The Influence Of Using Social Media Networks On Students’ Academic Performance: A Case Of The University Of Dodoma

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of using social media networks on students’ academic performance at the University of Dodoma. Specifically, the study was geared to investigate the extent to which the university students have knowledge on the use of social media in academic activities, examine the impacts of the use of social media on students’ academic performance and identify the strategies for enhancing the use of social media on students’ academic performance. The study used a comparative case study design in which qualitative research approach was employed to obtain data. The sample size involved 52 respondents from two colleges namely College of Informatics and Virtual Education (CIVE) and College of Education (COED) which included: 44 students, 4 lecturers, and 4 wardens. Data were collected by using semi-structured interview and focus group discussion methods .The findings of the study revealed that the use of social media networks by students can lead to both positive and negative effects depending on the users, the positive effects include: accessing reading materials, getting update information and sharing ideas and materials, communication, saving time and solving questions as well as using such media as teaching aid to motivate learning. On the other hand, the negative effects include: financial cost, wastage of time, addiction and health problems, moral distortion and laziness, marginalization, lack of knowledge and network problems. The study suggests strategies for enhancing the use of social media networks for students’ academic performance include providing proper education, reducing cost, establishing internet infrastructures and giving students enough assignments. The study concluded that the government, policy makers and university management should enhance the use of social media networks on students’ academic activities. The study recommended that similar research be done by using a large sample in order to cover many other universities for more generalizing of the findings.