Author: James Allen Otunomeruke1,
Co-Author: Juliana Sunday2,
Abstract
The
social media networks’ knowledge, attitude and practice and its effects on
academic performance among secondary school students are inadequately assessed
and factors that influence their social media networking are poorly understood.
Data was collected in May 2016 from a cross-sectional survey among Government
Secondary School, Lugbe, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), to examine the knowledge,
attitude and practice (KAP) of social media among secondary school students and
to ascertain possible influence on academic performance. A stratified sampling technique
was adopted in selecting AMAC and Government secondary school with a sample
size of 200. The knowledge,
attitude and practice variables were descriptively analyzed. Findings of the
study showed that majority of students have adequate knowledge, positive
attitude and regularly visit social media networking sites. Facebook, Whatsapp,
Google, Youtube, Instagram, Blackberry messenger, twitter and 2go are among social
media platform sites frequently visited. High knowledge (100%), positive
attitude and frequent use of social media networking for interaction,
entertainment, sports and education materials were observed. A slight above 3
in 5 students frequently visited social networking sites for chatting and
making friends, while students (21%) visited social media sites as an
aid to learning, peer interaction, online experience sharing and building
reservoir of knowledge. Researchers
found that 27.9% of the students are currently
using Facebook, 21% uses whatsapp and Google each, YouTube users (12%),
Blackberry messenger (9%), and others (9%). Findings revealed that students that
judiciously use social media networks for learning purposes, academically
perform better than their peers who just use it for chatting and entertainment.
Students spent average of 2 hours on social networking sites daily. This
attitude is not healthy for secondary school students because it impinges on valuable time of studies and home
chores. There is need to sensitize students on dangers inherent in frequent browsing,
inappropriate site visits; and benefits embedded in judicious use of social
media as learning culture, positive interaction and building of knowledge
reservoir.
Key
words: Secondary School, Knowledge Attitude Practice,
Social Media and Internet
Background
of the Study
Social
media network is one of the modern technology strategies that assists people to
communicate irrespective of distance or location in the world. It has turn the world into a global village
that makes things happen within shortest possible time. It has drawn attention
of all and sundry, young adolescents, and adults to establish platforms of
interaction, sharing of experiences with colleagues, friends, associates and business
partners. Researches show that social media supports collaborative learning that
is characterized by student interactions with peers and sharing lessons notes that
leads to improved academic performance. Social networking provides students
opportunity of expressing and building up the skills to communicate effectively
without being timid. It is a source of creative learning in which individual
student learn how to communicate with other peers thereby develops creative
thinking and public speaking with boldness. It enhances student innovative way
of thinking and self-development if well guided by parent at home and teachers
while at the school environment. Stakeholders alike have role to play in
providing guardians on how students are expected to use social media networks
to enhance learning and improve academic performance. It is observed that benefits
derive from networking sites act as drivers for the frequent use of social
media. This magnetic forces make some of the students to open multiply social
network accounts.
Social
networking as it were exposes people to more effective and efficient way of
doing things. It helps people to be better informed, enlightened, and keeping
abreast with world developments. Telemarketing is made possible due to social
networking which promotes quick interaction and influences quick response from
clients or potential customers. Frequent interaction in the social media have
been proved to have positive influence on trip reduction and invariably
reducing road mishaps while on business or personal trip. Trips that are not
necessary are avoided and discussions take place on social media platform or
telephone. Access, availability and affordability of Internet make interaction
possible.
The
researchers attempted to find out the drivers that are responsible for the
pooling of teenagers, young adolescents and adults to Internet and social media
networks. In efforts to providing answer, we looked at the various work of
different authors.
Paul
(2010) posits that internet is a massive “network of networks”, a networking infrastructure
which connects millions of computers together globally, forming a network in
which any computer can communicate with each other, provided they are both
connected to internet. Furthermore, Paul re-iterated that existence of social
media like Facebook, twitter, 2go, YouTube, MySpace, blackberry messenger,
Instagram etc. help people to communicate easily, have access to postings and
chatting. Hence, social media network is made possible by having access to
uninterrupted power supply and availability of Internet which people can
subscribe to with Internet providers.
