Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Undergraduates are known to be early adopters and users of social media and are socially competent online as against offline. The study sought to determine the social competence of students as exhibited on social media against the background of a growing decline in undergraduates’ offline social relevance. Using survey research design of correlative type, 850 undergraduates in similar faculties in two selected Universities in South west Nigeria were selected using multi-stage sampling. Questionnaire was used to collect data; reliability score of (α = 0.82) was derived for social competence on social media and (α = 0.88) for students’ use of social media. Eight hundred questionnaires (94%) were found usable. Findings revealed students are active on popular social media sites; social competence of undergraduates on social media was high ( = 64.19) and frequently use of social media. Social competence of undergraduates was positively related to social media use (r = .771, p = < 0.01); social competence of undergraduates on social media was different based on gender (t = 4.02; p = < 0.05), there was a significant difference in student’s use of social media based on gender (t = 5.064; p = < 0.05). Social competence of the students is exhibited on social media and there is a continued adherence of the young population of Nigerians to online platforms for social interactions and relevance at the expense of natural physical dialogues. The study recommends complementary role for online media, encouraging undergraduates to build offline, natural social interactions and relationships.