Assessment of the Impact of Social Networking Media on Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Institutions: A case Study of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro Jumoke Soyemi Jamiu Olasina Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Engineering Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro +2348052848284 +2348037243084 Jumoke.soyemi@federalpolyilaro.edu.ng Jamiu.olasina@federalpolyilaro.edu.ng ABSTRACT Mass media came as a result of this. With this development, the Social networking has recently gained widespread of use, both role of man became more significant in the society. Further across the youth and adults. Its popularity is especially found advancement in technology came with Computer, Networking and among the youths, being a means of communication that is simple the Internet turning the world into a global village. to use with the advent of internet enabled mobile phones. This The era of internet recently experienced an explosion in the study evaluates the impact of social networking on the academic various applications it’s able to support. The fact that the online performance of students using Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro as a case environment is interactive in nature expanded the social study. The assessment was done by conducting a quantitative networking options. Initially, connection through the internet was research to properly analyze and give a clear picture of the study. not popular, but it was able to gained a wider audience and much The information in the study was carried out using structured attention. Thus, social networking media are now used in several questionnaire which was distributed randomly across 100 students ways to form groups, communities, chatting, blogging and others. spread within the school of Applied Science, Engineering, The Social Networking is able to connect friends and family Environmental and Management Studies. The analysis of the together enabling easy mode of communication. With this social survey was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences networking, a chain of friends could be maintained to chat and (SPSS) version 20. The finding from this study is that students are share information as well as ideas with. The intention of social influenced negatively to a large extent by the advent of social networking is great but its negative impact on the students at large networking since much attention is focused on this rather than recently became a concern. Observations in class and outside class academic activities. Majority of students failed to utilize the social show that student spent more time meant for their studies on networking to their academic advantage. We also discovered that social networking. This study establishes this fact in its pilot study this wide spread trend in technology is uncontrollable among using the students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro as a case student and has seriously impacted on their academic study. Questionnaires were administered randomly to students at performance. various levels of schools within the institution. CCS Concepts The paper is sectioned into six. Section one gave a general • General reference ➝Cross computing tools and introduction of the study, section two reviews few types of social techniques ➝Evaluation • Mathematics of computing networking platforms commonly used, advantages and ➝Probability inference problems ➝Hypothesis testing and disadvantages were also discussed in this section. Methodology of confidence interval computation the study was done in section three. Section four presented the result of the statistical analysis of the survey as well as discussion. Keywords Finally, the conclusion of the study was done in section six. Social Networking, Internet enabled mobile phone, Academic Performance, Technology and Student. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Social Networking can be conceived as an internet based 1. INTRODUCTION applications that enables individual to communicate and interact One of the basic needs in human being is communication. Right by creating a public profile within a restricted system, selecting a from the olden days till now, man has always found a means of list of users to share a connection with and also view such list doing this. The earliest means of communication had the benefit within the system [1]. The birth of social media started some years of being easy and simple without complex technology involved, back and has since developed into a sophisticated technology. At but was never as effective as what obtains now. There is the the inception, the use of social media started with analog disadvantage of not being able to reach out to large audience. telephone for social interaction. A popular use of social media was via novel application, an online dialogue framework, created by Ward Christensen. They visualized a platform of keeping in touch with co-workers for information dissemination, meetings reports and others, instead of engaging in several phone calls, CoRI’16, Sept 7–9, 2016, Ibadan, Nigeria. dispatching letters and memos and others. They developed computerized bulletin boards called CBBS, which is Computerized Bulletin Board System. The expansion of CBBS was swift than envisaged. Several people added to this concept through new ideas and comments and eventually gave birth to a 17 significant experience in the era of computer and internet, leading is popular because there is no cost to message friends and family to the emergence