1.1 Introduction
Social media is communication channel that employs mobile and web based technology to create highly interactive platforms via which individuals and community share, co-create, discuss and modifies user-generated content (Kietzmannn, 2012). Today the Internet has taken a firm place in people’s lives. It is difficult to imagine a young man who at least once a day did not check for updates in social networks and did not leaf through the news lines. When social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter appeared, our world was divided into online and offline. Social media are online technology platforms that help to connect people together far and near. It is used to build relationship among people. With their help, individuals can communicate with each other, even on different continents, listen to music, read books, look at photos and much more (Shensa et al., 2015).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The world is today celebrating the improvements in communication technology which has broadened the scope of communication through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Technology exposes mankind to a better way of doing things. Social networking sites include: Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook Messenger, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), WhatsApp messenger, 2go messenger, Skype, Google talk, Google Messenger, iPhone and Androids. These networking sites are used by most people to interact with old and new friends, physical or internet friends ( Asemah and Edegoh, 2012). The world has been changed rapidly by the evolution of technology; this has resulted into the use of technology as the best medium to explore the wide area of knowledge.
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 etc. Today most youths and students possess Facebook accounts.
The reason most of them perform badly in school might not be far-fetched. While many minds might be quick to blame the poor quality of teachers, they might have to think even harder, if they have not heard of the Facebook frenzy (Oche & Aminu .2010). Olubiyi (2012) noted that these days’ students are so engrossed in the social media that they are almost 24 hours online. Social networking sites although has been recognized as an important resource for education today, studies however shows that students use social networking sites such as Facebook for fun, to kill time, to meet existing friends or to make new ones (Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe 2007). Although it has been put forward that students spends much time on participating in social networking activities, with many students blaming the various social networking sites for their steady decrease in grade point averages (Kimberly, Jeong and Lee, 2009), it also shows that only few students are aware of the academic and professional networking opportunities the sites offered.
The advanced and improved usage of social media platforms such as Facebook has become a worldwide phenomenon for quite some time. Though it all started has been a hobby for several computer literates individual has changed to become a social norm and existence-style for students around the world (Nicole, 2007). According to Nicole, (2007), students and teenagers have especially recognized these social media platforms to be able to contact their peers, share information, reinvent their personas and showcase their social live. Facebook users often experience poor academic performance. Also Karpinski (2009) stated that social media has a negative association with students’ academic performance which is much greater than the advantages derived through the use of social media platforms.
People around the globe have been addicted to the internet which has given rise to more students using social media more often than before. Nalwa & Anand (2003) advised and recommended that those who are addicted users love to use the internet to set back their personal and professional responsibilities in which the final outcome is poor academic performance. It was highlighted in the finding of Karpinski (2009) that social media platforms (Facebook, watzapp etc) users usually devote lesser time to their studies has to compared to nonusers did and subsequently has lower GPAs.
It was also mentioned by Karpinski, & Duberstein (2009), that among the major distraction of current generation that social media platform (such Facebook, Watzapp etc.) remains a major distractions. According to Kubey, Lavin, and Barrows (2001), there is a correlation between academic performance and the dependency on social media platforms. Researchers have conducted different studies to find out the influence of social platforms users, for instance a study on ‘’impact of Facebook on undergraduates academic performance’’, stated that social platforms have negative impact on students.
Social information processing theory is an interpersonal communication theory which suggests that online interpersonal relationship development might require more time to develop than face-to-face relationships, but when developed, it has the same influence as face-to-face communication. This means, the more students use social media, the more they influence their disposition to studies, given the fact that friends from social media will begin to exert influence on each other.
Therefore, in University of Benin (UNIBEN) where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effects of Social Networking on Students’ Performance.
1.3 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed that the educational system in Nigeria is faced with so many challenges which have certainly brought about a rapidly decline in the quality of education. There is a deviation, distraction and divided attention between social networking activities and their academic work. It is observed that students devote more attention to social media than they do to their studies. Students’ addictiveness to social networks, students’ frequency of exposure to social network, social media network that the students are more exposed to and the influence of social media as a medium of interaction between students has been part of discussion in recent times and which have impacted on their academic performance.
Instead of students reading their books, they spend their time chatting and making friends via the social media and this might definitely have influence on their academic performance, because when you do not read, there is no way you can perform well academically. It is a common sight to see a student chatting in sensitive and highly organized places like church, mosque and lecture venues. Some are so carried away that even as they are walking along the high way, they keep chatting.
The manufacturing and distribution of equally sophisticated cellular phones has complicated the situation, as students no longer need to visit a cybercafé before they send and receive messages. Attention has been shifted from visible to invisible friends, while important ventures like study and writing might be affected in the process. This phenomenon has become a source of worry to many who believe in knowledge and skill acquisition. In recent times social media have been a major stay in the minds of students and the world at large thereby causing a lot of drastic measure by students, teacher and even educational administrators at large.
It is therefore of great importance to explore some of the trending issues facing students’ academic performance as a result of social media. Students at all levels of learning now have divided attention to studies, as a result of available 7 opportunities to be harnessed from social media. Whether these opportunities promote studies is a question that needs to be answered. Thus, the problem this study investigates is the influence of social media networks on the academic performance of the students in University of Benin (UNIBEN).
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Effects of Social Networking on Students’ Performance in University of Benin (UNIBEN). In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the level of student addictiveness to social media and the effect on their academic performance.
- To determine the social media network that the students are more exposed to and the effect on their academic performance.
- To ascertain how the use of social media has effect the academic performance of the students in University of Benin (UNIBEN).
- To ascertain the difference in students’ usage of social media network by gender.
- To ascertain how age has effect on students’ usage of social media network.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does the social media network that the students are more exposed to affect their academic performance?
- Is there gender difference in the student’s usage of social media network?
- Does age have significant influence on the use of social media?
- How does the use of social networking affect the academic performance of students in University of Benin (UNIBEN)?
- To what extent would student addictiveness to social network affect their academic performance?
- What is social networking and why students use it?
- How much time do students spend using social media?
- What is the impact of social networking on students’ academic performance?
