American Journal of Art and Design

2017; 2(4): 100-104

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajad
doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170204.13

The Effect of Social Networking Sites on Academic

Performance of Students of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba
Peter Chizoba Ekechukwu
Department of Educational Foundation, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Email address:

To cite this article:

Peter Chizoba Ekechukwu. The Effect of Social Networking Sites on Academic Performance of Students of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba.
American Journal of Art and Design. Vol. 2, No. 4, 2017, pp. 100-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20170204.13

Received: October 30, 2017; Accepted: November 15, 2017; Published: December 27, 2017

Abstract: This research has presented the effect of social networking sites (SNSs) on academic performance of students of
Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. Social networking sites allows the users to share information with selected group of family
members, friends or associates. In this study, an attempt is made to obtain the perception of students on how the use of SNSs
impacts on their academic performance. A preliminary survey was conducted for a sample of 100 students drawn from
National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. The aim was to obtain findings
on their use of SNSs and the effect on their academic life. Data collected was analyzed using the Microsoft Excel package. The
research observed that most of the participants who responded to questions confirmed that SNSs positively impacts their
academic performance especially in terms of discussion with classmate, communication with supervisor or lecturer, and for
sharing assignments. It is suggested that polytechnics and institutions of higher learning in Nigeria could explore the general
acceptability and positive impact of SNSs and incorporate it as part of learning process.

Keywords: Academic Performance, SNSs, Abia State Polytechnic, Impact

of connecting them together during their degree programme

1. Introduction or after the completion of their degree programme. Today
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are web sites that allow SNSs are making great impact nearly in all area of human
their users or members to share –send or receive information activities. It has become a tool for distance learning and
with selected group of friends or associates. The emergence communication. As web-based application, users of SNSs are
of Social Networking Sites has broadened the base of able to create personal profiles and share information with
contact, interaction and communication among people living friends within the platform. Its usage among students of
round the globe via internet. Social Networking Sites have tertiary institutions has made it an online platform for social
become a fast penetrating way for people all over the world interactions, and as well as academic interaction [1].
to connect and interact [1]. Its emergence has been a There exist hundreds of Social Networking Sites. Some of
technological evolutional process and has gained wide spread the popular ones like Facebook have some millions of
usage. Even in most villages in Africa where technological students using them to keep in touch. The number of students
innovations are elusive, SNSs have gained usage with the of tertiary institutions using SNSs is increasing on daily
help of mobile phones. These networking sites have bases as well as the popularity and acceptability of SNSs on
succeeded in connecting millions of relatives, friends, campus. Most students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria are
business partners, government of nations, just to name a few, actively connected to the SNSs, and this is specifically true
simultaneously all over the world. In fact, it has been for students of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. As a matter of
regarded as the best medium to maintain contact and stay fact, social Networking sites have now become proliferated.
connected. The involvement of students in social networking at
The first official Social Networking Sites (SNSs) is cyberspace is because many of their problems related to
Classmates. com [2]. It was created for the sole purpose of studies have been solved by social Networking Sites [3].
providing the students a platform that will serve as a means From the foregoing, the question one still needs to ask is: are
students truly using Social Networking Sites extensively so
 American Journal of Art and Design 2017; 2(4): 100-104 101