Research
findings have shown that teenagers use the Internet for most of their daily
activities and information gathering, as opposed to older generations who used
resources like the television or newspaper (Lewis, 2008). Kist (2008) findings
on access to Internet revealed that about 90% of teens in the United States
have access to Internet and 75% of these teenagers use the Internet more than
once per day in social networking sites.
Knight
and Smith (2006) stated that what makes the Internet a more powerful platform
for social networking is the ability to build social networking tools upon it.
The Internet provides a layer of communication capabilities that can be
utilized by several different tools. Smith (2009) claimed that over the last
few years the Web has fundamentally shifted towards user-driven technologies
such as blogs, social networks and video-sharing platforms. Collectively these
social technologies, now uniformly tagged as social media, have enabled a
revolution in user-generated content and the publishing of consumer opinion.
Social
media is called “social” because it enables communication, facilitate social
interaction and make possible collaboration, allows the creation and exchange
that generate content (Bryer and Zavatarro; 2011; Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010;
King, 2012; O'Reilly, 2007).
The
knowledge and practice of social networking sites visits among undergraduate
students in Nigeria have been studied in local literatures but little is known
about the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among secondary school
students and how it could affect their academic careers. Research has shown that majority of college students devoted
more attention to social media than to their studies and this has led to low
academic performance. Therefore, this research is aimed at deeper understanding
and assessment of social media networks knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) and
its associated effects among secondary school students The researchers believe
that the study provides insight that could be used as tools by government,
educationists and stakeholders to formulate social networking policies, early
integration of computer-assisted learning at secondary school level and
strategies that will re-direct students’ attention to judicious use of social
media networking in learning and building a reservoir of knowledge which will
positively enhance the academic performance among the teenagers in the
secondary schools.
In
the literature reviewed, it was observed that a lot of studies have been
conducted to ascertain the influence of social media on users. Young (2006)
posited that students depend more on the use of Internet for chatting with
peers, friends and obtaining information that might not been related to
academic. However, concluded that the use of Internet does not negatively
impact on the academic performance. Yang (2003) in his submission said the
effect of social media depends large on the degree of usage, while Yoon (2000) research
findings show that the type of social media or network subscribed to by young
adults have impact on them. Jeong (2005)
study reveals that Internet addiction is associated with low academic
performance of students since time for study is negatively affected. This
assertion was supported by Seo (2004) study based on influence of addiction to
social media use. Another study
conducted by Pempek, Yermolayeva, and Calvert (2007) indicated that the amount
of time spent by young adult on daily basis on social network sites varied from
individual to individual. They found out that most of the participants spent an
average of 30 minutes a day in socializing and this mostly occurred between
9.00 p.m. to 12.00 a.m. Hence, concluded that the impact of social media depends
on the type and frequency of social media usage by the users.
In
a different study, the effect of social media on undergraduate students was
assessed and found out that teenagers can establish online forum or communities
where plan are initiated, exchange of ideas and school materials can take place
and thereby establishes personal connections with friends or like-minds. Hennig-Thurau
et al (2004) posited that social media has enhanced students’ knowledge and
understanding about a product (self-enhancement), and then share this
information with friends.
The
study among Thai young people found that a significant proportion reported
having problems with their eyesight (78.3%), wasting money and time (70.8%),
having no time for homework (62.4%), having insufficient rest (51.6%), and
exhibiting more violent behaviours than previously (37.5%) (Nakornthap &
Masateianwong, 2007). The researchers stressed that youth who become addicted
to the new technologies and who lack parental guidance are at risk of crime and
immorality propagated through the Internet and mobile telephones. They
recommended that parents teach their children about using these technologies
appropriately. It has been documented in the Thai secondary school study that
Internet addiction has led to school problems, physical and mental health
problems, and relationship problems were reported as being negative impacts of
Internet use.
Another
study outcome opined that social media have negative influence on the academic
performance of the students as more time is spent on browsing. The findings
revealed that young adults browsed to establish and to maintain relationships
with existing acquaintances that were already part of their social network.
Although, the researchers were of the view that there are some exemptions since
most social network site users primarily interact on these sites to support
pre-existing social relations, as opposed to meeting new people (Lenhart, Purcell,
Smith, and Zickuhr, 2012).
Trusov,
Bucklin, & Pauwels (2009) noted that the Internet is no doubt evolution of
technology but specifically social networks are extremely unsafe for teenagers.
