Journal of Positive School Psychology http://journalppw.

com
2023, Vol. 7, No. 6, 651-663

Impact Of Social Media On Academic Performance Of Students: ASurvey

Conducted In Urban And Rural Areas Of Sahiwal
1Dr. Rao Shahid, 2Muhammad Usman Ijaz, 3Maham Shams and 4Ghulam Murtaza

1. Dr. Rao Shahid, Assistant Professor at Department of Media and Communication Studies, The Islamia University of
Bahawalpur. Email Address: raoshahid@iub.edu.pk
2. Muhammad Usman Ijaz, PhD scholar at Department of Media and Communication Studies, Islamia University of
Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Email Address: usmanijaz737@yahoo.com
3. Maham Shams, Lecturer at Department of Media and Communication Studies, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur.
Email: maham.shams@iub.edu.pk
4. Ghulam Murtaza, PhD Scholar, Department of Media and Communication Studies, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur.
Email: ghulammurtaza@iub.edu.pk

Abstract
This study is conducted in urban and rural areas based on assessing the impact of socialmedia on their academic
achievements. The objective of this study is to examine the usage of social media by urban and rural based students
and to examine the perception of social media among urban and rural students. Moreover, to assess the positive impact
of social media on the academic performance of urban students. For this study, data is collected from urban and rural
areasbased students. Total 200 students are approached for data collection and data is collected throughanonline survey.
SPSS software is used for data analysis and the main finding of the study shows that social media has a positive effect
on the academic performance of students in both urban and rural areas. In addition, it is also a major finding that
social media has a negative impact on the academic performance of students. It is concluded that further study is
needed in this area as well.

Key Words: Social Media, Academic performance, Students, urban rural areas.

talk, Google+Messenger, iPhone, Androids and so on.

Introduction These networking sites are used by most people to
A social network or media is a social structure made interact with old and new friends, physical or internet
up of individuals or organisations called “nodes”, friends (Adeboye, 2012).
which are connected by one or more specific types of
interdependence, such as friendship, kinship, common Students do not always have Media literacy
interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual skills that can help them to effectively analyze,
relationships or relationships or beliefs, knowledge or understand, And evaluate new forms of information
prestige (Adeboye, 2012). A social network can also and make smart decisions about its Quality and use
be referred to as a map of specified ties, such as (Rowlands et al., 2011) The use of social media has
friendship, between the nodes being studied. The become comprehensive and currently,the most popular
nodes, to which an individual is thus connected, are the social media plate forms are Facebook, Twitter,
social contacts of that individual; the network can also MySpace, LinkedIn and Google+, Skype and smart
be used to measure social capital – the value that an phones. Facebook user profiles allow the user to
individual gets from the social network. Social communicate information with each other and allow
networking sites include Yahoo Messenger, Facebook users to build and maintain relationships and
Messenger, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), Google encourage others to become part of a community
among college students as online social websites
 Dr. Rao Shahid 652

