INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF PUBLIC TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN GOMBE STATE

Abstract

The study was conducted on the influence of social networking on students’ academic performance of public tertiary institutions in Gombe State. The study employed the use of social learning theory and cognitive load theory as approach in studying the effects of social networking on public tertiary institutions students’ academic performance. All the students of public tertiary institutions in Gombe State served as the population of the study where stratified sampling and purposive sampling were used in drawing the sample for the study. The findings of the study revealed WhatsApp and Facebook as the social networking sites that the students are most exposed to. It is also revealed that the students are on social networks for many reasons. These include establishing and sustaining relationship, keeping in touch with their friends and accessing academic resources. Also, the study exposed social networking disruption of students while reading and during lectures as the negative side of social networking on the students of public tertiary institutions’ academic performance. Based on the aforementioned findings, the study recommends that students should switch off their phones while reading and during lectures so as to avoid social networking distraction of their studies.