Lenhart and Madden (2007) revealed through a survey that undergraduate students
strongly recommend social networking websites to stay in touch with friends to
keep informed.
Eldon (2011) findings show that 51.2% of
users were males and 48.8% were females Respondents’ age revealed that 20.6% of
social media visits were between the ages of 13 and 17; 25.8% were aged 18-25, 26-34
(26.1%) and 27.5% were over 35 years.
Conceptual
Framework
The
study implored combination of diffusion, uses and gratification theories to
examine the knowledge, attitude and practice of social media networking among
secondary school students in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). Diffusion
theory explains how over time an idea, or product gains momentum, and diffuses
(spread) through a specific population or social system. It is based on the
adoption of idea, behavior or new product or innovative conceived by people.
Diffusion is the process of spreading a given idea or practice over time, via
specifiable channels, through a social structure such as Neighborhoods; Katz et
al, (1963). Katz et al work on the diffusion of innovations record that for a
new idea or innovation to diffuse, there must be awareness stage, interest
stage, evaluation stage, trial and adoption. Different types of innovations
require different kinds of adoption units; Bittner (1984) recognizes that the
media can lead someone into getting aware of the existence of an item. In other
hand, uses and gratification theory was used to check how the students use
social networking sites to fulfill specific gratification as this theory assumes
that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in
interpreting and integrating media into their own lives; hence, responsible for
choosing media to meet their needs. This theory implies that the media compete
against other information sources for viewers' gratification. (Katz et al.,
1974).
Research
methodology
A cross-sectional survey was conducted on May 2016 among
Government Secondary School Students, Abuja Municipality Area Council (AMAC),
Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Stratified sampling technique was
used to select one Council out of six Area Councils in Abuja; and within the
selected Area Council, Government Secondary School, Lugbe was randomly chosen.
The arms of the classes serve as strata (Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1, 2 and
3, and the Senior Class was grouped into Senior Secondary School (SSS) 1, 2 and
3) from which a simple random sampling method was applied to select the sampled
population. In each arm of the school, a representative sample size was chosen.
A structured questionnaire was used to collect information about the knowledge
of social media, attitude toward it, use and perceived effect on the students. The
questionnaire language was simple and sequential for easy comprehension by all
the students irrespective of their class and age. It contained closed-ended
questions for easy analysis and few open-ended questions, which allow the
students to express themselves on the perceived effects on the academic
performance. Descriptive statistics and SPSS version 20.0 were used for
analysis of the data.
Limitation
of Study
Financial and time constraint led to
the selection of a Government secondary school in Abuja for the study. The
coverage of secondary schools would have been more than one Government secondary
school but researchers were handicapped by fund. Nevertheless, the study
provides insights to social media knowledge, attitude and use among secondary
school students who are majorly teenagers and implications for learning
management.
Data
Analysis
Descriptive analysis was
conducted to ascertain the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the use of
social media among Government secondary school students. The six arms of the secondary school revealed that SSS 3
had 22.5% of the sampled population, SSS 2 (21%), SSS 1 (19%), JSS 3 (15%), JSS
2 (12.5%) and JSS 1 (10%). The response rate was 100 percent attributable to
active involvement of the principal and teachers of the school. The gender distribution shows that females
interviewed were 51% and male counterparts were 49%. Majority of the students
(55.5%) are within ages 15 – 18 years, aged 11 -14 (37%) and less than I in 10
(7.5%) are 18 years and above. This age distribution represents normal
distribution of students in secondary school.
Knowledge of Social Media Networking
All the Government Secondary School Students in AMAC, Lugbe, Abuja
have knowledge of social media networking sites and they could mention at least
three social networking platforms. Knowledge of the social networking sites
revealed that: Facebook (24.4%), WhatsApp (21.3%), Google (20.2%), YouTube
(15%), Blackberry Messenger (10%) and others (9.1%).
Figure 4: Percentage distribution of knowledge of social media
network sites among respondents
Source: Field survey 2016
Ownership of Systems and Mobile Phones
The
analysis of ownership of systems and mobile phones revealed that only few
students own computer and majority own mobile phones due to affordability and
easy to use. Nearly nine-tenth (87.5%) of the
respondents own phones, 2.5% own personal computers and 10% neither own
computer nor phone but have access to any of the systems whenever they want to
browse.