become popular. Over the years, the use of social The invention of the smart phone has increased the
media to connect with students in higher education has usage of social media. It enables users to access
seen a rapid response (Martinez-Aleman & Wartman, multiple social networking sites with just a few clicks.
2009). Social media has a great impact on students on which
This in turn put pressure on faculty members large number of researches has been conducted and
to use social networking inside and outside of each research shows unique results. Some studies
classrooms to connect with students. There are many prove that social media negatively affects the
advantages for universities and colleges that can be performance of students while some researches show
gained by connecting with students through social that it enhances the learning of its users and improves
media, academic excellence or achievement plays a their communication skills.
significant role in an individual placement, whether in
Objective of the Study
academic institutions or the workplace. Due to this,
many people are concerned with the ways they can
enhance their academic achievement. The emphasis on • To examine the usage of social media in
academic excellence, which is also prevalent urban and rural based students.
worldwide, has stimulated many studies of the • To check the perception of social media
conditions that promote it. The role of academic among urban and rural based students.
achievement as one of the predictors of one’s life
• To assess the positive impact of social
success and the aspect of academic placement from media on t h e academic performance of
schools to higher institutions as well as the level of
urbanstudents.
employability in one’s career is indispensable
• To assess the positive impact of
(Kyoshaba, 2009).
social media on t h e academic
Most of the youth and students today have performance of ruralstudents.
Facebook accounts. The reason for the poor • To assess the negative impact of social
performance of many of them in school might not be media on t h e academic performance of
far-fetched. While many minds might be quick to urbanstudents.
blame the poor quality of teachers, if they have not • To assess the negative impact of social
heard of the Facebook frenzy, they might have to think media on t h e academic performance of
harder. (Oche & Aminu, 2010). Olubiyi (2012) noted ruralstudents.
that these days’ students are so engrossed in the social
media that they are online almost 24 hours a day. Even Research Questions
in classrooms and lecture theatres, it has been observed This research intend to answer the following
that some students are always busy pinging,2going or questions:
Facebook, while lectures are on. Times that ought to • How much social media is used by urban and
be devoted towards learning, scholarly research and rural based students?
innovating have been crushed by the passion to meet
new friends online, and is often spent to discuss trivial • What is the impact of the perception of social
issues. Hence, most students’ academics suffer setback media on urban and rural based students?
as a result of social media distraction.
• What is the positive and negative impact of
Obi, Bulus, Adamu & Sala’at (2012) observed social media on the academic performance of
that the use of these sites also affects students’ use of urban and rural students?
English and grammar. The students are used to short • What is the negative impact of social media
forms of writing words in their chat rooms; they forget on the academic performance of urban and
and use the same in the classrooms and examinations.
653 Journal of Positive School Psychology

rural students? their study time, poor grammar and incorrectspellings

when socializing on social media as well as distracting
Hypothesis them from their studies (Ndaku, 2013). Students spend
more of their study time on social networks than on
1. There is significant positive impact of their academicwork and this has affected their Grade
social media on academic performance Point Average (GPA).
of urbanstudents.
Investigation on the impact of social media
2. There is significant positive impact of
was conducted in Malaysia focusing on student’s
social media on academic performance
academic performance in tertiary institution. so far
of ruralstudents.
only a few researches have been conducted on this
3. There is significant negative impact of
topic inthe tertiary institution pertaining this topic and
social media on academic performance
the researcher’s respondent were information
of urban students
technology students (Helou & Rahim, 2014). Social
4. There is a significant negative impact of media is generally used by millions of people around
social media on academic performance of the world on a regular basis for different reasons. A
rural students. large portion of social media users consists of youth
Statement of the Problem where most of them are college students. In fact, a
recent survey of 3000 students from across the US
Social media is that means employs mobile and
found that 90% of college students use Facebook and
webbased technology to create highly interactive
37% use Twitter(Dahlstrom et al., 2011).
platforms via which individuals and community share,
co-create, discuss and modifiesuser-generated content Hussein and Ghoul (2015) pointed out the
(Kietzmannn et al., 2012). Social media is a phrase impact of using the Facebook method and the impact
being tossed around a lot. It is a website that not only of the cumulative average on the achievement of ninth-
gives you information but also interacts with you while grade students in the English language and the
giving you information. It is a group of internet based interaction between them. They also clarified that the
applications that allow the creation and exchange of achievement of ninth grade students in English
users-generated content. It is easy to confuse social language has increased using Facebook compared to
media with social news because social mediafurther the traditional method. There was a dire need for
refers to the means of interaction among people in educational strategies to keep up with the
which they create, share, exchange and comment contemporary times, as well as teaching methods that
among themselves on different networks. In addition, would develop students' confidence in their skills and
social media has become one of the major channels for abilities in learning geography and try to overcome the
chatting through platforms such as 2go, BB chat, traditional ways of bridging the gap between the
blogger and wiki a. There has been an increase in the requirements of the current age and the students’
mobile social media which has created new aspirations.
opportunity for browsing. It is a phenomenon that has
been developing in a rapid pace. Different scholars Significance of the Study
have described it in a different way (Jacka & Scott, The world is today celebrating the improvements in
2011) say “there is no single recognized definition of communication technology which has broadened the
social media”. Drury (2008) defines social media as scope of communication through Information and
“online resources that people use to share content: Communication Technologies (ICTs). Ufuophu and
video, photos, images, text, ideas, insight, humor, Ayobami (2012) observed that the ICTs platforms
opinion, gossip, news”. The use of social mediaamong include internet, satellite, cable data transmission and
students has reached high levels and this has affected computer aided devices. Undoubtedly, the modern
 Dr. Rao Shahid 654

