Today Facebook is considered as one of the most popular platforms for online social networking among youth, and - as many researches show – university students. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of social networking sites i.e. Facebook on students’ academic performance. The study was carried out in Wollega University with regular undergraduate students in focus. A questionnaire was designed to assess impact of Facebook usage on Student and was administered to 384 students’ selected using stratified sampling technique. Variables identified are time spent on Facebook, addiction to Facebook and academic performance. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between addiction to Facebook and time spent on Facebook and students’ academic performance. Furthermore, a multiple linear regression was carried out to determine the relative contribution of addiction to Facebook and time spent on Facebook to students’ academic performance. An analysis of the results was carried out using the SPSS software package. And the findings of this study shows that time spent on Facebook and addiction to it negatively and significantly affects students’ academic performance.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.3.1 General Objective
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Scope of the Study
1.7 Limitation of the Study
1.8 Operational Definition of Key Terms
1.9 Organization of the Thesis
Chapter Two
Review of Related Literatures
2.1 Definition of Social Networks
2.2 Becoming Social
2.3 Extent of Social Media Technology Use
2.3.1 General Demographics
2.3.2 College-Age Users
2.4 An Overview of Facebook
2.5 Facebook Usage
2.6 Students’ Perceptions of Facebook
2.7 Academic Performance
2.8 Facebook and Academic Performance
2.9 Hedonic Usage of Facebook and Academic Performance
2.10 Theoretical Review
2.10.1 Flow Theory (FT)
2.10.2 Distraction Effect
2.11 Impacts of Facebook Usage
2.11.1 Positive impacts
2.11.1.1 Sharing and collecting information
2.11.1.2 Communication and entertainment
2.11.2 Negative impacts
2.11.2.1 Academic performance problems
2.12 Student’s behavior
2.13 Empirical Review
2.14 Conceptual Framework
Chapter Three
Research Methodology
3.1 Description of the Study Area
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Population and Sampling
3.3.1 Target Population
3.3.2 Sample Size and Sampling Technique
3.3.2.1 Sample Size
3.3.2.2 Sampling Techniques
3.4 Source of Data and Instruments of Data Collection
3.4.1 Reliability and Validity of Research Instruments
3.4.1.1 Reliability of Research Instruments
3.4.1.2 Validity of Research instruments
3.5 Procedures of Data Collection
3.6 Method of Data Analysis and Presentation
3.7 Ethical Consideration
Chapter Four
Results and Discussion
4.1 Results of the Study
4.1.1 General Profile of the Respondents
4.1.2. Reliability Analysis
4.1.3 Facebook Usage
4.1.4 Motives that Drive Students’ to Use Facebook
4.1.5 Time Spent by Students’ on Facebook Usage
4.1.6 Students’ Ratings of Time spent on Facebook Usage and Study Time
4.1.7 Facebook Usage and Students’ Academic Performance
4.1.8 Facebook Impacts on Students’ Academic performance
4.1.9 Students’ Addiction to Facebook Usage
4.1.10 Correlation Analysis
4.1.11 Regression analysis
4.2 Discussion of Findings
Chapter Five
Conclusion and Recommendations
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary goal of this research project is to assess the impact of Facebook usage on the academic performance of undergraduate students at Wollega University. The study aims to identify the factors driving Facebook usage, determine the time spent on the platform by students, and evaluate the relationship between platform addiction and academic outcomes.
- The influence of Facebook usage patterns on students' academic performance.
- Motivational factors that drive students to use Facebook frequently.
- The correlation between time spent on Facebook and academic grades (CGPA).
- Assessment of Facebook addiction among regular undergraduate students.
- Evaluation of the distraction effect of social media on academic tasks.
Excerpt from the Book
2.10.1 Flow Theory (FT)
Borrowed from psychology, flow theory helps assess human-computer interactions and addresses people’s use of the internet. Flow, as defined by Csikszentimanlyi (1997, p36), is the “holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement.” It implies absorption in a task, such that the person is completely attracted by the artefact and the task being performed. Websites, email tools, and the computer itself are all artefacts; the tasks refer to an assignment performed using these tools (Firineran and Zhang, 2003). Thus Facebook is an artefact, and people using this network engage in tasks that prompt their flow on the platform.
Novak et al (1998) also provide an extensive review of the definition of flow as experienced by people immersed in a task. Described as total concentration and deep involvement in the tasks, these activities result in intrinsic enjoyment, combined with keen curiosity and pleasure that encourages repetition of the activity, but also the loss of time and an inability to control usage or halt the activity.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One: This introductory chapter outlines the background, problem statement, research objectives, and the scope of the study regarding Facebook usage at Wollega University.
Chapter Two: This chapter reviews related literature concerning social networks, Facebook usage, academic performance, and theoretical frameworks like Flow Theory and the Distraction Effect.
Chapter Three: This section details the research methodology, including the descriptive research design, stratified sampling techniques, and data collection instruments used.
Chapter Four: This chapter presents and discusses the survey results, including demographic profiles, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression models relating to student performance.
Chapter Five: This final chapter summarizes the research findings, offers conclusions on the negative impacts of Facebook addiction, and provides recommendations for university policy.
Keywords
Academic performance, Facebook, Social networking Sites, Wollega University, Student engagement, Addiction, Time management, Flow Theory, Distraction effect, Undergraduate students, Correlation analysis, Regression analysis, Social media technology, Digital natives, Academic outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research primarily investigates how the usage of Facebook, specifically in terms of time spent and user addiction, impacts the academic performance of regular undergraduate students at Wollega University.
What are the main thematic areas of the study?
The study centers on the intersection of social networking habits, academic engagement, student behavior, and the potential for distraction caused by Facebook in an educational context.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The main objective is to empirically assess the impact of Facebook usage on student academic performance to fill existing research gaps in the specific context of Wollega University.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The study utilized a descriptive, mixed-methods approach, employing structured questionnaires administered to 384 students selected via stratified random sampling, with data analyzed using SPSS.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main chapters cover the theoretical framework (Flow Theory, Distraction Effect), data collection methodology, results from descriptive statistics, and the outcomes of correlation and regression analyses.
Which keywords define this research?
The study is characterized by keywords such as Academic performance, Facebook, Social networking Sites, Student engagement, and Academic outcomes.
What does the regression analysis reveal about the influence of Facebook?
The regression analysis indicates that both time spent on Facebook and addiction to the platform have a significant, negative effect on students' academic performance.
Why did the researcher select Wollega University for this study?
Wollega University was selected because it is a major public institution with a large student population and no previous research had been conducted on the impact of Facebook usage in that specific environment.
What is the "Distraction Effect" mentioned in the theory?
The distraction effect refers to the phenomenon where students interrupt their academic work to check social media, which negatively impacts their ability to focus and process information efficiently.
What recommendations does the author provide for students?
The author recommends that students exercise better self-control, block distracting friends, limit usage to appropriate times, and shift their focus toward academic and personal growth instead of pure recreation.
- Quote paper
- Fromsa Bedassa (Author), 2014, Impact of Facebook Usage on Students Academic Performance, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/277559
