EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION ON THE LEARNING BEHAVIOUR OF NOUN STUDENTS
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EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION ON THE LEARNING BEHAVIOUR OF NOUN STUDENTS
Abstract:
This study investigates the influence of social media addiction on the academic performance of undergraduate students. In the contemporary digital age, social media has become an integral part of daily life, especially among the younger generation. The research aims to understand the extent to which social media use, characterized by addictive behaviors, impacts students’ academic achievements. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining surveys to quantify social media usage patterns and addiction levels, and interviews to gather qualitative insights into the perceived effects on academic performance. The study’s findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the intersection of technology, social behavior, and academic outcomes, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and students alike. The results are expected to inform strategies for promoting healthy digital habits and enhancing academic success in the university setting.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Social media has transformed communication, interaction, and information sharing across the world. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and X have become integral parts of students’ daily activities. These platforms provide opportunities for communication, academic collaboration, entertainment, and access to educational resources. In recent years, the rapid expansion of internet accessibility and smartphone usage has significantly increased students’ engagement with social media platforms, particularly among university students.
In Nigeria, the adoption of social media among students has grown tremendously due to the affordability of smartphones and improved internet services. Students of the National Open University of Nigeria commonly use social media for educational discussions, interaction with peers, access to course materials, and communication with facilitators. Despite these advantages, excessive use of social media has led to concerns about addiction and its possible influence on students’ learning behaviour. Social media addiction refers to excessive and compuls
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education is an instrument for achieving national socioeconomic development as it helps individuals to discover their potentials, and apply education in solving societal problems. One of such problems that are eating deep into the fabric of most developing countries in the world is thel increase in unemployment among youths.
Social media have become one of the main forms of communication among secondary school students and it now plays an integral role in their lives. Social media refer to any website that allows for social interaction and the exchange of ideas (O’Keefe & Clarke-Pearson, 2014) [14]. Social media may include social networking sites such as Facebook; photo/video sharing sites like Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube; blogging sites including Tumblr; interactive video gaming sites such as World of Warcraft or Teen Second Life; instant messaging; chat rooms; bulletin boards; discussion forums; and email.(Subrahmanyam &
Greenfield, 2015) [19].
Social media addiction has been found to be associated with a host of emotional, relational, health, and performance problems (Echeburua & de Corral, 2010 [6]; Kuss & Griffiths, 2011 [10]; Marino, Finos, Vieno, Lenzi, & Spada, 2017; Marino, Gini, Vieno, & Spada, (2018) [13]. Understanding such issues of social media; the causes, consequences, and remedies are thus of paramount importance. Social media addiction can be viewed as one form of Internet addiction, where individuals exhibit a compulsion to use social media to excess (Griffiths, 2000 [8]; Starcevic, 2013) [17]. Individuals addicted with social media are often overly concerned about social media and are driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to and use social media (Andreassen & Pallesen, 2014) [2]. Studies have shown that the symptoms of social media addiction can be manifested in mood, cognition, physical and emotional reactions, and interpersonal and psychological problems
(Balakrishnan & Shamim, 2013; Błachnio, Przepiorka, Senol-Durak, Durak, & Sherstyuk, 2017; Tang, Chen, Yang, Chung, & Lee, 2016; Zaremohzzabieh, Samah, Omar,
Bolong, & Kamarudin, 2014) [3, 20, 22]. It has been reported that social media addiction affects approximately 12% of users across social networking sites (Alabi, 2012; Wolniczak et al., 2013; Wu, Cheung, Ku, & Hung, 2013) [1]. Social media and internet use among secondary school students has increased tremendously in recent years. Secondary school students today have a greater presence online more than they ever had in the past (Lenhart, 2015) [12]. Many secondary school students now own devices with internet accesses (such as iPads, Smartphones and Video game consoles) which enable them to go online from anywhere and at any time. The use of social media is more popular among secondary school students and girls primarily use these sites to reinforce pre-existing friendships, while boys mainly use these sites to flirt and make new friends (Lenhart & Madden, 2017) [11]. Students in particular, spend a great amount of their time interacting in their social lives. The usage of the social media by the students occurs at the same time with their developing identity, sexuality, and their physical and moral development. Social Media may also provide a supportive environment for students to explore romance, friendship, social status, and it provides students the opportunity to share and discuss their musical tastes, knowledge of television and movies, video games, and the other aspects of students culture (Ito et al., 2018) [9]. They also explained that social media sites allow students to meet many online tasks that are relevant to their lives offline: to lie about friends and family, make new friends, share photographsr, and share ideas.