of online social networking. ther than the internet data plan that users already have on their The breakthrough of social networking came during the time of phones. In order to launch into the application, enter phone Internet service providers in the 1990 with the availability of number of the device into the application. It then sorts through the internet services. CBBS expanded their roles beyond offering contacts on the phone to figure out who else also has the app services to company to offering services to more people. More already installed. Users can then invite more contacts or go ahead people thus joined the online community with the purpose of and start sending messages to the ones that the app discovered. creating identity in the globe as well as sharing common interests The Whatsapp messenger was purposely created by Brian Acton and views via websites to socialize. The websites are therefore and Jan Koum in year 2009 [7] to make communication and the referred to as social networking sites. distribution of multimedia messaging more easy and faster. 2.1 Common Types of Social Networking 2.1.4 Twitter Twitter is another online social networking application through Media. which users send and read short messages called “tweets”. Users 2.1.1 MySpace that are registered can read as well as post tweets, but unregistered MySpace is a social networking media owned by LLC and Justin users can only read them. Users access Twitter through the Timberlake and was founded by Chris Dewolfe and Tom website interface, SMS, or mobile device app. Twitter users Anderson launched in 2003[2]. The birth of myspace.com gave follow others or are followed. Unlike on most online social enormous opportunity to the internet users in term of extensive networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace, the relationship control over a user’s profile content. A number of people from all of following and being followed requires no reciprocation. A user spheres of life have dedicated pages in MySpace. The market for can follow any other user, and the user being followed need not Myspace was great and users had the best of time creating unique follow back. Being a follower on Twitter means that the user identities to show online until year 2005 when Facebook came receives all the messages (called tweets) from those the user into the scene. In order for MySpace to keep up with the latest follows [8]. Twitter Incorporation is based in San Francisco and trend and stand tall in the competitive market, additional features has more than 25 offices around the world. Twitter was created in were created such as mobile applications and others. March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass and launched by July 2006. Twitter has more than 500 million users, out of which more than 284 million are active users. 2.1.2 Facebook The birth of Facebook came as a result of hacking Harvard’s database that has identification images of Harvard’s student. 2.1.5 Blackberry Messengers (BBM) Facebook began as a local network developed for students of BlackBerry Messenger popularly known as BBM, is a proprietary Harvard. The intention of hackers of Harvard was to compare the Internet-based PIN instant messenger and video faces of students with animal images for the purpose of telephony application included on BlackBerry devices that allows entertainment, unfortunately, there were damages of site’s content messaging and voice calls between BlackBerry, iOS, Windows and the creator decided to let go before they got caught by the Phone and Android users. With BBM, It is possible to chat and school authority. Although the application was shut down, the share in real-time with BBM contacts and groups. Pictures can be notion of developing an online community of students was shared, know when someone has read message sent or is typing a birthed. The podium was upgraded and the Facebook came into reply, and update of BBM status or picture. Also news can be existence. It was released into campuses aside from Harvard thus shared with multiple people using broadcast messages, exposing younger population to the website. In 2006, multiperson chats, and group chats. With BBM Groups, events facebook.com ultimately offered the opportunity to the rest of the can be planned, track to-do lists, share pictures, and chat with up world. As 2007 approached, the registrants reached an to 30 people at the same time without needing to add them all as overwhelming digit- roughly a million dozen. Facebook has BBM contacts. BBM can also be used over a Wi-Fi connection, grown to become the biggest and most popular social networking especially while travelling to avoid extra data charges [9]. site today with a population of above 500 million active users [3]. 