IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF EDUCATION, NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA

Abstract

In today’s digitally interconnected world, social media use has become an integral part of the

lives of students worldwide, students of the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University

inclusive. The study assessed the impact of social media use on the academic engagement and

performance of Faculty of Education students in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. Three

research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the

study. The population of the study comprised all the 2022/2023 session, 300 and 400 level

regular undergraduates of the faculty. Sample size comprised of 750 of the undergraduate

students sampled using convenient sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a

15-item questionnaire constructed by the researchers. Three experts in the Department of

Educational Foundations, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka validated the instrument. The

reliability of the instrument which was obtained with Cronbach alpha yielded a coefficient of

0.70, 0.71 and 0.70 were obtained for clusters 1, 2 and 3 respectively while an overall alpha

coefficient of 0.70 was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using arithmetic mean. The

findings revealed that social media use has a positive impact on both academic engagement and

academic performance of undergraduate students of the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe

University. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that social media is a veritable

tool for learning among undergraduate students of faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe

University. It was recommended among others that students should devote greater part of their

times on social media to attending to academic activities.