Use of social media also creates an opportunity for emotional distress by receiving threatening, harassing, or humiliating communication from another teen. This is a common threat for the teenager and pre-students. Cyberbullying appears similar in prevalence to offline bullying; and current data suggest that online harassment is not as common as offline harassment (Lenhart, 2017) [11]. Furthermore, cyberbullying can occur to any young person online, and can cause profound psychosocial outcomes such as depression, anxiety, severe isolation, and tragically, suicide (Patchin & Hinduja, 2016) [16].
Students most at risk for cyberbullying are also those at risk of offline harms, such as students who have experienced sexual or physical abuse or those living in poor home environments (Berkman, 2018) [4]. The study therefore provides an overview of the many potential benefits and risks associated with social media use among studentss. It is crucial for mental health providers to understand how and why students are using these sites and the negative impact they may have on their mental health and well-being. It is in the light of this that the researchers tend to investigate the effects of social media addiction on Academic Performance students
The advancement of digital technology and internet connectivity has significantly transformed communication, education, and social interaction across the globe. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and X have become important tools for communication, entertainment, networking, and learning. The integration of social media into educational environments has altered the learning patterns and behavioural orientations of students in higher institutions. Studies have shown that social media platforms provide opportunities for collaborative learning, academic discussions, and access to educational resources (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010).
In Nigeria, social media usage among university students has increased rapidly due to widespread smartphone ownership and improved internet penetration. Students now spend considerable time on social networking sites for chatting, sharing information, streaming videos, and participating in online communities. According to Boyd and Ellison (2007), social media platforms enable users to create profiles, establish social connections, and interact with others in virtual environments. While these platforms have educational benefits, excessive usage has raised concerns among educators and researchers regarding its addictive tendencies and negative influence on students’ academic behaviour.
Social media addiction refers to excessive preoccupation with social networking activities to the extent that it interferes with other important aspects of life such as academics, interpersonal relationships, and productivity (Andreassen, 2015). Addiction to social media is characterized by compulsive checking of notifications, inability to reduce usage time, anxiety when offline, and distraction from academic activities. Research has indicated that students who spend excessive hours on social media often experience poor concentration, procrastination, reduced reading culture, and lower academic performance (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011).
Learning behaviour involves the attitudes, habits, and practices that students exhibit towards learning activities. It includes class participation, time management, reading habits, concentration, assignment completion, and engagement in academic activities. Positive learning behaviour promotes academic achievement, while poor learning behaviour may hinder effective learning outcomes. Scholars have argued that excessive engagement with social media can negatively affect students’ cognitive engagement and study routines (Junco, 2012).
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) operates through an open and distance learning system that relies heavily on technology-driven communication and independent study. NOUN students commonly use internet-enabled devices and online platforms to access course materials, submit assignments, and interact with facilitators. Consequently, they are highly exposed to social media usage. Although social media can support academic collaboration and flexible learning, addiction to these platforms may affect students’ attention span, study habits, and overall learning behaviour.
Furthermore, many NOUN students combine academic activities with employment, business, or family responsibilities. The flexibility associated with open and distance learning may increase students’ dependence on digital devices and social media platforms. Excessive use of these platforms may lead to time mismanagement, academic distraction, and poor learning discipline. Studies by Al-Menayes (2015) revealed that social media addiction is associated with lower academic engagement and reduced productivity among students. Similarly, Kirschner and Karpinski (2010) found that students who spend more time on social media often record lower academic performance than those who use it moderately.