Social
Networking Sites Account
About
28% of the students have account with Facebook, WhatsApp (21%), Google (21%),
YouTube (12%), Blackberry messenger (9%) and others social media networking
sites accounts (9%). However, findings of the study revealed that majority of
the students have more than one social network platform accounts while few have
a single social network account.
Attitude and Use of Social Networking Sites
Among the secondary school students, about 34.9% have technical
know-how to use Facebook, whatsapp (23.1%), Google recoded 18.8%, YouTube users
(12.0%), Blackberry messenger (8%) and others (3.2%). The same proportion
claimed to have used them according the attitude classification.
Preferred
Social Network Sites
Whatsapp
with records of (35%) is the most preferred social media network among the
Government secondary school students, closely followed by Facebook (32%),
YouTube (12%) as third preferred social networking site, blackberry (11%),
twitter (4%) and others social media sites recorded 6%. Many students in
secondary school do not twit, hence, less preferred.
Reasons
for Preference of Social Network Sites
Responses
from the students’ show that Whatsapp is preferred because with little data,
you can access your account unhindered; peer interaction and communication
takes place anytime of the day. Speed and affordability also contribute to
whatsapp preference. Facebook is preferred by some students due to easy access to
log in to their account without ownership of phone, no barrier to
communication, multiple pages for navigation and sharing information which
could be done at cyber café. As for YouTube, the students said it enables them
to watch video and learn a lot of things visually especially educational materials.
Place
of Browsing
Among places of browsing mentioned by secondary school students were
home, school, cyber café, public place, social gathering, church and mosque.
Majority (32%) of students browsed at home, Cyber Café (27.5%), School Hours (25.5%),
and those that browse anywhere recorded 15%.
Frequency
and Hours of Browsing
Almost 60% of students visit social media networking sites very
often, occasional visits recorded 33% and very rare had 7.5%. Findings also
revealed that majority (43%) of Government Secondary School
students spent up to 3 hours every day in browsing, 33% spent average of 2
hours, 15% of the students spent an hour and only 9% spent less than an hour on
browsing daily.
Purposes
and Effect of Browsing
When the students were asked the purpose of browsing, the responses
cut-across chatting with friends, information sharing, download of educational
materials; current affairs, sports, news and entertainment. In terms of
perceived effects, the students claimed that there are both positive and
negative effects as result of browsing. Some students said browsing enable them
to be in-touch with old friends, make new friends and abreast themselves with
happenings in the world; others asserted that download of educational materials,
sharing of experiences and useful materials that enhance their academic pursue
are the positive impact of regularly browsing. However, almost 7 in 10 (65.5%)
of the students believe regular browsing will have negative effects on study
time and less home chores.
Over one-third (35%) of the students made use of social media for
chatting with old friend and establishing relationship with new friends. About
25% used it for entertainment, sports (23.5%), educational materials recorded
11.5% and obtained news through social media sites recorded 5%.
Social
Networking and Academic Performance
Nine out of ten (86.5%) students believe that social media has
affected their academic performance, and 13.5% are neutral about the effects of
social networking on them.
Perceived Effect of Social Media on
Academic Performance
In terms of social media influence on Government students’
academic performance, 21% said the use of it has positively impacted their
academic performance, 65.5% claimed it has negative effects on their academic
performance due to unknowing addiction, while 13.5% of the students could not
ascertain the influence of social media on their academic performance.
Figure 8: Percentage distribution of perceived effect of regular
browsing among students
Source: Field survey 2016
Discussions of
Results
The research examined the social media networking knowledge,
attitude and use among Government secondary school students and the likely
effects on academic performance.
The gender distribution of the study was almost in ratio 1:1 in
favour of female students with 51% and male counterparts (49%). Majority
(55.5%) of interviewed students were aged 15-18 years, while over one-third
(37%) was aged 11-14. The age distribution represents a normal distribution
curve of the population that ought to be in secondary school. This
finding was a little bit different from Pempek, Yermolayeva and Calvert (2009) studies
that revealed that about 57% of social network users were 18-29 years old; but
concur with the findings that many students have personal profile on multiple
social media websites. Although, their targeted audience was undergraduate
college students while this study centered on secondary school students.
