Survey on Social Media Network Participation, Impact on Biology Students’ Performance in Senior Secondary Schools in Minna Metropolis, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study looks at social media network participation. its evident impact on performance on senior secondary School students in biology, the study was aimed at identifying social media network sites and their usage among students, how students networked and participated on social media networks, time invested by students on social networks, the effects of social media networks participation on student's academic performance within the context of the social learning and the axe and gratification theories. To achieve the objectives of the research, the study used a mixed method approach which involved the survey of students in jour senior secondary schools and interviews of heads of the schools. The study revealed that majority of respondents used social networks for chatting for downloading videos, music and listening to music. In addition, majority of respondents experienced negative effects such as, late submission of assignment, less study time and poor performance in biology and addiction problems due to the heavy participation on social media networks Furthermore. there was a high addiction rate among students in the usage of social media network., Nevertheless, there were few cases where other students experienced improvement on their performances as a result of participation on social media networks. Recommendations generated from the research studies were: students should reduce their exposure to social media and pay more attention to their studies, students, especially those willing to record huge academic success should guide themselves against the use of social media and the government, schools and other well to do individuals .should encourage hard work by rewarding successful students through Scholarship schemes and other incentives.