ABSTRACT

This research project is on the topic “AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A CASE TUDY OF STUDENTS ON THE UNIVERSITY OF BUEA”. It seeks to ascertain what students use social media sites for, identify the benefits they derive from using social media and examine the impact of social media on their academic performance. Also, this research project made use of the quantitative research design, probability sampling technique to choose it population under study, collected data through self-administered questionnaires and the results were analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). More so, in line with the results of the findings, the assessment of the impact of social media on student‟s academic performance shows that the use of social media sites affects students in the University of Buea more positively than negatively. In addition, some recommendations and suggestions for further research were made by the researcher.

CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the study

The advent of the internet in the 1990s has led to key advancement in the world of communication thus the introduction of social networking sites (SNSs). The advent of these sites have upgraded the world of communication ranging from education to entertainment. The development of the internet has led to its usage as the best medium of communication whereby two-third (2/3) of the internet world„s population visit social networking sites (SNSs) henceserving as communication and connection tools. These networking sites are referred to as Social media (Boyd and Ellison, 2007). Andreas and Michael (2010), assert that social media is a group of internet based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web that allows the creation and exchange of user generated content. Social media is the fastest web application in the 21st century.
The scope of communication has been broaden with the coming of social media, thereby turning the entire world into a “Global village”. But as it is, technology like two sides of a coin, bring with it both negative and positive sides. It helps people to be better informed, enlightened, and keeping abreast with world developments. Technology exposes mankind to a better way of doing things. Social networking sites include: Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook, Messenger, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), WhatsApp messenger, Skype, Google talk, Google Messenger, YouTube, LinkedIn. These networking sites are used by most people to interact with old and new friends, physical or internet friends (Asemah and Edegoh, 2012). The world has been changed rapidly by the evolution of technology; this has resulted into the use of Social media as the best medium to explore the wide area of knowledge.

Social media use has grown significantly since 2005 with some estimate of nearly 78% of student using social media. In terms of daily usage more recent estimate shows facebook as having over 750million use worldwide, YouTube having over 3billion views each day; Twitter having over 177million tweets per day, where a good percentage of this population are students (Chen and Bryer, 2012).
Social networking sites although has been recognized as an important resource for Education today, studies however shows that students use social networking sites such as Face book for fun, to kill time, to meet existing friends or to make new ones (Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe, 2007). Although it has been put forward that students spends much time on participating in social networking activities, with many students blaming the various socialnetworking sites for their steady decrease in grade point averages (Kimberly, Jeong and Lee, 2009), it also shows that only few students are aware of the academic and professionalnetworking opportunities the sites offered. Recently, there has been considerable discussion regarding the frequent use of social media tools (e.g. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Linkedln, WhatsApp) by high school and collegestudents, and the possible effect of those tools on students academic performance (Comnolly, 2011: Hargitai and Hsieh, 2010). With the expected continued growth in the usage of these tools by students as early as secondary school level (Anderson and Rainie, 2012), this issue has wide spread implication
particularly for areas of education.

1.2. Statement of the problem

Since the advent of social media sites in the 1990s, it is assumed in some quarters that the academic performance of students is facing a lot of neglect and challenges. There is a deviation,
distraction and divided attention between social networking activities and their academic work.It is observed that students devote more attention to social media than they do to their studies.
Instead of students reading their books, they spend their time chatting and making friends viathe social networking sites which definitely have influence on their academic performance, because when you do not read, there is no way you can perform well academically. It is a common trend to see a student chatting in sensitive and highly organized places like church,mosque and lecture venues. Some are so carried away that even as they are walking along thehigh way, they keep chatting.
The manufacturing and distribution of equally sophisticated cellular phones has complicated the ituation, as students no longer need to visit a cybercafé before they send and receive messages.
Attention has been shifted from visible to invisible friends, while important ventures like study and writing might be affected in the process. It is therefore of great importance to explore some of the trending issues facing students‟ academic performance as a result of social media as students at all levels of learning now have divided attention to studies, as a result of available opportunities to be harnessed from social media. Hence, there is need to assess the impact of social media on student‟s academic performance.
1.3. Research questions

 Why do students visit social media sites?  What are the benefits they derive from using social media?  Does the use of social media sites have any impact on student‟s academic performance?

1.4. Objectives
1.4.1. General objective

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of social media on the academic performance of
students in the University of Buea.
1.4.2. Specific objectives

 To ascertain what students use social media sites for.  To identify the benefits obtained from using social media.  To examine the impact of social media on the academic performance of students.