Among the students, over fourth-fifth (87.5%) of the students claimed
to own phones; 2.5% own computer system while 10% neither own a phone nor a computer.
Nevertheless, all the students have access to Internet anytime they deem it fit
to chat.
In terms of knowledge level, Facebook (24.4%), What App (21.3%), Google
(20.2%), YouTube (15%), Blackberry messenger (10%), and others (9.1%).
Most
of the students have account with two or more social network sites. Over two-fifths (45%) of the students have Whatsapp’s
account (42.5%), Facebook (42.5%), Google (38%), Blackberry Messenger (35%),
about Twitter (8%) and 2go (8%). Yoon (2000) found in his research that the type
of social network subscribed to by young adults have impact on them. He further
reiterated that if a student should have accounts with two or more social media
networking sites, it will be very difficult for such students to devote
adequate time for their studies. The researchers opined that due to multiple
social media networking accounts, majority of the sampled students believed
that there are negative effects of regular browsing on their academic
performance. Although, many of the students unaware of the inherent dangers of
having multiple accounts and frequent visits to the network sites. The
addiction of regular browsing has eaten deep among the secondary school
students except the government, Ministry of Education, parents and other
stakeholders join hands together to checkmate excessive browsing among the
secondary school students’ majority of whom are teenagers; otherwise, the
virtue of hard work will soon be eroded and replace with mediocrity.
WhatsApp
is the most preferred (35%) social media network among the Government secondary
school students AMAC, followed by Facebook (32%), YouTube (12%), Blackberry
messenger (11%), twitter (4%) and other social media sites (6%). Findings show
that most of the Government secondary students in AMAC do not twit. Reasons for
preference for WhatsApp was due to affordability and fast-track of information
and responses; Facebook is preferred due to quick access of meeting new people
and having multiple pages for navigation, and the use of Blackberry messenger
was attributed to its reliability, speed and affordability.
The place of browsing as well as time spent on social networking
have influence on the students. The researchers noted that majority (32%) of
students browse at home, Cyber Café (27.5%), School Hours (25.5%), and those
that browse anywhere (churches, mosques and others) recorded 15%.
Almost 60% of students visit social media networking sites very
often, occasional visits recorded 33% and very rare had 7.5%. This means that
those that are addicted to regular browsing (47%) spend average of 3
hours every day in browsing, moderate browsers (33%) spent average of 2 hours,
15% of the students spent an hour and only 9% spent less than an hour on
browsing daily. This tides is disheartening because the students’ valuable time
is being spent on frivolous things call social media networking. If this tide
is not checkmate, the products of future tomorrow will be destroyed. Government
and all stakeholders should come up with policies that will judiciously engage
the young adolescent youths (teenagers) on more productive ventures. This
research findings concur with the outcome of Pempek,
Yermolayeva, and Calvert (2003) findings that posited that the amount of time
spent by young adult on daily basis on social network sites varied from
individual to individual.
The
implication to learning culture is that students who frequently visit social
networking sites have little or no time to study and/or do home chores. This is
a bad habit that should not be allowed among adolescents, hence, calls for
urgent attention of stakeholders (parents, teachers and government) to come up
with strategies that could stern this habit and re-direct the energy of the
students on judicious use of their time both at school hours and at home.
Relating the findings from different researches and this current one, it is
obvious that regular use of social media has negative influence on the academic
performance of students. Students who spend more time on social media are
likely to perform poorly in their academics not because they are not brilliant
but because of inadequate time left for serious academic work.
When the respondents were asked, whom do they chat with in social
networking, over one-third (35%) of the students mentioned old friends and
scouting for new relationship or friends. One-quarter (25%) mentioned
entertainment, sports (23.5%), educational materials recorded 11.5% and to
obtain news (5%). This is in line with the research
findings conducted by Young (2006) which stated that students depend more on
the use of Internet for chatting with peers, friends and obtain information
that might not be related to academic. It also
conforms with the study conducted by Hyllegard, Ogle, Yan, and Reitz
(2011) on social media motivation, which concluded that the use of social media
was to establish personal connections with friends or people of like-minds,
hence, use the site to promote their ideas, create affiliations with brands
that define who they are.
