ABSTRACT

This inquiry examined the Effect of Social Networks on the Behaviour of Secondary School Students in Mercy Model Schools, Ilaporu-Ijebu of Ogun State, Nigeria. It investigated the Risk that comes with use of Social Network on the Secondary School Students in Mercy Model Schools. The study made use of descriptive survey research. The population consisted of all the students in Mercy Model Schools which preliminary investigation put at 200 students.

The sample size is comprised of 96 students, that is, 48% of the population in Mercy Model Schools responded to the questionnaires items. A total of 96 questionnaires were distributed and 90 were returned. This represented 93.75% response rate. This posits that if a response rate of above 50% is adequate for analysis, therefore, 93.75% response rate was considered as being very good for analysis used for the study. Data collected were subjected to frequencies and percentages analysis.

The study revealed that social networks had significant effect on the behaviour of secondary school students in Mercy Model Schools. It also revealed that there are risks that come with the use of social network on the secondary school students in Mercy Model Schools. Based on the findings, it was obvious that social networks had significant effect on the behaviour of secondary school students, also revealed that there are risks that come with the use of social network by the secondary school students in Mercy Model Schools in Ilaporu-Ijebu of Ogun State, Nigeria.

As a result of these, it is recommended that the students need to be trained on better usage of the social media so as to minimize time wastage on chatting and other irrelevant engagements that are not of major importance on their lives, all the stakeholders and especially Communication Commission of Nigeria and network providers' needs to come up with means of filtering information that reaches the students through social media platforms. This will help minimize exposing them to pornographic and other unwarranted materials, parents and security agencies should monitor activities of the students on social media in order to protect them from sex pest and paedophiles, In order to communicate effectively to the students and government agencies should adopt social media as one of their means of communication, to avoid having a generation that does not have face to face communication skills and also all the stakeholders should consider organizing social events that the students will use to interact and mingle with each other physically the findings of this study should be used in policy formulation at levels of learning that the students are inclusive such as high schools and universities and in government agents that deal with the students.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents                                                                                                        Pages

Title Page………………………………………………………………………1

Certification.……………………………………..……….……………………2

Dedication…………………………………………………….………………..3

Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………..4

Abstract………………………………………………………….…………......6

Table of Contents...……………………………………………………….……8

CHAPTER ONE:                INTRODUCTION

1.1.      Background of the Study……………………………………………….10

1.2.      Statement of the Problem……………..………….…………………......17

1.3.      Aim and Objectives of the Study...……………………………………..19

1.4.      Research Questions…………….……………………………………….19

1.5.      Research Hypotheses…………… ……………………….…………….20

1.6.      Significance of the Study……………………………………………….21

1.7.      Scope of the Study……………………………………………………...21

1.8.      Plan of the Study………………………………………………………..22

1.9.      Operational Definition of Terms………………………………………..22

1.10.    Assumption……………………………………………………………..24

1.11.    Limitation of the Study……………………………………………….....24

CHAPTER TWO:                LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1.      Conceptual Review………………………………………………………25

2.1.1.   Concept of Social Network………………………………………26

2.1.2.   Social Network and the Users………………………….………...29

2.1.3.   Social Network and Students………………………………….....30

2.1.4.   Use of Social Network………………………………………...…32

2.1.5.   Social Network and Academic Performance…………………….33

2.2.      Theoretical Review………………………………………………………40

2.2.1.   The Uses and Gratification Theory………………………………40

2.2.2.   Technological Determinism Theory……………………………..44

2.2.3.   Klapper Reinforcement or Limited Effects Theory……………...46

2.3.      Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………..47

2.3.1.   Effect of Social Network Site (SNS) Model……….…………….49

2.3.2.   Operation of Social Network Model….………………………….50

CHAPTER THREE:            METHODOLOGY

3.1  .     Research Design………………………………………………………….53

3.2  .     Data Collection Instrument………………………………….……………54

3.3  .     Characteristics of the Study Population…………………………………..54

3.4.      Sampling Design and Procedure………………………………………….54

3.5.      Validity and Reliability of Research Instrument………………………….55

3.6.      Ethical Issues………………………………………………………….......55

3.7.      Data Analysis Techniques………………………………………………...56

CHAPTER FOUR:               RESULT, ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

4.1.      Demographic Characteristics of Respondents…………………………….57

4.2.      Test of Hypotheses……………………………………………...…………63

4.3.      Discussion of Findings…………………………………………………….71

CHAPTER FIVE:    SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1.      Summary…………………..….…………………………………………....78

5.2.      Conclusion… ……………………………………………………………...79

5.3.      Recommendations………………………………………………………….80

Bibliography………………………..…...…………………………..……….……81

Appendix 1-   Questionnaire on the Effect of Social Networks on the ………….. 86

Behaviour of Secondary School Students in Mercy Model Schools,

­Ilaporu-Ijebu of Ogun State.