technology in communication has turned the entire realtime. Social media zips through our campuses
world into a “Global village”. But as it is, technology nearly unseen, dragging behind it the heavy weight of
like two sidesof a coin, bringing with it both negative social injustices and complicated Jurisprudence
and positive sides. It helps people to be better accumulated over decades of student speech (Gurcan,
informed, enlightened, and aware of the world 2015).
developments. Technology exposes humans to better
ways of doing things. Social networking sites include: Malaney (2005) found that some students in
Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook Messenger, multiple studies in 2000 and 2003 reported that their
Blackberry Messenger (BBM), Whats app messenger, grades had suffered as a result of too much time spent
2go messenger, Skype, Google talk, Google on social media. Banquil et al. (2009) observed a drop
Messenger, iPhone and Androids. These networking in students’ grades and lack of time as consequences
sites are mostly used by people tocommunicate with of social networking participation. Other studies also
old and new friends, physical or internet friends concluded that the obsession with SN had adverse
(Asemah & Edegoh, 2012). The world has changed effects of social networking on student performance.
rapidly with the evolution of technology which has Results of a study of Swedish students indicated that
resulted in the use of technology as the best medium to the extensive use of social networking and Facebook
explore a vast area of knowledge. by students will lead to poor academic performance
(Rouis et al., 2011).
Literature Review
Nevertheless, some researchers and studies
Social media constitute an increasingly important have found a positive impact that social network
context in one’s academic everyday life. Indeed, some participation has on students’ academic performance.
critics talk about social media as a key site for According to Apeanti and Danso (2014), students think
socialization and identity recognition in many people’s that using social media is more fun for their teachers..
lives as self-recognition networks. (Papacharissi, The authors also noted that children think their
2010). Social media are therefore associated with an academic performance would improve if they could
increased tendency for young people to multitask, to connect with their colleagues and teachers through
rely on a digital juggling of daily activities and social media. The authors also noted that teachers
commitments (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2011).More should offer class hours on social media. Researchers
specifically, the reason for young people associated have tackled different methods and ways where social
with these emerging technologies is also associated networking can be utilized in education. Boyd (2007)
with the autonomous nature of social media allowing suggested that social media enhances children’s view
students increased control overthe nature and form of of self, community, andthe world. Staying connected
what they do, as well as where, when and how they do through social media helps children to stay connected
it. with friends and family and make new friends, share
pictures and videos, and exchange new ideas
As Siemens (2004) puts it, learning can (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011).
therefore be conceived in terms of the ‘capacity to
know more via social media rather than a reliance on Brenner (2012) stated that girls on average
the individual accumulation of prior knowledge in spend more time on social media sites than boys. The
terms of what is currently known Social media same study also indicates that more girls use Facebook
provides students with a new mechanismfor a familiar and Twitter. Other studies note that more boys use
exercise. It provides students with a direct medium by music-sharing sites. A study by Gross (2004) reported
which to publicly evaluate and comment on their that both gendersare adopting the Internet as a means
campus environments, institutional policies, classes, of communicating with their friends. The author
professors, administration and fellow students in indicatesthat chatting via instant messaging is the most
655 Journal of Positive School Psychology

