EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON TIME MANAGING AMONG STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study examined the Influence of social media usage on time management among students of Federal College of Education, Zaria, Nigeria. Six objectives, questions, basic assumptions and hypotheses guided the study. The study sample included 735 male students and 589 female students, making a total of 1,323 sampled respondents for the study. The ex-post facto design was adopted for the study. Relevant literatures reviewed were cited. The Social Media Usage Questionnaire adapted from Zammit & Morrisey (2012) and Time Management Questionnaire adapted from Bocar & Daga-ang (2015) were used. To analyze the data, the simple percentages, mean and standard deviation were used for the demographic data and research questions while the hypotheses were tested using PPMr, Independent t-test and ANOVA. Based on the findings, it was revealed that there is significant negative relationship between social media usage and time management among students of FCE, Zaria. It was hence, recommended among others that the school management should create awareness and enlightenment by organizing seminars, conferences and workshops on the usefulness of social media usage and how to manage time in order to better the achievement of students in their academics.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Social media is a type of electronic communication that makes interaction easier based on certain interests and characteristics. They are media for social interaction, and use highly accessible and scalable publishing based technologies which are able to transform broadcast media monologues into social dialogues through the favourite realm of internet sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, 2go, Whatsapp, Instagram, BBM, Eskimi, LinkedIn and YouTube. Social media are computer mediated tools that allow people to create, share information, ideas, pictures and videos in virtual communities and networks.

Ames (2013) defined social media as ‘a group of internet based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0 and all the creation and exchange of user generated content’. Burke and Kraut (2014) defined social media as ‘the many relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that enable anyone to publish and access information, collaborate and build relationships’. That is, social media can afford its users unlimited access in as much as they intend to make use of it. Thus, the reason for the adoption of social media is as a result of its ubiquitous access, flexibility, functionality as well as its convenience. The social media rely on the mobile and web based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities can share, discuss, co create and modify the user generated content. These platforms introduce substantial and penetrating changes to communication between organizations, businesses, individuals and communities (Baumer, Adams, Khovanskaya, Liao, Smith, Schwanda & Williams, 2013).

Facebook has continued to be the most widely used form of social media (Nielson Company, 2014). Social media use as a whole can by no means be characterized as proportionate with Facebook use. A range of social media sites like YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit have been created primarily for social and leisure purposes, and are also widely used by the millennials and college students in particular (Nielson Company, 2014). College students form the largest number of users of social media. According to Lenhart, Purcell, Smith and Zickuhr (2010), 72% of all college students have a social media profile with 45% of them using  social media at least once a day.

Time management consists of tools and activities that help an individual effectively manage and strategize his time. Through effective time management, one can increase individual or group productivity and experience larger profits that will lead to a more satisfying overall life experience. Eilam and Aharon (2003) defined time management as a way of monitoring and controlling time.Time management as defined by North (2004) is the organization of tasks and events by first estimating how much time a task will take to be completed, when it must be completed and then adjusting events that would interfere with its completion so that completion is reached in the appropriate amount of time.

Many Nigerian students may have time management problems as they have become addicted to the use of social media to the extent that they care little or nothing about their studies. As a result of this, they practically spend their whole time using the social media and it has affected them psychologically and in their studies so much that they perform poorly. This situation has created fear in the hearts of parents as to what the future holds for their children (Nalwa & Anand, 2003). The heavy use of social media has raised many questions about how students incorporate social media into their lives and whether by doing so, it supports or hinders students’ broader social and academic development, which is reflected in the ability to read deeply, think critically and form authentic friendships.

Karpinski and Duberstein (2009) were of the view that among the various unique distractions of every generation, Facebook has remained a major distraction of and for the current generation. The use of social media has been increasing among students of all ages. Students use at least one type of social media platform in their daily lives. Many students face problems when it comes to managing their time and they feel the need to improve themselves when starting university. However, with the proliferation of social media, youths spend more or most of their time in and on the social media which they believe to derive pleasure from the technological devices. Hence, Olubiyi (2012) observes that the bone of contention of the social media is the obsessive attitude of Nigerian youths towards its use. He points out that youths waste time through idle chats and other immoral acts. The result is that quality time that ought to be spent on academic research and other productive networking is

lost.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It is a common sight to see youths chatting in highly organized places like lecture venues and sacred places like the church and mosque. Some are so engrossed that even as they are walking along the high way, they keep chatting. The manufacturing and distribution of equally sophisticated cellular phones has complicated the situation of students using cellular phones at their disposal, as students no longer need to visit a cybercafé before they send and receive messages. Attention has now shifted from visible friends to invisible friends, while important ventures like study, reading and writing are negatively affected in the process. This phenomenon has become a source of concern to many who believe in knowledge and how to manage their time in acquiring

Time is very important in a student’s life. The use or abuse of it may largely determine the outcome of a student’s academic pursuit. With the growing interest in the social media and all the distraction it constitutes, the ability of students to manage their time in the face of all these has become a matter of grave concern especially in relation to the rigorous demands of excellence in academics.