2.2 Advantages of Social Networking 2.1.3 WhatsApp 2.2.1. Global Connectivity WhatsApp messenger offers free texting and attempt to shift One of the advantages that social networking gives is the ability to mobile consumers’ preference from the traditional short messages connect to friends and families from all spheres of life as long as services (SMS). Texting in general have been found to be the internet connectivity is intact. With social networking, an dominating people’s interaction and has affected mobile voice call individual can initiate and build strong business partnership in any revenue [4], [5]. For instance in the United Kingdom (UK), 58 part of the world without meeting that individual in person. and 90% adults and teenagers respectively have been found to send out messages at least once a day to communicate with family 2.2.2 Real Time Sharing of Information and friends with the total number of texts sent in the UK in 2011 Many social networking options incorporate an instant messaging around 150 billion. It was stated also by [6] that the amount of feature, which makes it possible to exchange information in real- calls from landlines and mobile phones fell in the same. Whatsapp time through a chat. This is a great feature for teachers to use to Messenger has been in existence for sometimes with recent facilitate classroom discussions. In addition, the Internet is the updates improving the functionalities of the social networking. ultimate online textbook. Students need not borrow loads of The idea behind this application is to replace SMS with a cross textbooks from the library. Much of what they need to know they platform mobile messenger that works on an internet data plan. It can find online. 18 2.2.3 Ubiquity The provision and access to learning material anywhere, anytime, 3. METHODOLOGY and in various formats has potential to enhance deep student 3.1 The Case Study learning capabilities. In higher education, whatsapp is used for the The subject of the study is students of the Federal Polytechnic, enhancement of discussions and sharing information among Ilaro. The institution is made up of four academic schools – students and their lecturers. According to [4], social networking Applied Science, Engineering, Environmental and Management encourages learners to learn by anticipating needs, make Studies. The population under-study is incredibly collaborative learning efficient and effective, and build a large, making it impossible to interview and relationship that stimulates learner-to-learner for consistent and administer questionnaire to the whole population. progressive learning. This advantage has not been maximized by the students. 3.2 Data Collection 2.2.4 Speed of Information Dissemination A survey was developed containing three sections of closed- Social networking media are able to broadcast to thousands of response (Likert-type scaling) and open-response items. Section 1 people within minute that information and event taking place. of the survey asked respondents to provide demographic Those that are receiving the information can then disseminate that information (e.g., gender, age, level in school, ethnicity, faculty). information further to their own viewers/followers. The news Section 2 invited the students to provide academic information tends to spread like a wildfire and before you know it millions of (e.g. GPA, hours spent studying). Section 3 asked about Internet people across the world is talking about it. This is the new usage (e.g., hours spent on the Internet, types of social network information super highway. used) and its effect on academic performance of the students. Analysis of the survey was done using Statistical Package for 2.2.5 Simplicity and Inexpensive Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Since communication through mobile phones has become easier, The form of data collection was through questionnaire faster and cheaper, social networking is less expensive as administration. Data were collected from 100 undergraduate compared to the normal phone messaging. An individual can chat students of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (N = 100). Twenty-five with friends and family overseas through any of social networking samples each were randomly taken from the four schools (Applied means without having to incur global SMS charges. Science, Engineering, Management Science and Environmental Studies). The sample consisted of 52 (52%) male participants, and 48 female participants (48%). The majority of participants 2.3 Disadvantages of Social Networking identified themselves as Yoruba (68%), with the next largest 2.3.1 Distractions ethnic group identified as Igbo (16%). Majority of the participants It is common to find people especially students continuously representing 28% were between ages 18-25 years respectively. In glued to their phone all in the name of social networking. On the addition, majority of the students were in 200 level (30%) whose part of the students, seventy per cent of the times meant for their Grade Point Average (GPA) ranges between 2.50 and 2.99. studies are spent in this wise. It takes disciplined students to 3.3 The Application Software define the boundaries between their academics and this medium Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was the of communication. The rate of failure in our institutions today is Application software employed in the analysis process. SPSS is a also blamed on the uncontrollable usage of this technology. Social powerful statistical user friendly program widely used in research networking is a lot of distraction even to employees. and several other fields for data manipulation and statistical analysis. The package is useful for both students and researchers 2.3.2 Depersonalisation [11]. Face-to-face socialization is reduced or in some cases eliminated because of the autonomy afforded by the virtual world; 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION individuals are free to create a fantasy persona and can pretend to From results obtained in this research, all the 100 participants be someone else. Online socialization cheats people of the indicated that they are aware of social networking media, out of opportunity to learn how to resolve conflicts in the world outside which 66% of them take the platform as a “dedicated website that the Internet and