Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
Spring 3-9-2023
Abstract
The Internet, and in particular, social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApps, YouTube and many others, are obviously “overtaking the world” and could be regarded as “a global consumer phenomenon”. Social media usage is one of the most common activities among children, adolescents, and emerging adults nowadays. It offers today’s youth a portal for entertainment and communication and it is becoming one of the main platforms for accessing information and news. This aggressive adoption of social media among the younger generation could be attributed to their up to date knowledge of the latest technology and convenient accessibility to these social networking tools. This study examines the effect of social media on Library and Information Science students' academic performance, University of Jos. Simple random sampling technique was adopted. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The responses of 90 out of 92 respondents were collected, scored, and analyzed using descriptive statistics based on the research questions. The findings revealed that the internet was used to connect with other people for academic or commercial purposes; it also indicated that students use different social media on daily basis for different purposes which also served as a distraction. In the light of the above, the study recommended that seminars should be organized in various faculties and departments. Lecturers could adopt new strategy by channeling assignments or discussions on social media. The university authority should restrict access to free social media sites. The study therefore concluded that acquiring information both locally and internationally is no longer a struggle as compared to the olden days. Most students used social media to collaborate with one another on assignments and lecture notes which further enhanced their ability to use social networking sites for improved academic performance.