Students of tertiary institutions in Kaduna state these days are always busy with their handsets and laptops. Give most students access to the internet and they can spend considerable time chatting, checking their emails, their Facebook profile, their MySpace Web page, updating their Twitter accounts and their Linkedln accounts and this does not happen only once a day. It is said that an average Nigerian youth spend about 6-7 hours on the internet daily, some do all night browsing. One then begins to wonder when do they have the time to read or study their books and make research.

The exposure and use of social media tend to have implications on students’ time management style. When students spend considerable time socializing through the social media and spent less time on their studies, this may result to low academic outcome. Social media usage may contribute to students’ long stay on the internet. Hence, time management may be a problem that students encounter, most especially when it comes to social media usage. Thus, the problem that this study investigated was the influence of social media usage on time management among students of Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria, Nigeria.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study were to:

1. Examine the relationship between social media usage and time management among students of FCE, Zaria.
2. Investigate the difference of social media usage amongst NCE I, II and III students of

FCE, Zaria.

3. Examine the difference of time management amongst NCE I, II and III students of

FCE, Zaria.

4. Investigate the difference of social media usage between male and female students of FCE, Zaria.
5. Examine the difference of time management between male and female students of

FCE, Zaria.

6. Investigate the difference between hours spent using social media and time management among students of FCE, Zaria.

1.4 Research Questions

Based on the research objectives, the following research questions were raised:

1. What is the relationship between social media usage and time management among students of FCE, Zaria?
2. What is the difference of social media usage amongst NCE I, II and III students of

FCE, Zaria?

3. What is the difference of time management amongst NCE I, II and III students of FCE,

Zaria?

4. What is the difference of social media usage between male and female students of

FCE, Zaria?

5. What is the difference of time management between male and female students of

FCE, Zaria?

6. What is the difference between hours spent using social media and time management among students of FCE, Zaria?

1.4 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of

significance.

1. There is no significant relationship between social media usage and time management among students of FCE, Zaria.
2. There is no significant difference of social media usage amongst NCE I, II and III students of FCE, Zaria.
3. There is no significant difference of time management amongst the NCE I, II and III students of FCE, Zaria.
4. There is no significant difference of social media usage between male and female students of FCE, Zaria.
5. There is no significant difference of time management between male and female students of FCE, Zaria.
6. There is no significant difference between hours spent using social media and time management among students of FCE, Zaria.

 

 

1.6 Basic Assumptions

For the purpose of this study, the following assumptions were made;

1. Relationship may exist between social media usage and time management among students of FCE, Zaria.
2. Difference of social media usage may exist amongst NCE I, II and III students of FCE,

Zaria.

3. Difference of time management may exist amongst NCE I, II and III students of FCE,

Zaria.

4. Difference of social media usage may exist between male and female students of

FCE, Zaria.

5. Difference of time management may exist between male and female students of

FCE, Zaria.

6. Difference may exist between hours spent using social media and time management among students of FCE, Zaria

1.7 Significance of the Study

The findings from this study will be of immense benefit to students, teachers, curriculum planners, Counsellors and Psychologists, and other stakeholders in education as well as the society at large. For example, the result of the study will help students see how social media can affect the way they manage their time when they spend more time than expected to the detriment of other important tasks (academic pursuit) and other activities they are supposed to attend to. It will also help them adjust and manage their time properly and wisely to achieve maximum utilization in both their studies and other important tasks in their everyday lives. Teachers on the other hand, will benefit from the findings of the study as it will help them gain knowledge on the current challenges that students experience when it comes to managing time on the social media and find appropriate measure to help the students. It will also be of help to teachers, to vary their methods of teaching by including the use of social media in their teaching to foster understanding among students and also encourage students to spend more time on the social media for assignments, studies and doing researches than on mere social media socialization.

The findings from this study will also serve as a guide in helping the curriculum planners in the course of planning academic programmes for students by drawing their attention to the need to incorporate the use of social media and how well to manage time for academic purpose in their curriculum which will go a long way in helping the students. It will help stakeholders in education to introduce time management among students in their use of social media into the educational system which will help students to allocate time wisely to their studies and other important activities in their daily lives. It will also help Counsellors and Psychologists to guide students well on how to adequately and wisely manage their time, by guiding them to plan and allocate time to each activity they may engage in, so as to avoid time management problems that may affect their studies and other important activities. Findings from this study will provide

information on time management for academic purpose to Counsellors and

Psychologists which will help them attend to clients facing such challenges. Also, the findings of the study will serve as reference material for those who intend to embark on similar research and study and how it affects other spheres of life.

However, this information will get to students, teachers, curriculum planners, guidance counsellors and psychologists, stakeholders in education and the society at large through seminars, workshops, conferences, educational talks and newspapers.

1.8 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study examined the influence of social media usage on time management among students of Federal College of Education, Zaria The following institutions were not part of the study; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic Zaria, National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Nigerian College of Aviation

Technology (NCAT), Leather Research Institute of Science Technology This study covered NCE I, II and III students of FCE, Zaria who made use of social media. Media such as radio, television, and print media were not part of the study.  The study was delimited to male and female NCE students of FCE, Zaria, 2015/2016 academic session.

EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON TIME MANAGING AMONG STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA, NIGERIA

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