THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORM ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENT IN THE TERTIARY INSTITUTION

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Since the year 1969, when social networking sites were first introduced. Compuserve was one of the first major commercial internet service providers in the United States (Ellison,2008). The term "social networking" was used to describe websites where users may communicate with their friends and family. With a few mouse clicks, the internet has given us access to the whole world (Ellison, 2008). You may also quickly give or receive information to a buddy. Sharing material such as videos, music, and images is part of interaction. The first e-mail was sent in 1971, and despite the fact that texting and skype have since supplanted it as the preferred method of distant communication, it remained the standard for many years. It is still used, although not as much as in earlier decades; presently, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites are more popular, providing users with the rapid connection that distinguishes today's social media (Ellison, 2008).

America Online (AOL) was launched in 1985 and quickly became one of the most popular early internet service providers. Blogging, which began in 1997 and was followed by America Online's instant messaging media in the same year, is a prominent social media tool that allows individuals to connect online. We can now communicate with individuals from all around the world, even those who are thousands of miles away, thanks to the internet. Myspace, Facebook, Youtube, Skype, and other social networking sites have drawn millions of users, many of whom have incorporated the services into their daily routines. People spend a lot of time on this site, either downloading or uploading material related to their employment or academic work. People are always on the internet, conversing with friends, viewing online movies, and doing research. For some people, it is impossible to study for an hour without logging into a social networking site. Some individuals have grown extremely brilliant as a result of the knowledge they get from these websites, while others have become quite weak academically as a result of the ease with which they may obtain nearly any resources for school assignments. According to Ellison (2008), social networking is concerned with how we interact in our society and how we meet and spend time with others. Also, social networking sites enable you to connect with friends or family, allowing you to interact more readily. You may have a lengthy chain of friends with whom you can speak or exchange information or ideas. According to Boyd and Ellison (2008), social networking sites are web-based services that enable users to create a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of connections, and view and traverse their own list of connections as well as those made by others within the system. Social networking sites, at their most basic level, enable users to create online profiles or personal home pages and establish online social networking. The profile serves as the user's personal web page, including information such as the user's date of birth, gender, religion, politics, and hometown, as well as their favorite films, books, quotations, and hobbies.

Users may also customize the look of their website and upload information such as images, video clips, and music files. When it comes to communication, scholars have long emphasized that it is the essence of science and that "there would be no science without communication." As a result, communication is one of the most fundamental instruments in human research. According to Garvery (2005), the rising usage of social networking websites has become a worldwide phenomena. What began as a pastime for a few computer savvy individuals has evolved into a social norm and way of life for people all over the world. Teenagers and teenagers, particularly students, have embraced these sites as a method to connect with old friends, make new friends, exchange information, images of their activities (such as a birthday photo with a classmate), and showcase their social life. According to Coyle eta al (2008), many people, particularly students, spend a significant amount of time on this site updating their profiles or conducting research related to their career or academic work, while others simply use it to keep in touch with friends and post photos from events they attended. Young et al., (2009) investigated their online accounts to see why and to what degree individuals have been exposing their whole identity, publishing images and videos, and stating their religious affiliations, marital status, and political affiliations. These users connect with one another and share information about their interests, as well as start debates about new issues and keep up with breaking news on various social networking sites. With the introduction of social networking sites. It is now possible to get knowledge on almost any topic from anywhere on the planet.

Furthermore, it is difficult to get information on educational life. To get information, one must purchase a newspaper, be near a television, and tune in to the radio. Everything has changed because of the internet, and social media has made everything more adaptable (Lawis 2008).

The question of whether social networking sites improve or damage a student's academic achievement is often dependent on the student's general usage of these sites. (For example, its psychological impact on individual self-control and self-regulation: Human adaptation problems). The advantages of utilizing a social networking site include the following. It encourages greater social interaction via electronic medium, provides greater access to information and information sources, gives individuals a sense of belonging among users of the same social networking sites, lowers barriers and increases the technological levels of frequent users of social media (Garvery, 2005). Nigeria's educational system is beset by a slew of issues, many of which have contributed to a significant deterioration in educational quality. Between social networking activities and academic work, there is divergence, distraction, and split focus. It has been noted that students spend more time on social media than on their education. Students' addiction to social media, as well as their exposure to and effect on social media as a medium of student engagement, has been a topic of study in recent years, with implications for their academic performance (Garvery, 2005). Instead of reading their books, kids spend their time on social media conversing and establishing friends, which may have an impact on their academic performance.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

As beneficial since social networking sites are, it has been established that the devastation they cause in the lives of young people in general cannot be overstated, and students in higher institutions are no exception, as all attempts to enhance students' school performance have proven futile (Garvery, 2005). Students find it difficult to connect with academic websites in order to gain information, preferring instead to visit amusement and sometimes pornographic websites at the price of their studies. In sensitive and highly structured areas such as churches, mosques, and lecture halls, it is typical to find a student conversing. Some people get so carried away that they continue to talk even while they stroll along the roadways. Students no longer need to attend a cybercafé before sending and receiving messages, thanks to the development and availability of smart cellular phones (Garvery, 2005). The focus has switched from visible to unseen pals, potentially affecting vital endeavors such as study and writing. Many people who believe in the development of information and skills are concerned about this phenomena. As a consequence, it's critical to look at some of the hot topics affecting students' academic performance as a result of social media.

1.3              OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is the impact of social networking platform on the academic achievement of student in the tertiary institution. The specific objective of the study is as follows:

1.      To examine the extent to which student addictiveness to social network site influence their dedication to academic achievement.

2.       To evaluate the various types of social networking sites students make use of for  communication.

3.        To examine the impact of social network sites have on the academic achievement of students.

4.     To find out if there is a gender difference in the students’ usage of social media network.

1.4              RESEARCH QUESTION

 The following research question have been prepared for the study:

1.       To what  extent is student addictiveness to social network site influence their dedication to academic achievement?

2.     What are the various types of social networking sites students make use of for  communication?

3.      What are the impact of social network sites have on the academic achievement of students?

4.     Is there is a gender difference in the students’ usage of social media network site?

1.5              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of benefit to Government officials especially policy makers on education. It will also be useful to the teachers who are managers of the classroom in implementing the policy of education in making use of resources and instructional materials one of which is social networking to improve pupils performance. It will also be useful to the pupils themselves in using social networking to do their home assignment and other academic studies in other to improve their performance.

This study will be significant to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature.

1.6              SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine the extent to which student addictiveness to social network site influence their dedication to academic achievement. The study will also evaluate the various types of social networking sites students make use of for  communication. The study will further  examine the impact of social network sites have on the academic achievement of students. Lastly, the study will find out if there is a gender difference in the students’ usage of social media network. Hence this study will be limited to Covenant University, Ogun State.

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data.

Financial constraint, was faced by  the researcher, in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher.

1.8              DEFINITION OF TERMS

Academic achievement: Academic Performance is the outcome of the classroom studies activities

Social networking site: There are technological gadgets used for communication and information process.

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