it could retard or cripple one's social skills and enables users to communicate with each other by posting developments. information, comment, messages, and so on. According to this findings, majority of the participant indicated that they use 2.2.3. Exposure to Fraud and Hackers Facebook and Whatsapp more than twitter, BBM and Badoo. The information posted on the Internet is available to almost Also, the average number of hours spent on social networks per anyone who is clever enough to access it. Most thieves need just a day from the survey shows that majority of the respondents spent few vital pieces of personal information to make a victims’ life a more than 3hours on the social networking. In addition, about nightmare and if they successfully steal a victim’s identity, it 73% of the respondents disagree and strongly disagree that could cost dearly. A report on CNET reveals over 24 million students engaging in social networking does not make good Americans put their personal information at risk by posting it on academic standings, 92% were of the opinion that social public sites such as social communities [10]. networking sites is an effective tools for e-learning. It was also opined by the majority of the respondents (65%) that the advent of social networking platform affects students’ study time and that they have more friends on such platform to real life. 19 It was also evidenced that majority of the students devote more Table 2: Symmetric Measures time on social networking than academic activities, which further shows that social networking affect students’ academic Value Asymp. Approx. Approx. performance, with Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro as a case study. Std. Tb Sig. Errora TEST OF HYPOTHESIS Interval by Pearson's R .418 .104 4.549 .000c Based on the set objectives of this study, we shall recall our Interval statement of hypothesis and also sought out presented tables that Ordinal Spearman have direct bearing on the stated objective and hypothesis. by Correlation .252 .103 2.574 .012c Ordinal N of Valid Cases 100 H0 : There is no significant relationship between Social Network and student academic performance a. Not assuming the null hypothesis. b. Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null Ha : There is significant relationship between Social hypothesis. Network and student academic performance c. Based on normal approximation. Pearson’s R and Spearman correlation (Symmetric measures) From the analysis, Pearson’s R value of 0.418 shows that there were adopted in testing the relationship between social exist a relationship between social networking and students’ networking and student academic performance. The student’s academic performance. Testing the significance of the grade point and response of the students on the relationship relationship, the Tcritical of 4.549 with p-value of 0.000 (where α = between social network and academic performance were cross 0.05 level of significance) shows that there is an evidence of tabulated as shown in table 1 below. rejecting the null hypothesis. Therefore, we can conclude that there is a significant relationship between social networking and student academic performance since p-value of 0.000 is less than Table 1: Cross tabulation of student GPA and relationship α = 0.05 level of significance. The Spearman Correlation between social network and academic performance. measures the relationship between the ranks of the data in question. Count There exists relationship Total 5. CONCLUSION between social network and Social Networking is a popular phenomenon and is widely used student academic performance by the students of our time. It has its positive effect on minority of students that engaged it for their academic advantage as well as SA A U D negative impact on majority of students that engages it otherwise. 3.50-4.00 This study has demonstrated that the students of Federal 11 0 0 0 11 Polytechnic Ilaro are aware of social networking and have access point to them especially with the advent of internet enabled mobile 3.00-3.49 phone. Our findings also indicated that they are influenced to a 8 16 3 0 27 point large extent by the social media negatively because attention is Grade 2.50-2.99 focused on chatting, music and others while their academic 16 20 5 0 41 activities are neglected and left to suffer. Also, this study point point discovered that the use of social networking is uncontrollable 2.00-2.49 among students which are the leading cause of poor academic 7 6 2 0 15 point performance among them. Less than Based on the analysis from this survey, it is pertinent that a 1 1 0 4 6 2.0 point similar interactive platform be conceived and developed that will major on academic delivery to students; this platform will be more Total 43 43 10 4 100 interesting if class instructors would participate to ensure control Source: Field Survey, 2015 over the platform and enforce pure academic issues. This platform Note: SA – Strongly Agree A – Agree will be made compulsory to all students, while instructors occupy students with short class notes, quizzes and assignments. All these U – Undecided SD – Strongly Disagree D – Disagree must be interactive and should be made as simple as possible to create the interest on the part of the student. 20 6. REFERENCES [6] Yeboah, S. T., Horsu, E. N. and Abdulai A. 2014. Usage of [1] Boyd, D.M. and Ellison, N.B. 2008. Social Network Sites: WhatsApp and voice calls (phone call): Preference of Definition, History, and Scholarship. J. 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