills are necessary prerequisites for information literacy and life-long learning.
According to Hasnain, Nasreen, and Ijaz (2015), social media is a phenomenon developing in a rapid pace. Social media is the fastest growing web application in the 21st Century that depends on computer, mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms, through which individuals can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content. It introduces substantial and pervasive change to communication between individuals. Al-Rahmi and Othman, (2013) note that the driving factors for adopting of social media are progressively ubiquitous access, convenience, functionality, and flexibility of social technologies.
Onah and Nche (2014) observe that in the manner of a wild fire in harmattan, the phenomenon of social media (networking) has spread to all nook and crannies of Nigeria, engulfing a large number of her youths. Social media usage has become so common among the youths, that it has become unfashionable not to engage oneself at least in one of the social networking sites. Prior to the invention of this phenomenon, communication over a distance was comparatively difficult. However, the advent of social media has made the impossible become possible, as one can conveniently communicate with anyone at any time irrespective of geographical barriers and distance. According to Umekachikelu (2013) it is amazing that with a click one passes information to thousands of people in a second. Social media are new technologies which are used as channels of information dissemination to heterogeneous audiences without the constraints of time, space or distance.
According to Onah and Nche (2014), defined social media is a group of internet based application that builds on the ideological and technology foundation of the web which allows the creation and exchange of user generated content. They refer to the internet-based social websites like the Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc which allow users to interactively communicate with one another. Social media can also refer to those web-based and mobile-based technologies which are used to turn communication into interactive, dialogue between organizations, communities and individuals. Ictech(2014) Technologies such as smartphones can potentially make users more efficient and productive when they use them in an adventageous manner instead as a distraction. (Sinan, Brynojolfsson, andAlstryne,2007) Smartphones are no different from desk top and laptop, other than size and computer power.The undergraduate student in this study are also known as, “Net Generation” those born between 1980and 1989, who are in use of social media technologies. Undergraduates of Imo state University use the social media, for one reasons or another. It is of concern to know how social media has influenced the academic performance of undergraduates. As it is, social media like two sides of a coin brings with it both negative and positive impact. Undergraduates are expected to make the best use of social media to impact knowledge in a wide range, but some are found misusing it.
With the invention of technologies, knowledge management has been enriched. It is of interest to the universities that students should turn out to be good researchers, of which they could search with different source of information, such as paper based and data based information /digital libraries. This information source has their special qualities, but Undergraduates seem to depend more on databases /digital libraries which they can access on their personal devices because of time factor. Nwangwe, Yonlolonfoun and Omotere, (2014) note that most undergraduates running full time programmes in Nigerian universities spend more time on social media than on any other activity of the day, including academic work. Junco and Cotton, (2012) student has become addicted to social media; it split their attention, causing massive decrease in knowledge retention. Idubor, Elogie, and Ikenwe, (2016) believed that social media networks’ use is not only an addictive behaviour but also forms a collection of recognition and behaviour factors that leave people prone to addiction leading to a negative effect on the individual’s life. But, According to Dabbagh and Kitsantas (2012) social media can help facilitate the creation of personal learning environments, which empower students to take charge of their own learning by selecting, creating and organizing tools and resources that help in effective and efficient learning.
The increased use of social networking websites has become an international phenomenon in the past several years. What started out as a hobby for some computer literate people has become a social norm and way of life for people from all over the world (Bloyd, 2007). Teens can form online communities in order to plan for a project, have group class material, or use the social networking sites as a way to keep in contact when a student has been absent and needs to be updated on current academic information(Alexander and Salas, 2008).
Internet is the great global virtual library, where anyone at anywhere in the world can secure access to the huge digital archive where knowledge, leisure and professional world converge in one’s space. It has changed the face of the lives of people, turning them completely into the modern and latest lifestyle with its developments,(Arua, Uzuegbu, and Ugah, 2014).The internet facilitates data exchange by allowing users of the interconnected computers of all types and sizes to communicate in real time. The availability of high speed internet broadband connection with massive use of desktop computers, laptops, e-reader ,tablets and smart phone enable millions of people including undergraduate to actively engage in social networking, text, message, blogging, content sharing, online leaning and much more (Nwangwe, Yonlolonfoun and Omotere, 2014).Today, instead of the print materials, undergraduates use the internet to access e-materials, in which the interactive nature of online environments has expanded with social networks. The social networking sites are being used in various ways like forming communities, chatting, blogging, etc. Academic performance of the undergraduate students is measured by the examination, which is one of the goals of the university to find out the students’ capabilities. According to Osharive (2015) citing Hoyle (1986), 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.
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Item Type: Project Material | Size: 60 pages | Chapters: 1-5
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