SOCIAL NETWORKING AND STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL II IN CALABAR SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE.

Solomon, Obong Nseobong

&

Agbor Catherine Kuko

Department of Biology Education

University of Calabar

Calabar

Abstract

This study examined the influence of social networking on students' academic performance in Biology among Senior Secondary School II students in the Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. The independent variables examined were the use of Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube, while the dependent variable was students’ academic performance in Biology. To achieve the purpose of the study, three research questions and three hypotheses were posed and formulated, respectively, to guide the study. Literature was reviewed based on the variables in the study. The research design adopted for this study was a survey design. One hundred and sixty-five (165) SS II students who offered Biology in public secondary schools were randomly selected for this study. The instruments used for data collection were a 20-item questionnaire named "Social Networking and Students' Academic Performance Questionnaire (SNASAPQ)" and an achievement test in Biology constructed by the researcher. ANOVA was used as the statistical tool for data analysis. Each of the hypotheses was tested at the .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the use of Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube significantly influences students' academic performance among SS II students in Biology. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended, among others, that government/school proprietors provide in-service training for Biology teachers to enhance performance, especially in the use of social networking.

Keywords: Social networking, Performance, Biology, Facebook and Students. Download PDF