UTILIZATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER STATE. NIGERIA.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utilization of social media and students’ academic performance in Social Studies in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, two null hypotheses were generated to direct the study. Literature review was done according to the variables under study. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. A sample of three hundred and twenty-five (325) respondents were randomly selected for the study. The selection was done through the stratified random sampling technique. The questionnaire titled Utilization of social media and Students’ Academic performance in Social Studies Questionnaire (USMSAPSSQ) was the main instrument used for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face validated by one expert in Social Science Education and two experts in measurement and evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar. The reliability estimate of the instrument was established through Cronbach Alpha and Kuder-Richardson 21 reliability methods. The reliability coefficient ranges from 0.73 to 0.83 which was high. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Analysis was the statistical analyses technique adopted to test the hypotheses under study. These statistical tools were used because of the nature of the variables involved in the study. All hypotheses were subjected to testing at .05 level of significance with relative degree of freedom. The results of the analysis revealed that, email usage and Facebook usage significantly relate to students’ academic performance in social studies. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended among others that more work should be carried out through Facebook and each student should be requested to comment on the posts of the students.