as to improve their academic work? Irrespective of what the surveyed students conformed to the fact that SNSs impact
students may probably be doing on SNSs, a conclusion put positively on their academic performance.
forward by [4] from their findings is that Social Networking Mehmood and Taswir [7] investigated the effects social
Sites causes many psychological, physical, interpersonal, and networking sites (SNSs) on the academic performance of
educational discomforts to users when used excessively. students in college of applied sciences, Nizwa, Oman. It
Nevertheless, SNSs have indeed impacted on the way and considered educational nodes such as blogs, wikis, tweets,
manner students live or socialize on campus. RSS feeds, discussion boards, podcast in a large network.
The usage of these nodes and their impact on learning and
2. Literature Review social behaviour of students were tabulated. The results
indicated that uses and gains of social networks highlighted
Morallo [1] conducted a research to determine the effects in the research significantly influence the academic
of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) on students’ academic performance of students. It then suggested that the use of
performance in Lyceum of the Philippines –Laguna. social networks for educational and monitory should be
Descriptive correlation method of research was used to applied to human classroom face to face instruction in virtual
determine the effect of SNSs on academic performance. An classroom.
online survey questionnaire was designed using Google docs Sharma and Vishvakarma [3] presented a review on the
and distributed to 203 students selected randomly from six effect of social networking sites on academic performance. It
colleges of Lyceum of the Philippines –Laguna. Correlation reviewed the impact of social networking sites (SNSs) on
analysis was performed between the GPA and the number of academic performance. The research provided the positive as
SNSs accounts maintained by the respondents, the frequency well as the negative effect of social media on academic
of SNSs use, when they had SNSs, duration of SNSs use, and performance of students. It asserted that the social media are
the time spent on study. It stated that the variables mentioned sometimes used for educational purposes and sometimes for
increases as the GPA increases, which showed that SNSs had non-academic purpose, which adversely impact on the
contributed in the higher grades attained. Nevertheless, it academic performance of the students.
concluded by saying that the study found that there was no Maqableh et al [8] in their study on the impact of social
significant relationship between the use of SNSs and the networks websites usage on students’ academic performance
students’ academic performance. Hence, the improvement in investigated how and to what extent SNSs affects the
the grade was attributed to other factors within the teaching- academic performance of students. Research data was
learning process. collected using drop and collect surveys on large population
Alhassan and Abukari [5] studied the influence of social of students from University of Jordan. Descriptive analysis,
media usage on academic performance of students in tertiary T-test and ANOVA were used to test the research hypotheses
institutions using Tamale Polytechnic as a case study. The to determine the impact of SNSs on the academic
study was aimed at investigating the type of social network performance of students. The findings showed that SNS use
sites (SNSs) and devices used by students and the effects of per week on students’ academic performance impact
the use of social network on student academic performance. significantly, but no difference was found on the impact of
A total of 600 students were sampled. The observations SNS use on academic performance with respect to age,
revealed that majority of students used smartphones, academic achievement, and use per day to most used sites.
followed by cell phones and laptops. On the type of SNSs, Amin et al [9] studied the impact of social media on
majority used Facebook, followed by Google and Whatsapp. Student’s academic performance. It examined the effect of
In order to ascertain the effect of SNSs on students’ academic growing use of social media sites on the academic
performance, it stated that 64.6% of the respondents showed performance of students of universities and colleges. A
that social media improved academic performance. It averred sample of 300 students was carried out. Questionnaire was
that no correlation existed between academic work and social used as a tool for data collection. Data analysis was
media usage from the findings of the study. It then suggested performed using descriptive statistics on the questionnaire
that students should be encouraged to give more time of their collected from 97% of the respondents. The finding showed
social media interactions on issues that relate to their that social media can have positive on students’ academic
academics. performance. It asserted that social media such as Facebook,
Helou and Ab. Rahim [6] conducted a research on the twitter, Google, and Skype attracted the attention of students
influence of social networking sites (SNSs) on students’ and positively impact on their academic performance.
academic performance in Malaysia. It aimed to obtain This research is aimed at studying the effect of social
students’ perceptions on how SNSs influenced their networking sites on the academic performance of students of
academic performance. A preliminary survey was carried out Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, so as to ascertain the extent to
on a group of students’ of Malalysian University so as to which this may impact on the overall class room learning and
obtain information on their use of SNSs and the influence it research engagement. Abia State Polytechnic is located along
has on their academic performance. In order to analysed the factory road, Aba. This institution was chosen because of its
data obtained, Statistical Package for social science (SPSS) strategic location in the commercial hub of Abia State,
software was used. The outcome indicated that most of the Nigeria.
102 Peter Chizoba Ekechukwu: The Effect of Social Networking Sites on Academic Performance of Students of
Abia State Polytechnic, Aba

3. Methodology
The research methodology employed in this context is a
set of well-structured questionnaires which were randomly
distributed to a sample of 100 students drawn from National
Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) of the
Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. The questionnaire was
distributed to students of different schools that make up the
institution. The questionnaire was divided into two parts –
labeled X and Y that are used for answering the research
questions: what are the causes of students engaging in the
use of social networking sites (SNSs)? And to what extent
does the use of SNSs affect or impact on students’
academic performance? Survey questions were taken from
[10] [11] [12] and modified to suit the present research. The
questions brought out perceptual responses and a number of
distinctive responses that can be useful to the findings. In
order to analyze the data collected, Microsoft Excel was
used.