common activity among American high school media, the difficulty of use among older health
students. Many of the social activities are performed in educators, and the belief that social media would not
virtual spaces that are created through social media. enhance job performance.
This vitality led to a shift from face-to-face social
interaction in real life and real places. Ahmed and Qazi Kindi and Alhashmi, (2012) study found that
(2011) found that majority of users (75.3%) were those the major reasons for frequent use of SNSs are finding
who spendonly 1-3 h a day on using SNSs, few were information and sharing news. The study also
spending 4-6 hours (19.5%) and small number of users indicated that lack of experience as well as insufficient
(5.2%) was found to spend too much time on using time and IT skills are effective factors of not using
these sites that is, 9 hours or above. This reflects that SNSs. However, most of the students do feel that the
majority of student users consume a reasonable time SNSs have more positive impact on their academic
on these using these sites. The study also identifies the performance. As the use of social networking sites
basic purpose of SNSs ‟ usage among students and the exponentially increases, there is no third party or other
findings clearly community that can check for what actions have been
performed by which user, so it is stronglyrecommended
depict that about 73.5% respondents were using
to check children’s activities on social networks and
these sites to be in touch with their friends.Only
don’t let them use social networking websites.
13.7% respondents use SNS for joining educational
communities and the findings explicitly suggest that Huang and Capps (2013) investigates social
SNSs sites are basically used for non-academic networking sites (SNS) and ways college students
motives. spend their time on both conventional academic and
recreational reading. A total of 1,265(466 male and 799
Ahmed and Qazi (2011) investigated the
female) college students voluntarily participated in the
impact of social networking sites (SNSs) on the
study by completing a
studying habits of students and explored that despite
the use of social networking sites, studentsbalance their self-report survey. Descriptive analysis indicated that
time between studies and their usage of these sites, and the average amount of time students spent
can sustain good studyinghabits to maintain their (M) on academic reading (AR), recreational
academic performance. Hence, the use of these reading (RR), and social networking (SN) was 7.72
networking tools does not adversely affect the study hours, 4.24 hours, and 16.13 hours per week,
habits of the students. respectively.
Conole, Galley and Culver (2011) discuss the Banquil and Burce (2009) found a continuing drop
key challenges in researching new learning contexts of grades among student users of social networking
through socially mediated environments, namely sites. Also, Boogart and Robert (2006) declared that
articulation and understanding of the nature of the use of SNSs and Facebook detrimental impacts on
interactions among users within these environments academic performance of student users. Then,
and between the users and the tools that form part of Grabmeier (2009) observed lower GPAs among
the environment. Hanson, et al. (2011) findings students who log in any SNS. Internet abuses are
revealed that health educators most commonly used increasing at an alarming rate and putting forward a
social networking sites (34.8%), podcasts (23.5%), and serious need to promote usage regulations among
media sharing sites (18.5%) within their organizations. student users. While using SNSs, issues of privacy,
Social influence (P < 0.0001) and performance identity protection, and eprofessionalism must be paid
expectancy (P < 0.0001) were both positively attention as proposed by Mattingly et al. (2010) but a
associated with increased behavioral intentionsto use contrasting finding was given by Sengupta and
social media for health promotion. Reasons for lack of Chaudhuri (2010) that SNSs memberships are not
use included employers monitoring or blocking social
 Dr. Rao Shahid 656

