PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKSITE USAGE ON THE LEARNING HABITS OF STUDENTS’ IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA - Egba, A. Fraser

International Journal of Innovations in Sustainable Development, Volume 7, Number 2, 2016

ISSN: 2026-801X

PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKSITE USAGE ON THE

LEARNING HABITS OF STUDENTS’ IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

Egba, A. Fraser

Department of Computer Science,

Federal College of Education (Technical), P.M.B 11 Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria

Email: jaffgy@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study investigates the perceived influence of social networking on the learning habit of students in Nigeria. The study specifically examined students’ activities online, the effect of SN usage on their study habit and its influence on students’ socialization habit. To achieve results, four research questions were formulated and the descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Five (5) tertiary institutions were randomly selected in Rivers state while the stratified random sampling technique was used to

select Two Hundred and Fifty (250) respondents from the schools. A thirty two (32) item questionnaire was developed and validated by experts in the department of measurement and evaluation in Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers state. The reliability of the instrument stood at 0.86 and data collected was analyzed using the mean (). The findings of the study show that most of the students invest large amount of their quality time on social networking, and the influence of social networking on study habit and socialization habit of students is more negative than positive.

Keyword: Social Networking, Social Media, Addiction, study habit, socialization habit

Introduction

There is no doubt that the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has transformed, shaped and reshaped the world in recent times. The way people communicate, the way they are informed, the way they are educated and the way they do business and so forth drastically changed, and still evolving. This change is on- going as new and improved technological advancements are regularly introduced and one of such break-through is the advent of the Social Networking (SN). According to (Vankenburg, Patti M.; and Jochen Peter, 2009), “a new technology enabled by Information and Communication Technology(ICT) that is shaping and catalyzing social change through building awareness, triggering public mobilization, encouraging civic engagement and sharing knowledge,etc. is Social Network”. Adding, he stated that a key feature of SN is its capability of reaching a massive, global audience as media actors to produce or consume information in equal terms. Thus individuals no longer need to travel or make friends through face to face contact but only through a click on the computer or a punch on the cell phone.

A common feature found in all definitions of Social Network is sharing and communication. (Hall, J.A.; and Baym, N.K., 2012), defines Social Networking as the use of web sites in sharing information with others and connecting with them by creating a profile that may include a personal web page, and a blog. Adding that networking sites allow users to add friends, send and receive messages and comment on other profiles pages. Also, (Kaplan , A.M.; and Haenlain, M., 2012) define Social Network as, "a group of internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0, and that allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content. In the same vein, (Wesserman, Stanley; Scott, John; and Carrington , P.J., 2005) defined Social Network as the grouping of individuals into particular groups that center on reflecting and building of social relations or social network among people, for instance, sharing of activities, interests, information, comments and images. Clearly, in all the definitions, Social Networking is seen as not only an avenue where individuals have the opportunity (provided such an individual is connected to the internet) to create, distribute, transmit, or share information with

Perceived Influence of Social Network site Usage on the Learning Habits of Students’ in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

a broad audience, it is an act of engagement were group of people with common interests, or like minds, associate together on Social Networking sites and build relationships through community.

With the increasing awareness and growth of the internet and the availability of several social media network options, more and more people are spending higher time in social network. It is on record that over One Million, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Nigerians were registered on Facebook as at 2010 with a good number of them being young (Facebook statistics 2010). The total number of Nigerians on Facebook as at the time of 2012 is reaching Five Million, One Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty and has grown by more than Eight Hundred and Twenty tour Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty in the last 6 months (Facebook Statistics, 2012). Youths arc among the most prolific users. Many of these participants are students and educators.

The rapid growth of users is perceived to be influenced by the availability of internet facilities on smart phones such as Nokia, Symbian, Blackberry and Androids to mention but a few which are cheaper to purchase and ensure prepaid packages are always loaded. In Nigeria, there is hardly a student/youth that does not own a phone. As such, most students whose life is expected to be surrounded by studies spend more and more of their time on social network sites in Nigeria includes Facebook, twitter, YouTube and Myspace, and some instant Messenger platforms - 2go chat and WhatsApp. There is no comprehensive knowledge of their activities as well as how this form of media can impact on various aspects of the students' life. This research is aimed at determining the influence of social networking sites on the learning habit of Students with particular focus on students' time management, learning and socialization habits.