4. Research Findings
The structured questionnaire used in this context begins
with questions on demography such as age, gender, level of Figure 1. Students’ reasons for using SNSs.
academic and nationality. The responses obtained from the
participants showed that 45% are male while 55% are 9% use SNSs to play games and 10% use it to share files.
female. 63% of the respondents are National Diploma (ND) 7% use SNSs to communicate with either their supervisor or
students and 37% of the respondents are Higher National lecturer and 10% use it for academic related discussion. 8%
Diploma (HND) students. The participants of the survey fall use it to communicate academic interest with friends.
within the age group of 18-22 years old representing 50%, Statistical analysis was performed so as to find the average
23-27 years old representing 35%, and 28 years response to questions based on the negative and positive
representing 15%. impact of social networking sites to academic performance of
Figure 1 is a pie chart showing the reasons students of student on a 2-point scale. The reason for using a 2-point
the considered institution use SNSs. Most of the students scale is because the ND and HND programmes are run for
representing 21% of the respondents use social networking two academic years. The analysis is presented in Tables 1
sites (SNSs) to receive and send messages. 20% use SNSs and 2. Figures 2 and 3 show the bar chart presentations of the
to make friends and 15% use it to chat with friends. analysis.
Table 1. Negative effect of SNSs on academic performance of student.

No. Question Mean response

1 Networking sites negatively affect my academic performance because of the distraction from my studies 2.50
2 The use of SNSs demands spending money and time and this will affect my studies 2.35
3 Addiction to SNSs seriously impact on my academic performance 2.95
4 It is hard for me to focus on my studies when I can keep myself busy by playing online games 2.83
5 There is a drop in my academic performance since I become engage with SNSs 2.20
6 These SNSs are for individual/social use and as well as for education 2.30

Figure 2. Bar chart of negative effect of social networking sites on academic performance of student.
 American Journal of Art and Design 2017; 2(4): 100-104 103

Table 2. Positive effect of SNSs on academic performance of student.

No. Question Mean response

7 SNSs usage is useful in higher educational institutions because their effectiveness in communication application 3.50
8 I can arrange group discussion with my classmate using SNSs 3.80
9 Through SNSs appointment can be fixed with my supervisor or lecturer 3.00
10 Using SNSs enhance my studies because with it I can discuss and share my assignment with friends 3.60
11 My interaction with classmates and lecturers is enhanced through SNSs 3.20
12 SNSs helps me to facilitate academic activities and friends coordination 3.20
13 With the help of SNSs I can receive announcements/secular from school authority 3.40

various academic purposes such as group discussion with

classmates, solving assignment, communication with
supervisor or lecturer, and receiving announcement/secular
from school authority. This can largely impact on the overall
academic performance of the students when properly
deployed into learning process. On the other hand, the
negative effects of SNSs on the academic performance of
students seem appreciably low.
5.2. Suggestions

Figure 3. Bar chart of positive effect of social networking sites on academic The following suggestions are made based on the findings
performance of student. of this research.
I. Polytechnics and other higher institutions of learning in
The negative effect of SNSs on academic performance of Nigeria could explore the general acceptance and
student is presented in Table 1 and it is shown as a bar chart positive effect of SNSs by formally incorporating their
in Figure 2. It can be seen that the response on the negative use in teaching and learning process.
effect indicate lower means which lies between 2.20 to 2.95. II. The Federal and State governments of Nigeria could
Many of the students feel that no significant differences exist set up agencies in collaboration with the Federal and
between their grade points before and after their usage of state ministries of education to check the use of SNSs
SNSs, hence a mean response of 2.20 (lowest mean) was by students to ensure robust and healthy usage.
obtained when students were asked if a drop in their
academic performance occurs since they become engage with
SNSs. The respondents also agree that SNSs is for References
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