correlated with online abuse of teenagers. researchers turned their attention to the outcomes of
media use and the social and psychological needs that
Social Media is the platform that gives individuals media gratified. Today, the theory is often credited to
the opportunity to interact, using two way Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz’s work in 1974. As media
communications; meaning, that anyone who has online technologies continue to proliferate, research on uses
accounts can share their opinions with other social and gratifications theory is more important than ever
media users. Dabbagh & Reo said that Social media is for understanding people’s motivations for choosing
a 21st century term used widely to identify a variety of media and the gratifications they get out of it. Uses and
network tools, or technologies that emphasize the gratifications theory relies on two principles about
social aspects of the Internet as a channel for media users. First, it characterizes media users as
communication, collaboration, and creative active in their selection of the media they consume.
expression, which is often interchangeable with the From this perspective, people don’t use media
terms Web 2.0 and social software (Dabbagh & Reo, passively. They are engaged and motivated in their
2011). In the 21st century, technology has significantly media selections. Second, people are aware of their
impacted different aspects of people‘s lives. Education reasons for selecting different media options. They
is one aspect where we can see the use of the modern rely on their knowledge of their motivations to make
technologies. The internet and laptops have changedthe media choices that will help them meet their specific
form of the learning environment. The modern wants and needs.
technologies offer abundant opportunities to assist,
guide, and motivate the students to learn and further Method and Procedure
their education. YouTube is an influential technology. The research is descriptive in nature. It was a survey
Social media as "Forms of electronic communication study because survey studies are conducted when a
(such as Web sites) through which people create online researcher intends to know the existing situation and
communities to share information, ideas, personal intensity of the problem. The study is survey research;
messages, etc. (Merriam Webster, 2016). New media hence a questionnaire was administered for the
refers to those digital media that are interactive, collection of data. The population is the major part of
incorporate two-way communication and involve the research, so the target population of this survey
some form of computing Robert Logan writes in his comprised students of urban and rural areas of Sahiwal.
book Understanding New Media. New media is very The subjectof the population actually drawn from the
easily processed, stored, transformed, retrieved, and sampling frame is called the sample (Shaugneery,
hyperlinked and, perhaps most radical of all, easily 1994) In this study, researcher selected all the colleges
searched for and accessed (BrianNeese Feb15th 2016). and universities of the Sahiwal division. It is difficult
to make a complete study of all the cases from which
Uses and gratification Theory conclusions are to be drawn. So the sample comprised
200 subjects. The sample was selected by using the
Uses and gratifications theory asserts that people use random sampling technique for data collection using
media to gratify specific wants and needs. Unlike this technique. The researcher used a questionnaire as
many media theories that view media users as passive, a guide because “A questionnaire is a more precise
uses and gratifications sees users asactive agents who and quick tool. It provides clear information to get
have control over their media consumption. Uses and response from the students” (Black, 1976). The
gratifications was first introduced in the 1940s as researcher developed a questionnaire of twenty-five
scholars began to study why people choose to consume items to collect all the necessary information for the
various forms of media. For the next few decades, uses study. A rating scale is used for this purpose, points
and gratifications research mostly focused on the were Very much, Much, Somewhat, Little and Not at
gratifications media users sought. Then, in the 1970s, all. Female students were asked to tick against each
657 Journal of Positive School Psychology

item according to their own choice.. The researcher were distributed and collected personally so the return
visited the concerned institutions with the permission was 100 percent. The responses of the respondents
of the Head of the Institution. The researcher were classified and presented in tabular form.
administered the questionnaire personally because it
was in the approach of the researcher. Instructions Statistical Analysis
were given on how to fill it. The researcher assured the
female students that their responses would be kept H1: There is significant positive impact of
secret and nothing would be made publically. Subjects social media on academic performance of
were asked to read every item carefully and marked the urbanstudents?
concerned box of their free choice. Subjects were
requested to fill in their identification and to read the
directions given on thefirst page of the questionnaire Coefficients a

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized t Sig.

Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta

(Constant) 11.631 .653 12.410 .000

1 .698
PI .610 .076 5.467 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Academic media has (61%) impact on academicperformance of

Performance behavior of urban students and (p=.000). So it is
First hypothesis of the study is there is significant clearly stated that the first hypothesis of the study is
positive impact of social media on academic approved. H2: There is significant positive impact of
performance of urban students. Above table shows the social media on academic performance of rural
results of regression test on data set. Major results students?
shows (b= ..699; t=5.467; p= .000) mean that social
Coefficients a

Model Unstandardized Standardized t Sig.