Statement of the Problem

The explosion of social networking sites has made possible the connections of people with similar interests and goals. It has created a simple way to connect with or meet with people that the user may not have had the opportunity of meeting before (other students, friends, staff, faculty and even alumni). Thus, a major benefit is meeting and staying connected with classmates and friends. However, there are perceived challenges of its use especially to scholars. Studies found that middle school, high school and college students who checked face book at least ones during a 15 minutes study period achieved lower grade (Science daily, Aug 7, 2011). Report also have it that most students prefer browsing and surfing the internet or chatting with their friends through cell phones during classes. Others are often found in a lonely spot doing nothing other than sending and receiving text messages through phone chatting. Another challenge is invasion of privacy and bullying. According to Huang and Chou (2010), in the consequences of the growing popularity of social networking sites, instant messengers, and mobile technology among adolescents, the risk and extent of cyberbuilding cannot be underestimated .This study will sought to determine the usage habits of students in tertiary institutions and how it affects their learning and socialization habits.

Purpose of the Study

The study seeks to determine the influence of social networking on learning and socialization habits of students in tertiary institutions in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Specifically, focus is on determining:

i.               How much time students spend on social networking sites.

ii.             The activities students engage in on social networking sites.

iii.            The extent to which the use of social networking affects the attitude of students towards learning.

iv.           The extent to which social networking affects socialization habits of students.

Research questions

This study is guided by the following research questions:

International Journal of Innovations in Sustainable Development, Volume 7, Number 2, 2016

ISSN: 2026-801X

        i.        How much time do students spend on social networking sites?

       ii.        What are the activities students engage in on social networking sites?

      iii.        To what extent does social networking affect students' attitude towards learning?

     iv.        To what extent does social networking affect students' socialization habit?

Methodology

Research Design

This study was designed as a survey descriptive research. This is considered appropriate because it allows researchers to employ questionnaire to seek the opinion of representative samples upon which deductions and generalizations are made on a socio psychological phenomenon (kerlinger, 1973). It was patterned to investigate the usage, learning and socialization habits of student in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Area of the study

This study covers all the tertiary institutions in Rivers state of Nigeria. Rivers state lies at latitude 4⁰45 north and longitude 6⁰50 east and covers an area of 10,432.3 square kilometres with an approximate population of 5,198,716(2006 census figures). This population makes 3.7% of the Nigeria’s total and a population density of 468 people per square kilometre (Inemesit, 2013).  The state shares boundary with bayelsa, Delta,  Akwa-ibom and Cross Rivers states. Rivers state is chosen because the researcher observed this problem in the region.

Population of the Study

The population of the study comprises of all students in tertiary institutions in Rivers state of Nigeria.

Sample and sampling Technique

The sample study comprises of Two Hundred and Fifty (250) students drawn from five (5) tertiary institutions in the state. The selection was based on stratified random sampling technique. The students were drawn in the 2015/2016 academic session. The five schools include- Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, University of Port Harcourt, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and port Harcourt Polytechnic. The stratification ensures an even distribution of selected students. Fifty (50) students were drawn from each of the five schools for the study.

Instrumentation

The instrument used for the study was a questionnaire tagged Social Networking Impact Analysis Questionnaire “SNIAQ”. The questionnaire was designed for the evaluation of the respondents SN usage pattern, how it influences their study and socialization habit. SNIAQ sought information on the usage pattern, activities students engage in on SN, study habit as influenced by social networking and socialization habit. The questionnaire contained 32 structured items whose scores were graded in the modified Five Point Likert-Scale with the number 5for Strongly Agree (SA), 4 for Agree (A), 3 for Disagree (D),2 for Strongly Disagree and 1 point for Undecided (UD). The instrument was face validated, and then construct validated by the use of the coefficient of internal consistency (Split-half) method. This method was adopted to save time and probable loss of respondents. A coefficient of 0.86 was obtained at the 0.05 alpha levels. This attested to the validity of the instrument of the study.

Method of Data Collection Analysis

The researchers personally administered all questionnaires with the assistance of some lecturers in the selected schools. Of the 250 questionnaires administered, 212 making a percentage of 82% were completed and validly used for the analysis.

Method of Data Analysis

The data collected through the questionnaire were grouped in accordance with the research questions. The gathered data and completed copies of the questionnaire items were edited for

Perceived Influence of Social Network site Usage on the Learning Habits of Students’ in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

consistency. The statistical methods used for data analysis was the simple mean. In taking decisions, a Mean () score of 4.00 and above is considered accepted, else rejected.

Results and Discussion of Findings

Research Question I:

How much time do students spend on Social Networking?

Table I: The mean Analysis and percentage on time students spent on Social Networking sites.