Effects of
Social Networking on Users
The
use of social network has great benefits if the user knows what he or she wants
from it. It has been observed that some users of websites are there to
interact; some are there to update themselves about most recent news in the
world, some for entertainment, few to obtain study materials for their academic
work, while some for dating. It could be said that the effects of social media
on individuals is dependent on the type of sites visited, motives behind the
visit and frequency of use. The use of social media networking sites is a
double edge-sword. If the students use social networking sites wisely and
positively, they will be sound academically because they will have adequate
reference materials for their studies. However, if the motive of networking is solely
for chatting and dating, there is bound to be negative effect on academic performance
of such students. To discourage the secondary school students not to visit
social network sites will be an uphill task, however, they can be encouraged to
use the appropriate sites to connect their peers, school mates and teachers to
discuss academic related issues. Teachers can give the students take-home
assignments that are computer-based. This will enable the students to
frequently use the social media for academic purposes most of the time and less
time for chatting or visit inappropriate sites. Students should be educated on
the inherent dangers in the frequent use of social media for chatting, making
new friends, dating and benefits derived from visiting appropriate websites.
When
the respondents were asked about influence of frequent browsing on academic performance, 21% claimed that its use has
impacted positively on their academic performance. This relatively supports the
findings of Young (2002) that said the use of Internet had no negative impact
on the academic perform of students and partly concur with Yang who
observed that the effect of social media depends largely on the degree of usage
Yang (2003).
When the respondents were asked whether the use of social media
networking sites can affect student academic performance and in what way has it
affected them. Almost three-quarter (71.5%) of students reported
that frequent use of social media networking sites for chatting and dating had
negatively affected their academic performance, and
28.5% of respondents did not think positive usage of social media can negatively
affect someone’s academic performance. About 64.8% claimed that the use of
social media has aided in making new friends, have regular touch with old
friends in other states, obtain information about football and felt that all
these have negatively impacted on the time of their studies. One-fifths (25.3%)
said the social media usage had enabled them obtained educational materials for
their academic, which they could not afford. And having access to these
materials have aided their understanding of the subjects being taught in the
school, while 10% said regular browsing helps them to effectively communicate,
less home chores, less time for their studies and waste of useful time.
The
effect of social network on academic performance can be argued in both ways,
that is, either positive effect that enhances student’s performance if the
essence of browsing is to obtain more academic materials for their studies.
However, if the students are mainly using the social network for chatting,
dating and making new friends without priority given to their academics, it is
obvious that the usage of social network will negatively impact on such
students’ academic performance and it will lead to poor academic performance.
In support of the findings of the study, reference can be made to the
submission of Jeong (2005), which said Internet addiction is associated with low
academic performance of students due to reduction of study time. Seo (2004)
study outcomes concur with the results of negative influence on those that are
addicted to regular use social network. The secondary school students
(adolescents) if not well guided, they will become vulnerable to peer influence
without realizing the ripple effect of frequent visits to networking sites. Hence,
all stakeholders should join hands together to monitor, provide guidance and
support sensitization campaign on danger and benefits of social media use by
young adolescents. This type of sensitization should also be extended to the
adults since other empirical studies on
Internet addiction suggest that the use of social media affects a person’s
life, including academic and workplace performance, relationships, and physical
and mental health (Goldberg, 1996; Young, 1996, 1998). It was also documented
in the Thai secondary school study that Internet addiction has led to a lot of
young people having school challenges, physical and mental health problems, and
relationship problems that have negative impacts among regular Internet users
for chatting.
Perceived
Positive Impact of Social Media
Experience
Sharing
Despite
some inherent negative impact of browsing by teenagers, it has also been
observed that the social networking sites have greatly benefitted some group of
students in this study. For example, teenagers have established online forum
where exchange of ideas takes place. Bryant, Sander-Jackson and Smallwood
(2012) also claimed that teenagers can form online communities where project
plan can be initiated, experience sharing and exchange school materials. Browsing
enables young adults to join social networking websites for communication
within their social system, hence, leads to skills acquisition in both oral and
written communication.
Summary
The results of this study suggest that students that use social
media for academic purpose have likelihood of performing better academically
than those whose motives of browsing is meant for chatting and entertainment. The
age distribution represents a normal distribution curve. Majority of sampled
students belonged to age cohort of 15-18 years (55.5%) and aged 11-14 with 37%.