Coefficients Coefficients

B Std. Error Beta

(Constant) 8.151 .600 17.815 .000

1 .810
Brand PIR .780 .056 19.309 .000
a. Dependent Variable: AP

Second hypothesis of the study is “There is table shows the results of regression test on data set.
significant positive impact of social media on Major results shows (b= .810; t=19.309; p= .000) mean
academic performance of rural students?”. Above that social media has (78%) impact on academic
 Dr. Rao Shahid 658

performance of rural youth. (p=.000). So it is clearly social media on academic performance of

stated that the second hypothesis of the study is urbanstudents?
approved.
Coefficients
H3: There is significant negative impact of
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized t Sig.
Coefficients

B Std. Error Beta

(Constant) 4.120 .456 2.187 .000

1 .789
NI .601 .056 19.234 .000

a. Dependent Variable: AP performance of urban students and (p=.000). So it is

clearly stated that the third hypothesis of the study is
Third hypothesis of the study is “There is significant
approved.
negative impact of social media on academic
performance of urban students” above table shows the H4: There is significant negative impact of
results of regression test on data set. Major results social media on academic performance of
shows (b= .789; t=19.234; p= .000) mean that social ruralstudents?
media has (60%) negative impact on academic
Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Standardized t Sig.

Coefficients Coefficients

B Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 3.120 .450 2.187 .000

NI ..71 .029 .719 18.33 .000

a. Dependent Variable: AP

Fourth hypothesis of the study is “There is significant

negative impact of social media on academic Facebook usage and its positive impact on academic
performance of rural students” above table shows the performance (Tuan, 2013). Many studies found
results of regression test on data set. Major results positive impacts of social media and networking on
shows (b= .701; t=18.331; p= .000) mean that social language and reading (Wood et al., 2014). Social
media has 71%) negative impact on academic networking and media can provide rich tools for
performance of rural students and (p=.000). So it is teaching innovation and compiling ways to effectively
clearly stated that the fourth hypothesis of the study is engage students.. The results of some empirical studies
approved. suggest that educators should embrace social media
(Ito et al., 2009).
Discussion and Analysis
659 Journal of Positive School Psychology

Some suggested that high school students use it to also that teachers should offer class hours on social
connect with other students forhomework and group media. Researchers have tackled different methodsand
projects. Some teachers use blogs as teaching tools, ways where social networking can be utilized in
where they reinforce skills in English, written education.
expression and creativity. Social media also allow Ahmed and Qazi (2011) investigates s the impact
students to get togetheroutside the class to collaborate of social networking sites (SNSs) on the studying
and exchange ideas about projects and assignments habits of students and explored is that despite the use
(O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Gafni and Deri of social networking sites, studentscan balance their
(2012) used the term ‘‘social absorption” for students, time between studies and their usage of these sites, and
wherethey emphasized the role of social networks in can sustain good studyinghabits to maintain their
socializing and opening new channels for discovering academic performance. Hence, usage of these
more academic resources. Ahmed and Qazi (2011) networking tools does not adversely affect the
found that social network sites promote interactions studying habits of the students (Conole, Galley &
between students and teachers. Ito et al., (2009) Culver , 2011) discusses the key challenges in
identified a number of positive activities that children researching new learning contexts through socially
undertake. The technologies involve several positive mediated environments, namely articulation and
activities mostly related to involvement in interest understanding of the nature of the interactions among
driven communities. Ahn (2011) added that ‘‘Social users within these environments and between the
network sites provide a platform for the youth to users and the tools that form part of the
participate in communities that help them to learn and environment. Hanson, et al (2011) findings revealed
practice skills within a particular knowledge area.” that health educators most commonly used social
Similarly, a study by Fishman et al., 2005 indicated networking sites (34.8%), podcasts (23.5%), and
that ‘‘college students produce tremendous volume of media sharing sites (18.5%) within their organizations.
writing through various social media tools such as Social influence (P < 0.0001) and performance
blogs, emails, and other social mediaenvironments.” In expectancy (P < 0.0001) were both positively
terms of educational benefits, a number of researchers associated with increased behavioral intentionsto use
have found positive outcomes in online community social media for health promotion. Reasons for lack of
engagement among children and their peers. Tiene use included employers monitoring or blocking social
(2000) showed that ‘‘written communication on media, difficulty of use among older health educators,
cyberspace enables students to take part in discussions and the belief that social media would not enhance job
at a time convenient to them and articulate their ideas performance. The study investigates the relationship
in more carefully thought-out and structured ways.” between the use of SNSs and Chinese international
students’ educational adaptation. Face book, as the
Deng and Tavares (2013) concluded that
most popular used in western young people, is
‘‘web-based discussions can contribute to the
perceived as the second choice for Chinese
development of students’ reflective ability and critical
international students to build social networks. They
thinking skills.” The authors also add that relative to
use the SNSs as a way of keeping their existing social
face-to-face communication, ‘‘children are more
connections alive, rather than for making new friends
willing to voice their views (agreements or
(Cao & Zhang, 2012).
disagreements) and are more attuned to others’
opinions in online discussions.” According to Apeanti Jain, et al. (2012) they found that graduate
and Danso (2014), students think that using social students uses SNSs websites more instead of Post
media is more fun for their teachers. The authors also Graduate students. Out of 128 students 86% use one or
note that children think their academic performance more of the social networking sites: Facebook,
would be betterif they could contact their colleagues Youtube, Twitter, Orkut, Linkedln. The largest
and teachers through social media. The authors noted percentage of respondents used facebook (84.2%)
 Dr. Rao Shahid 660