Items		SA	A	D	SD	UD	Weighted score	Mean	Remarks
		5	4	3	2	1
1.	You are a member of multiple social networking sites.	102	71	10	24	5	877	4.14	Accepted
2.	You visit social networking sites every morning before school and evenings before bed.	114	67	14	7	10	904	4.26	Accepted
3.	You are always logged on in social networking sites	32	58	70	45	7	699	3.30	Rejected
4.	You visit social networking sites at random times daily	78	83	39	9	3	860	4.06	Accepted
5.	You feel anxious when you can’t access your social networking sites.	79	93	23	14	3	867	4.09	Accepted
6.	You add friends randomly without actually knowing them previously.	92	81	21	14	4	879	4.15	Accepted
7.	You don’t know most of your social networking friends.	63	123	08	14	4	863	4.07	Accepted
8.	You often ignore responsibilities because of social networking	46	47	40	68	11	685	3.23	Rejected

In Table I above, all the items had mean score above the 4.00 point cut-off mark except items 3 and 8 with mean scores3.30 and 3.23 respectively. So, all the items above the cut-off mark wereaccepted while the 2 that had scores below are rejected. This reveals that much of most of the respondents time is invested in social networking.

Research Question II:

What are the activities engaged in on social networking sites by students?

Table II: The mean Analysis and percentage on activities students engage in on social networking sites.

Items		SA	A	D	SD	UD	Weighted score	Mean	Remarks
		5	4	3	2	1
9	You use social network to discuss academic topic with friends	47	69	40	45	11	732	3.35	Accepted
10.	You use social networks to keep in touch with friends.	123	67	10	8	4	933	4.40	Accepted
11.	You use social network to track down and contact new friends.	101	81	07	18	5	891	4.20	Accepted
12	You use it for general chatting with others.	114	68	18	07	05	915	4.32	Accepted
13	Sharing and receiving information about social activities with others.	108	87	06	06	05	947	4.47	Accepted
14	Playing network games with friends	31	55	74	43	09	692	3.26	Rejected
15.	For posting photos/music to others.	102	84	11	10	05	904	4.26	Accepted
16	For inviting people to events.	79	94	20	16	03	866	4.09	Accepted

International Journal of Innovations in Sustainable Development, Volume 7, Number 2, 2016

ISSN: 2026-801X

Table II shows that, only questionnaire item 14 with a mean score of 3.26 is lower than the cut off mark as such rejected. All other Items have mean scores above the Mean cut off mark and are all accepted.

Research Question III:

To what extent does social networking influence the study habit of students?

Table III: The mean Analysis and percentage on the extent to which social networking affects the learning habit of student.

Items		SA	A	D	SD	UD	Weighted score	Mean	Remarks
		4	3		2	1
17	You find yourself using social networking while lesson is going on.	105	69	22	15	01	898	4.24	Accepted
18.	You often ignore your home work because of social networking.	81	101	09	18	03	875	4.13	Accepted
19.	You always use every free period for social networking.	83	98	18	10	03	884	4.17	Accepted
20.	At times, you interact on academic topics on social networking sites	51	53	33	64	12	703	3.32	Rejected
21.	You find some simple spellings i difficult because of the slangs you use on social networking.	64	78	43	27	0	815	3.84	Rejected
22.	You use social networking sites to avoid talking to someone.	78	64	40	28	02	824	3.89	Rejected
23.	You prefer browsing around for lecturer materials than being present in lecture classes.	62	96	46	08	0	848	4.00	Accepted
24.	You experience stress when cell phone is forgotten (left behind).	67	96	35	11	03	849	4.01	Accepted

In Table III, findings show that items 20, 21 and 23 with a mean score of 3.32, 3.84 and 3.89 are rejected. The 5 other items scored above the mean off mark and so are accepted.

Research Question IV:

To what extent does social networking influence the socialization habit of students?

Perceived Influence of Social Network site Usage on the Learning Habits of Students’ in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Table IV: The mean Analysis and percentage on the extent to which social networking influence socialization habits of students.

Items		SA	A	D	SD	UD	Weighted score	Mean	Remarks
		5	4	3	2	1
25.	You always crave to be alone because of social networking.	115	67	16	12	02	917	4.33	Accepted
26.	You have more friends on social networking sites vis – a – vis in real life.	111	73	14	12	02	915	4.32	Accepted
27.	You chat /check social networking sites through your phone while eating.	72	93	31	13	03	854	4.03	Accepted
28.	You at times say ‘NO’ to family events or activities because of social networking.	62	53	30	58	09	737	3.48	Rejected
29.	You are uncomfortable when you are unable to log on in social networking sites.	84	97	19	10	03	888	4.19	Accepted
30.	You always ensure your prepaid package is loaded so that you can use social networking sites.	106	67	23	13	03	896	4.23	Accepted
31.	You consider yourself addicted to social networking.	62	96	46	08	0	848	4.00	Accepted
32.	You see face-to-face interaction as boring.	62	90	46	08	06	836	3.94	Rejected

In Table IV, findings show that all items are accepted except items 28 and 32 which have mean score 3.48 and 3.94 respectively.