The study findings revealed that over three-quarter (87.5%) own phones for
browsing, computer system (2.5%) and 10% do not own either computer or phone. With
the higher number of ownership of mobile phone that gives room for easy access
to Internet, it will be very difficult to stop the students from browsing. However,
the knowledge of how to use computer in networking can be channeled to use of computer-assisted
education, hence, integration of computer education into secondary school
curriculum both in public especially and some private secondary schools without
computer education will be of immerse value to the educational system. Most of
the students of Government secondary school Lugbe have accounts in various
social media sites/network (Facebook, Whatsapp, Google, 2go etc.) which propel
them to always be on Internet anytime of the day. Some of the reasons given by
the students for multiple social media accounts were basically centered on benefits
derived from the sites. Some of the benefits mentioned include easy access, reliability,
low tariff, availability of information required and user friendly. Researchers
observed also that some students do not perceived frequent browsing as
dangerous habits, hence, stand chances of becoming addicted one day which could
be soon or later. Secondary school students are still within developmental
stage of adolescents which always strive to try everything that comes their
way; social media networking inclusive. Hence, they need regular guidance and
monitoring so that the tomorrow future will not be destroyed.
We believe these findings provide useful information for
stakeholders seeking ways to improve or re-direct students on how to utilize
the modern technology of internet and social media for educational learning
advancement. Therefore, government at all level, parents, teachers and other
stakeholders should make use of these great insights of knowledge, attitude and
use of social media networking to come up with policies and interventions which
could stern indiscriminate use of the social networking among secondary school
students. Some of the intervention could be education or sensitization on
appropriate use of modern technology among secondary school students. All stakeholders
should stress the benefits of having solid educational foundation without
allowing social media networking to derail or deprive them of economic
empowerment of the future. Having examine the knowledge, attitude and practice
(KAP) of social media networking among secondary school students, the
researchers tend to raise the question “Do secondary school students know the
dangers and benefits embedded in frequent browsing or it happen due to peer
influence? Or “Do stakeholders who are saddled with responsibility of
developing the young minds, are they living up to expectation? Or do they think
leaving these students to peer influence will help to build tomorrow future of a
nation without appropriate guidance on emphasis on academic performance? Answers
to these questions cannot be provided from this present study, but it may
trigger off another research for future on social networking among young
adolescents and stakeholders.
Without gain saying, the uses of social media have effects on the
academic performance of the Government Secondary School students in AMAC,
Abuja. Negative impacts of regular browsing outweighed the positive effect of
social media on the students. Aggressive campaign by all stakeholders on
inherent dangers on frequent visits to social networking sites can leads to
change of attitude of students and concentrate on their studies.
Conclusion
The use of social media is a veritable means for students to
interact and socialize as well as to sought for educational materials to aid
their studies. It provides students opportunity of expressing and to
build up the skills for effective communication. It is a source of creative
learning in which individual student learn how to communicate with other peers
thereby develop creative thinking and public speaking with boldness. Through
social media networking students learn how to be innovative in thinking and
doing things which enhances their self-esteem. However,
how many of the secondary school students are using the social networks in a
way that will be beneficial and improve the academic performance? Teachers
have role to play in providing guardians on how students are expected to use
social media networks to enhance learning and improve academic performance
which turn them to better future leaders. By so doing, students will be
encouraged to combine classroom learning and learning through social networking
outside the classroom which will eventually enhance their time management
skills in term school assignments, home chores and time to play. The researchers believe that majority of students are not
using social networking positively to enhance their learning instead they use
it for chats and entertainment. All stakeholders must come up with
interventions that will curtail or reduce to the barest minimum the use of social
media networking in negative ways among students in secondary school. This will
pave way for judicious use of their time as well as give helping hands to the
parents at home. Stakeholders should strive to toll the positive path of
technological advancement (social media networks) which will help the leaders of
tomorrow.