Despite growing awareness of the impact of social media on students’ academic lives, there is limited empirical research specifically examining the influence of social media addiction on the learning behaviour of NOUN students. Most previous studies focused on conventional universities rather than distance learning institutions. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the influence of social media addiction on the learning behaviour of NOUN students, with a view to identifying its effects on concentration, study habits, academic engagement, and learning outcomes.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Social media has become an inseparable part of students’ daily lives, particularly among university students who rely heavily on digital communication and online interaction. Although social media platforms offer educational opportunities such as information sharing, online discussions, and collaborative learning, excessive usage has become a growing concern among educators and parents. Many students spend long hours browsing social networking sites for non-academic purposes, thereby reducing the time allocated to academic activities.
Among students of the National Open University of Nigeria, the problem may be more pronounced because the institution operates through online and distance learning systems that require constant internet access. Students often use smartphones and laptops to access course materials and communicate with facilitators, which simultaneously exposes them to social media distractions. Excessive engagement with social media may lead to poor concentration during study, procrastination, ineffective time management, poor reading habits, and reduced academic commitment.
Observations indicate that some NOUN students frequently prioritize chatting, video streaming, and social networking activities over academic responsibilities. This behaviour may negatively influence their learning patterns, assignment completion, and academic performance. In some cases, students may become psychologically dependent on social media to the extent that they find it difficult to concentrate on their studies without checking notifications or engaging in online conversations.
Although several studies have examined social media usage among university students, limited attention has been given to social media addiction and its specific influence on the learning behaviour of students in open and distance learning institutions such as NOUN. Consequently, there is a need to investigate how social media addiction affects the learning behaviour of NOUN students. This study therefore seeks to fill this gap by examining the relationship between social media addiction and students’ learning behaviour in NOUN.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of social media addiction on the learning behaviour of NOUN students. The specific objectives are to:
examine the extent of social media addiction among NOUN students;
determine the influence of social media addiction on students’ concentration during study;
examine the effect of social media addiction on students’ study habits;
investigate the influence of social media addiction on students’ academic engagement;
identify strategies for reducing social media addiction among NOUN students.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions will guide the study:
What is the extent of social media addiction among NOUN students?
How does social media addiction influence students’ concentration during study?
What effect does social media addiction have on students’ study habits?
How does social media addiction influence students’ academic engagement?
What strategies can be adopted to reduce social media addiction among NOUN students?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance:
H01: There is no significant relationship between social media addiction and students’ concentration during study.
H02: Social media addiction has no significant effect on students’ study habits.
H03: There is no significant relationship between social media addiction and students’ academic engagement.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will be beneficial to students, lecturers, educational administrators, parents, and researchers. The study will help students understand the possible negative consequences of excessive social media usage on their learning behaviour and academic performance. It will also encourage them to develop effective time management and responsible social media usage habits.
The study will provide lecturers and facilitators in NOUN with better understanding of how social media addiction affects students’ learning patterns. This may assist them in developing strategies for improving students’ academic engagement and reducing digital distractions.
Educational administrators and policy makers may benefit from the findings by designing policies and awareness programmes aimed at promoting healthy social media usage among students. Parents may also gain insights into the importance of monitoring students’ online activities and encouraging balanced academic lifestyles.
Furthermore, the study will contribute to existing literature on social media addiction and learning behaviour, especially within the context of open and distance learning institutions in Nigeria. It will also serve as a reference material for future researchers interested in related areas of study.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the influence of social media addiction on the learning behaviour of students in the National Open University of Nigeria. The study will specifically examine the extent of social media addiction and its influence on concentration, study habits, and academic engagement among NOUN students. The study will be limited to selected NOUN study centres in Nigeria.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
Social Media
Social media refers to internet-based platforms that enable users to create, share, and exchange information, ideas, and content through virtual communities and networks.
Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction refers to excessive and compulsive use of social networking platforms to the extent that it interferes with academic, social, and personal responsibilities.
Learning Behaviour
Learning behaviour refers to the attitudes, habits, and practices displayed by students towards academic activities such as studying, concentration, assignment completion, and participation in learning processes.
NOUN Students
NOUN students refer to learners enrolled in the National Open University of Nigeria under the open and distance learning system.
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