followed byYoutube (82.5%), Twitter (22.3), Orkut spend their time on both conventional academic and
(17.3%) and Linkedln (4%). (Kindi and Alhashmi, recreational reading. A total of 1,265 (466 male and
2012) The study found that the major reasons for 799 female) college students voluntarily participated
frequent use of SNSs are finding information and in the study by completing a self- report survey.
sharing news. The study also indicated that lack of Descriptive analysis indicated that the average amount
experience as well as insufficient time and IT skills are of time students spent (M) on academic reading (AR),
effective factors of not using SNSs. Oye and Ab.Rahim recreational reading (RR), and social networking (SN)
(2012) thestudy confirmed that most of the younger was 7.72 hours, 4.24 hours, and 16.13 hours per week,
students are engage in the use of SNSs mainly for respectively.
socializing activities rather than for academic A number of researchers have found a
purpose. However, most of the students do feel negative impact that social network participation has
that the SNSs have more positive impact on their on students’ academic performance. Malaney (2005)
academic performance. Sezen (2012) ascertain that found that some students in multiple studies in 2000
SNSs increases the student-student and teacher and 2003 reported that their grades had suffered as a
student interaction, enhancing student motivation and result of too much time spenton social media. Banquil
classroom climate, sharing materials with the et al., ( 2009) found evidence of a continuing drop
instructor and students, making use of students’ of grades among students because of using social
interests and needs, and making learning process networking. Some studies reported a significant
more interesting and permanent. Shambare, negative relation between Facebook use and academic
Rugimbana and Sithole (2012) study confirms the performance (Gafni & Deri, 2012; Junco, 2012a, b,
popularity of Facebook, and suggests the potential for 2011; Ndaku, 2013; Rouis et al., 2011). Banquil et al.
social networking in many aspects of students’ lives, (2009) observed a drop in students’ grades and lack of
including education. Faster Internet access and time as consequences of social networking
affordable 3G technology, as well as Smartphone participation. Other studies also concluded that the
telephony are enablers that positively influence the obsession with SN had adverse effects of social
adoption of social networking (Tariq, Mehboob, & networking on student performance (Paulet al., 2012;
Khan, 2012). As the use of social networking sites Burak, 2012). The results of a study of Swedish
exponentially increase there is no third party or any students indicated that the extensive use of social
other community which could check for whatactions networking and Facebook by students would lead to
have been performed by which user, so it is strongly poor academic performance (Rouis et al., 2011).
recommended to check children’s activities on social Nevertheless, some researchers and studies have found
networks and don’t let them use it. a positive impact that social network participation has
on students’ academic performance.
Utpal (2012) found that the instant and
widespread nature of social media spread it like a fire Conclusion
in the forest and Information sharing societies is based Students are paying more attention towards these
on the social promotion and practices of the social networking activities rather than utilizing this
exchanging and sharing knowledge originating from time for their studies and this surely affects their
many different societies and help to evolve social academic performance. Thomas et al. (1987)stated that
revolution. Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as activities of students are associated with grade-related
Facebook, Google+, Myspace, LinkedIn and Twitter differences among them.Karpinski (2009) found that
have now become commonplace in international Facebook usage is negatively correlated with the
virtual space.Approximately, 75% of all online adults collegiate grade point averages (CGPAs) of its users.
maintain at least one social network profile (Weber, He observed that the range of CGPAs for non-users is
2012). Huang and Capps (2013) investigates social 3.5-4.0 but lesser forusers i.e. 3.0- 3.5. But the most
networking sites (SNS) and ways college students interesting finding was that 79% of Facebook users
661 Journal of Positive School Psychology