Professionals have
said that technological advancement has both positive and negative side, but it
depends on individual to choose how well to use the technology to uplift his or
her course of life endeavor. Students can be sensitized on how to use this
technology to enhance their academic performance by always visiting only
educational sites that are relevant to the course of studies. It is obvious
that Internet has come to stay so also are the various social media network
sites which keep springing up daily with new features to attract the young ones
into associating with friends and family members with ease. It is the duty of
adults to ensure they join hands with government to educate and correct the
wrongs whenever students are found browsing indiscriminately. The norms of
being your neighbor’s keeper can put a check on the children and prevent them
from visiting any site of their choice, which may be dangerous to their psyche
and could indulge them in unwholesome practices.
The researchers have
ascertained that students spent more time on social media networking sites,
hence, it draws the children’ attention from reading to chatting and watching
of films on Internet to the detriment of their future careers.
Recommendations
There
is need for students to create a balance between social networks and their
academics to prevent setbacks. All stakeholders such as parents, teacher,
educationist, government, non-governmental organizations should come to round
table to fashion out what best strategy and policy to be formulated to
checkmate excessive access to internet by teenagers and young adolescents.
There should be a change of attitude on the part of the students to consider
social networking as secondary and concentrate on their studies that will make
them better persons tomorrow. Since, students cannot be totally stopped from
browsing, they should be educated on the appropriate time for socialization,
studies and doing home chores. They should be encouraged to spend more time on their
studies, assist with home chores whenever they are back from school and less
than an hour on appropriate social media networking sites.
Teachers while in the school should be vigilant to checkmate
students that have made it a habit to browse during school hours; educate them
on inherent dangers on regular visits to networking sites and refer them specified
sites where they can seek for education materials. Internet-based assignments should
be given to students on regular basis to help them reduce the time they may
spend on frivolity.
Parents should always monitor and checkmate their children on types
of social media networking sites they visit. This will curtail the regular use
of social media through a workable time-table set up by parent for reading and
doing assignment at home.
The government, non-governmental organizations, and media houses
should come up with public campaign on advantages and disadvantages of social
media networking among the secondary school students. This will checkmate the
low academic performance in the school and thereby raise the standard of
education in the country. Students need to develop skills to share knowledge
and to learn with others, both in face-to-face situations and through social
media. But the question is, how many secondary students are using networking in
learning? Students should imbibe the spirit of using social media to build
learning communities by working collaboratively to construct knowledge,
communication and build reservoir of knowledge which will make them sound
scholars in near future.
Reference
Bittner
(1984) Why youth heart, social networking effects on the student academic
performance?
Boyd and
Ellison (2007) why youth heart, social network site and the role of networked
publics in teenage life”
Brian,
K.W. & Stacy, C.S. (2011) Using information technology: a practical
introduction to computer and communication.
Baran,
S.J. (2002). Introduction to mass communication: media literacy and culture:
(2nd edition). New York: McGraw hill companies.
Bryer
and Zavatarro; (2011); Kaplan and Haenlein, (2010); King, (2012); O'Reilly, (2007).
Graeme,
B. (2010). Media and society: critical perspectives: (2nd edition). England,
(Goldberg, 1996; Young, 1996, 1998) Internet use and
its impact on secondary school
Hyllegard, Ogle, Yan, and Reitz (2011) The impact of social networking sites on students
Jeong, T.G. (2005) The effect of Internet addiction and
self-control on achievement of elementary school children. Korean Journal of Yeolin Education Vol
5 (3)
Kabilan et al. (2010) The impact of social networks on
undergraduate students learning
Katz
et al., 1974 Approach of uses and gratifications on social networking sites
Knight and Smith (2006) What social media sites do college
students use most?
Lippmann.
(1922) Public opinion New York: Mac Millian
Moon, A.L (2011) Impact of Facebook on undergraduates’ academic
performance: Implications for educational leaders
Njoku K.C (2007) “The Impact
of Motivation on Project Execution: A Case of Some Selected Projects”
Nwabueze
(2011) Magazine and newspaper management and production
Pempek, Yermolayeva, and Calvert (2003) Use of
social media by college students: Relationship to Facebook
Semah and Edegoh (2013) Influence of new media sexual contents Kogi
State University Students. Journal of
Research and Contemporary Issues Vol. 7 (1& 2)
Seo (2004) Teens’ social media use and
collective action
Yang
(2003) Effects of social networks on students’ performance: A web-based forum
study in Taiwan, Jaln, 7(3), 93-107
Yoon
(2000) Influence of social media network on academic performance
