Social media network participation and its effects on academic performance in senior high schools in Komena-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem district

Abstract

Social network sites (SNS) have become an interesting part of student life as a result of their features and medium of usage. It is against this premises that this study sought to examine the view of students on how social media social network participation could impact their academic performance. The study employed the cross-sectional survey design with a sample size of 200 SHS students from KEEA District. The instrument used in data collection was the questionnaire. The results were presented using percentages and frequencies in addition to means and standard deviations. The study found that majority of respondents use Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Google + and Messenger. The study again revealed that SHS students use social media network sites (SMNS) to a large extent for exchanging educational information, sharing study materials, for communication and entertainment purposes. In addition, many students were of the view that SMNS had negative effect on their academic performance as it distracted them from their studies since they became addicted to it. A greater number also indicated that they had a drop in their performance as they spend more time on SMNS. Lastly the study discovered that SMNS can be used to enhance students’ performance in diverse ways. It concluded from the study that usage of SMNS among SHS students have more negative effects than that of the positive. Based on the findings, it was recommended that there should be a strict enforcement of rules in SHS with regard to the use of SMNS and there should be counseling for addicted students. Again, there should be the promotion of the SMNS usage by both teachers and students for academic purposes.