Since the emergence of social media, different researchers have been working on the effect of social media on students’ academic performance. This research is not only limited to researchers; even parents, guardians, etc., are worried about knowing if there is a positive or negative effect of social media on students’ academic performance.
The rapid changes experienced in our communication today are due to social media’s emergence. The emergence of social media is influencing students’ academic lives in one way or another. Schools and teachers are gradually using social media technologies to reach out to their students and impact them academically beyond the classroom.
Read: 10 Reasons to use social media to your advantage as a student
Social media is a platform that encourages students to come together to communicate, exchange ideas and information, collaborate, etc., via an Internet-based device like smartphones, PCs, etc. Examples of social media platforms include Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.
Negative effect of social media on students’ academic performance
Superficially, one might think social media significantly affects students’ academic life negatively. This thought is due to the wrong use of the technology. However, Yasmin Hashem noted that “social media does not impact school students’ academic performance in any way because although they spend hours on social media, they still manage to find time to study and achieve good grades.”
From a statement of Yasmin Hashem, it is clear that if students still find time to study, regardless of the number of hours spent online, they can achieve good grades, i.e., it can only have a negative effect when it distracts them from studying.
Nowadays, learning is not confined to the classroom; it can be done on social media and rests on the ability to access information nodes and sources when required.
Read: Should Cellphones be allowed in school?
Positive effect of social media on students’ academic performance
- It promotes a good relationship among students.
- It can be used anywhere and at any time to meet students’ academic needs.
- It encourages group learning, i.e., allowing you to exchange ideas with your colleagues.
- Social media provides students with a new mechanism for a familiar exercise.
- It gives students a direct medium by which to publicly air their views, evaluate and comment on issues on campus environments,
- It opens up new ways of collaboration and discussion.
- It offers great content posting, copying, sharing and searchability through online search engines.
Recommended: Causes and Solutions to poor academic performance
References
1. Yasmin Hashem (2015): “The Impact of Social Media on the Academic Development of School Students”
2. Raymond Owusu Boateng & Afua Amankwaa: ” The Impact of Social Media on Student Academic Life in Higher Education”
