Abstract

Social media is a form of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other contents (such as videos and audios). It is also a collection of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration; websites dedicated to forums, microblogging, social networking, social bookmarking and social curation. This study covers the usage and impact of social media on students’ academic performance. The method used in collection of data for this study is quantitative method. Data was collected using primary data set through the distribution of questionnaire. Online research method was also used in collection of data for this study. The data collected was analyzed and chi square was used in carrying out hypothesis test after which summary, recommendation and conclusion was derived. In this study, it was discovered that social media made negative impact on the respondents such as spending almost the whole day chatting, posting photos, downloading video instead of balancing things up. Usage of social media also made positive impact on the respondents of this study. Many of them use social media to download materials useful for academic purposes, communicating with teachers and submitting of articles to website. The study was able to access students’ usage of social media and its effect on their academic performance. The study revealed that majority of students have mobile phones which has internet facility on them and also has knowledge of the existence of social media sites. It is important to note that most students visit social media sites using their phones and spending almost the whole day on such sites. The study also revealed that the usage of social sites had affected academic performance of students negatively and that there is a direct relationship between the use of social media sites and academic performance. To this end, the researcher recommend that sites should be created for educational purposes as well to create a balance between social networking and academic activities of students to avoid setbacks in academic performance of students.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ………………………………………………………………………i

Certification ……………………………………………………………………….ii

Dedication ……………………………………………………………………….iii

Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………..iv

Abstract ……………………………………………………………………….v

Table of contents …………………………………………………………..........vi

List of tables ………………………………………………………………..viii

List of figures ………………………………………………………………..viii

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study …………………………………………………1

1.2 Aim and objectives of the study ………………………………………….2

1.3 Statement of the problem …………………………………………………2

1.4 Scope of the study ………………………………………………………...4

1.5 Research methodology …………………………………………………4

1.6 Definition of terms ………………………………………………………...4

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Social media ……………………………………………………………….5

2.2 Positive Effects of Social Media on Students’ Academic Life ……………6

2.3 Negative Effects of Social Media on Students’ Academic Life ……………8

2.4 Role of Social Media in Education   ……………………………………….9

2.5 Related works ………………………………………………………..12

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research design ……………………………………………………….14

3.2 The study area ……………………………………………………..15

3.3 Population description ……………………………………………...15

3.4 Research instruments ……………………………………………...15

3.4.1 Questionnaires ……………………….……………………..16

3.4.2 Online research ………………………….…………………..16

3.5 Limitations ………………………...……….………………………….17

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Data presentation/analysis ……………………………………………..18

4.2 Result ………………………………………………………………...…23

4.3 Hypothesis test ………………………………………………...…..26

4.4 Discussion of result …………………………………………………….28

4.4.1 The most preferred social media ……….……………………...28

4.4.2 Amount of time spent on social media by the respondents ………29

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary …………………………………………………………....30

5.2 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………31

5.3 Recommendation …………………………………………………….31

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………....33

APPENDIX …………………………………………………………………...35

LIST OF TABLES

4.1 Demographic information of respondents ……………………………19

4.2 Respondents most preferred social media platform ……………..20

4.3 Reasons for respondent’s usage of social media …………………….21

4.4 Respondents mode of interaction on social media ……………..22

4.5 Benefits of social networking sites ……………………………23

4.6 Contingency table one …………………………………………. 26

4.7 Contingency table two …………………………………………..27 

LIST OF FIGURES

4.1 Chart on gender of the respondents …………………………...24

4.2 Chart on age distribution of respondents …………………………...24

4.3 Chart on school of respondents …………………………………..25

4.4 Chart on choice of social media …………………………………..25