denied having any adverse impact of this usage on their 3. Ahmed, I., & Qazi, T. F. (2011). A look out for
CGPAs. academic impacts of Social networking sites
Every technological innovation has been a (SNSs): A student based perspective. African
topic of debate and the center of researchers‟ attention Journal of Business
and the same is the case with the development of SNSs. 4. Management, 5(12), 5022-5031.
Various researchers have conductedstudies to identify 5. Apeanti, W. O., & Danso, E. D. (2014). Students’
the various impacts these sites have on their users and use of social media in higher educationin Ghana.
findings suggested both bright and dark aspects. It has Innovative Journal, 3(1), 3-9.
been found that excessive usage causes many 6. Asemah, E. S., Okpanachi, R. A., & Edegoh, L. O.
psychological, physical, interpersonal and educational (2013). Influence of social media onthe academic
problems to users (Suhail and Bargees, 2006). performance of the undergraduate students of
Numerous studies have also been conducted to Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria. Research
delineate the impact of SNSs on the young generation on Humanities and Social Sciences Vol, 3.
and students. Cassidy (2006) proposed that young 7. Black, F. (1976). The pricing of commodity
people compete on the basis of their efficiency in using contracts. Journal of financial economics, 3(1-2),
SNSs and the criteria of this competition are the number 167-179.
of friends one can accumulate using these sites. 8. Boogart, M. R. V., & Robert, M. (2006).
Baroness Greenfield proclaimed that Internet obsessed Uncovering the social impacts of Facebook on a
children find it hard to concentrate and communicate college campus (Doctoral dissertation, Kansas
while being offline and this leads to lower performance State University).
in academics (leaderswedeserve.wordpress.com). 9. Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social
network sites: Definition, history, andscholarship.
A similar idea was proposed by Dr Himanshu Journal of computer‐mediated Communication,
Tyagi that teenagers vigorously start spending their 13(1), 210-230.
time online and they underestimate the worth of their 10. Brenner, M. E. (2012). Interviewing in educational
real lives including education (www.telegraph.co.uk). research. In Handbook ofcomplementary methods
He proposed that such users indulge so much in in education research (pp. 357-370). Routledge.
coping with the fast pace of online social networking 11. Conole, G., Galley, R., & Culver, J. (2011).
that they start finding the real world around them un- Frameworks for understanding the nature of
stimulating. This study concludes that social media has interactions, networking, and community in a
negative and positive impacts academic achievements social networking site for academic practice. The
of students in urban and rural areas. international review of research in open and
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