INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
ABSTRACT
This was an empirical study to determine the influence of social media on academic performance of Auchi polytechnic students. To achieve this general objective, four research questions were raised and three null hypotheses formulated, which guided the study. A survey research design was used for the research. Questionnaire was used to generate primary data from a representative random sample of 112 students (108 representing 96 percent was correctly filled and returned). The students who participated in the survey were drawn from various faculties in the Polytechnic. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages were used in analysing demographic variables and research questions while the Pearson Correlation Matrix and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the stated hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results and contributions to knowledge include that the most common reason for social usage in the order of popularity was to share knowledge and information with other people. Also that there is no relationship between social media usage and student academic performance; no difference between male and female students with respect to their level of engagement on social media; and that age has no significant relationship with social media usage. It was recommended that parents and guardians should help to