CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The internet’s introduction in the 1990s ushered in significant changes in the realm of communication. The Internet has cemented its presence in people’s lives nowadays. It’s tough to envision a young man who didn’t check social media for updates and didn’t read the news lines at least once a day. The modern world compels us to stay connected and informed about current events throughout the world.

There’s no denying that the internet’s arrival has aided in the development of social networking sites (SNSS). The creation of these sites transformed communication, and we now celebrate their advancement in areas ranging from education to entertainment.

According to a recent study The internet’s growth has led to its use as the best mode of communication, with two-thirds (2/3) of the internet’s population using social networking sites (SNSs) as communication and connecting tools. Social media refers to these social networking platforms (Boyd and Ellison, 2007).

Social networking has become a widespread international trend that has reached practically every country on the planet. Social media sites have grown in popularity and evolved into an online platform where users create, share, bookmark, and network at a rapid pace. Students are among the most active users of social media. There’s no denying that social media has become a vital part of a student’s life, consuming the majority of their leisure time. There are four key benefits of using social media in higher education, according to diverse viewpoints and beliefs. Enhancing relationships, increasing learning motivation, providing individualized course materials, and building collaborative talents are just a few of them (Wheeler, Yeomans and Wheeler,2008; Rifkin, Longnecker, Leach and Ortia,2009). Furthermore, Liccardi et al. (2007) claimed that students are socially connected with one another and thus share their daily learning experiences and engage in conversation on a variety of topics through social media, whereas Kuppuswamy and Shankar (2010) claimed that social networking websites capture students’ attention and then divert it to non-educational and inappropriate activities, such as useless browsing.

chatting.

According to academics, social media sites are particularly damaging for youngsters because they give them the mistaken notion that love and friendship are easy to win and as easy to lose. Furthermore, for young people who are accustomed to the fast pace of Internet life, the truth may appear to be extremely dull, and they may try to “repair” it by engaging in imprudent actions. Some people advocate for the usage of social media. They say that the latter allows pupils to quickly exchange information and gain access to expertise. Others believe that students use social media to converse about anything except their schoolwork, and that it simply serves to divert them from their studies.

As we all know, nothing exciting ever happens.

There is a link between university students’ use of social media and their academic success. This study will demonstrate the widespread use of social media among students. Wiley and Sisson (2006), for example, claim that prior research have revealed that more than 90% of tertiary school students utilize social media. It was also discovered that students spend roughly thirty (30) minutes each day on social networking sites (SNSs) as part of their regular routine (Nicole, Charles, and Cliff, 2007). This demonstrates the extent to which students use these websites, which could have both beneficial and negative consequences for students’ academic achievement.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The internet is a collection of interconnected computer networks that service billions of users across the world using the standard internet protocol suite. It is made up of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks that span the globe and are connected by a variety of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. Media technological advancements have had a significant impact on how people communicate on a daily basis. The use of social media among today’s youth is increasing by the day, and it is becoming increasingly popular among students. It’s a method to engage with people outside of school, as well as on campus. Social networking is a method of assisting people in feeling like they belong.

Its growing popularity has sparked concerns about how time spent and student activities on these sites may affect their academic achievement.

However, the internet is now the most essential source of knowledge, and the growing importance of social media use among students should not be overlooked. It has been observed that students pay more time and attention to social media than to their studies, and that they will not be able to pass their exams if they do not learn (Osharie, 2015). Also, according to Maya (2015), the usage of social media contributes to lower academic achievement, low self-perceptions, and a lack of interest in college-related careers. Academic achievement is extremely significant in one’s life. whether at home, at social gatherings, at work, in a school, or even among peers. Academic achievement receives a lot of attention because of the important role it plays in an individual’s life in terms of success and esteem in every region of the world. As a result, many people are worried about how they can improve their academic performance (Kyoshaba, 2009). Social media, according to studies, has an impact on pupils’ English usage. They utilize short-handwriting to communicate with acquaintances and become accustomed to it, repeating the same mistakes during exams (Obi, Bulus, Adamu, and Sala’at, 2012). Today’s students, particularly those at the higher level, are heavily involved in the use of social networking sites (SNSs). As a result, the purpose of this study is to look into the impact of social media on the academic performance of Obafemi Awolowo University students.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To determine how frequently Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students use various social media platforms.

2. To calculate how many hours each day Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students spend on social media.

3. To learn about the numerous social networking platforms that Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students use on a daily basis.

4. To determine how students at Obafemi Awolowo University’s academic performance has been affected by their use of social media.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How frequently do Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students use various social media platforms?

2. How many hours per week do Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students spend on social networking?

3. What social networking sites do Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students use on a daily basis?

4. How has the use of social media influenced Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students’ academic performance?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The goal of this study is to look into the effects of social media on undergrad students’ academic performance in institutions. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students will be evaluated in order to successfully address the study. The research would go even farther in providing researchers with more data on the effects of social media on academic performance. This research effort will be useful in supporting students in understanding the diversity of social media and ethical ways to get the most out of social media at the conclusion of the study, as well as providing relevant information for students and other researchers conducting similar research.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Obafemi Awolowo University is the focus of this research. The purpose of this research is to look into the effects of social media on students’ academic performance. For ease of data processing, this research will primarily focus on Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) students. This will save money and avoid the complications that come with having a verge population. However, because the features of students are largely comparable in most cases, the research findings will be applied to all Nigerian undergraduates.

Obafemi Awolowo University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in subjects such as humanities, arts, natural science, social science, medical science, engineering, and technology.

OPERATION DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Internet: A worldwide network of computer networks that use TCP/IP network protocols to ease data transfer and exchange. The internet, according to “Wikipedia,” is a global network that connects millions of computers.

The Internet is a collection of interconnected computer networks that use the standard internet protocol suite to provide services to billions of people around the world. It is made up of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks that span the globe and are connected by a variety of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies.

2. Media: media refers to all media technologies that use mass communication to reach a big audience. They are messages disseminated to a large number of individuals using a mass medium. Media are communication outlets or technologies used to store and distribute information or data, according to “Wikipedia.” Print media, publishing, news media, photography, cinema, broadcasting, and advertising are all examples of components of the mass media communications business.

3. Social media: Social media are electronic communication platforms that allow for interactive social networking based on shared interests. Web and mobile technology are included in social media. Social media, according to Kaplan and Haenlein (2010), is a collection of web-based programs that connect people.

Allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content, based on the intellectual and technological basis of Web 2.0. “Websites and programs used for social networking,” according to the Oxford dictionary (2011). Another definition of social media is “a very popular, incredibly rapid, and broad communication channel that has shown to be highly effective, as well as trusted by billions of people, for sharing and discovering content involving individuals, brands, information, entertainment, and know-how.” 2014 (Dearborn). All of these classifications have one thing in common: they all entail some type of internet-based communication between people.

4. Academic performance or “academic achievement” is the amount to which a student, teacher, or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals, according to “Wikipedia.” Academic achievement is defined as the completion of educational milestones such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees. Academic performance also refers to students’ mastery of knowledge and abilities in a subject or course. It’s essentially a measurement of how well pupils did on various assessment tasks based on educational criteria established by experienced educators.

5. A student is a person who is enrolled in a university or institution. A student can also be defined as a person who is passionate about a subject or academic discipline.

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