Discussion of Findings

The findings in table 1 indicates that visiting SNs every morning and evening before going to bed comes tops with a Mean () of 4.26, followed by random adding of friends with mean () of 4.15, belonging to multiple SN sites comes third with a Mean () of 4.14, anxiety feelings when not being able to access SNs is next with mean () of 4.09, adding friends without knowing them and random visiting of multiple SN sites with mean () of 4.07 and 4.06 respectively comes last of the accepted items. From the result, it shows that students in tertiary institution invest much amount of quality time in browsing, surfing and networking on SN rather than studying. This corroborates the assertion by Cole(2009) that students while searching and studying online get distracted by engaging in chatting and other social vices, and end up wasting their precious time not being able to deliver their works in the specified time. Also, students’ motivational level reduces as they tend to rely more on virtual environment instead of gaining practical knowledge from real world Stephen, 2009).

Table 2 reveal that students’ activities on SN involves mostly of sharing and receiving information about social activities with mean () of 4.47, followed by keeping in touch with friends with 4.40 mean () score, random chatting with friends we have no previous knowledge of has a mean () score of 4.32, sharing musical and other forms of videos and pictures has a mean () score of 4.26, tracking friends 4.20 and lastly inviting friends to events mostly social takes a mean ()

International Journal of Innovations in Sustainable Development, Volume 7, Number 2, 2016

ISSN: 2026-801X

score of 4.09. From the result of table II, it shows that students hardly use SN for academic reasons. They rather use it for socializing and these impacts negatively on their academic achievement. This agreed with the assertion of (Langat, 2015) that SN could negatively impact on the students study behavior and academic progress if not controlled. He added by suggesting that time-off software should be installed to control its use by students.

The findings in table III indicates  that multitasking by using the SN while lecture is going on tops the items with a mean () of 4.24, followed by using every available time for SN with a score of 4.17, ignoring home and school works as a result of SN comes next with 4.13, experiencing stress when cell phones are misplaced has 4.01 mean () score and taking a whole time to surf for lecturers’ material with a mean () of 4.00 are among the accepted items. The academic performance of students is hinged on hard work, discipline, diligence and proper time management. When a student multitasks and spend every little fund and time on things that will not add to knowledge, they are bound to perform poorly. SN addiction creates room for poor academic achievement and this is corroborated by (Langat, 2015) , (Bowman, Levine, Waite, & and Gendron, 2009), and (Jaclyn, 2011). Social Network therefore influences study habit of students more negatively and positively if not guided or controlled.

Table IV shows that having the crave to be alone in order to use the SN comes tops with mean () of 4.33, followed by having more friends on SN than real live with 4.32 mean () score, ensuring ones prepaid package is loaded at all times takes 4.23, being uncomfortable when one cannot log in to SN has 4.19 mean () score, chatting while  eating has 4.03 and lastly considering oneself as addicted to SN comes last with mean () 4.00. These all indicate a high level of Social Network addiction among tertiary institution students and those who are addicted are bound to perform poorly academically. The proliferation of smart phones in the society today has increased to use and access to internet facilities among students. This indicates a high level of social Network usage. Addiction to SN is a common thing among students in the modern world and this has resulted to the reduction of face to face communication. This reduces their communication and effective socializing skills. This is in line with (Fiedler, 2009)’s assertion that are not an adequate replacement for face to face communication and that employers are getting more and more unsatisfied with the communication skills of the fresh graduates due to over indulgence on SN. It can equally be deduced from the result that because most students uses more of slangs, abbreviated words and rely more on computer grammar and spelling check features, their command in English and creative writing is questionable. This is supported by (Paulus, 2010).

Conclusion and Recommendation

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made.

1.    There should be seminars, workshops and other awareness programmes that would sensitize students at all levels of the danger of over indulgence in social networking which results to time wasting, laziness and addictiveness hence early self-control measure be adopted.

2.    Topics on ethics and appropriate use of the social network should be included in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) curriculum at all levels by the curriculum developers. This will educate and keep the students informed from formative years to adulthood on the negatives and positive of the use of social networking.

3.    Teachers at primary and secondary levels should endeavor to teach how to use Social Networking to enhance learning and give guidance on how to incorporate SN into academics.

Perceived Influence of Social Network site Usage on the Learning Habits of Students’ in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

4.    Parents also have a role to play in guiding their wards on positive use of SN to enhance learning and reduce negativities resulting from wrong use of it.

5.    Institutions should put policies in place that would regulate the use of Smart phones and computers for social networking during classes.

6.    Lecturers should see it as their duty to identify addicted students and recommend such to the authority and the guidance and counseling unit for counseling.

7.    The guidance and counseling unit of every institution should take it as a point of duty to organize therapeutic programmes from time to time to remedy or provide solution to students already addicted to social networking.

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