ABSTRACT
The study investigated the influence of Social Media on theLearningofUndergraduates in the University of Benin. The study also investigated the relationship between social media and undergraduate learning based on gender and age. Four research questions were raised that guided the study. One was answered and three were hypothesized and tested at 0.05 level of significance.
The study was an ex-post facto research design using the survey method. The population of the study comprised all students in the University of Benin, Benin City. The sample size was three hundred and ninety-six (396) undergraduate students from the fifteen (15) Faculties in the University of Benin, Benin City. Research instrument titled: “Social Media andLearningofUndergraduates Questionnaire (SMLUQ)” was used for collection of data. The validity of the instrument was established. Reliability coefficients of 0.89 was obtained which showed that the instrument was reliable. The analysis was done using mean, standard deviation, Pearson r and Fisher’s Z statistics.
Findingsfrom the study revealed that Social media applications such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter (X), Google meet, Zoom, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube, Pinterest and Telegram were highly utilized among undergraduate students. Also, there was a significant relationship between social media networks and undergraduate learning. Intervening variables such as gender and age may not significantly influence social media usage. Based on the findings, it was recommended that students should be oriented concerning the dysfunctions of social media overuse and its social and psychological implications. Also, regulation of frequency of exposure is advised to stem the negative influences of the social media on students pages to promote academic activities and avoid setbacks in academic performance.
