Students' perception of the effects of online social networking: an empirical assessment

Abstract

Social networking sites have had an impact on the twenty-first century generations of internet user, making it a very active means of communications, particularly among university students. Questions arise about the impact of social networking sites on academic performance and the possibility of using them as an effective educational tool to improve academic performance. The study assesses students’ opinion regarding usage of social networking sites and its impact on their academic performance. Non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to select a sample of ninety-six undergraduate students from seven private universities and they were asked to complete a structured questionnaire set with 18 questions. Descriptive-comparative research design was adopted. The data was subjected to descriptive analysis, particularly percentages and frequency table counts.