The Effect of the Language of Social Media on the Secondary School Learners of English Language
Chapter One
Aim and Objectives of the study
The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the language of socializing media on the secondary school learners of English language. The specific objectives are to:
- Examine the level of social media usage on secondary school students in Nigeria
- Investigate the digital social media influencing writing and speaking of secondary school learners of English language
- Examine the effect of social media language on academic performance of secondary school students in English language examinations
- Determine the ways of improving the performance of secondary school students in English language examinations.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The Concept of Social Media
Social media has emerged as a term frequently used (and variously defined) to describe different types of communication platforms and electronic ways of interacting (Mozee, no date). Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) defined it as a:
group of internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, allows the creation and exchange of user generated content and depend on mobile and Web based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share, create, discuss and modify user generated content. They refer to the internet-based social websites like the Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. which allow users to interactively communicate with one another. Social media can also refer to those “web-based and mobile-based technologies which are used to turn communication into interactive dialogue between organizations, communities and individuals (www.wikipedia).
The media allow users to meet friends, exchange ideas, images, audios, videos and most importantly stay connected. Since through their inventions, they have become increasingly popular in different countries across the globe. Bryer and Zavatarro (2011) see social media as “technologies that facilitate social interaction, make possible collaboration, and enable deliberations across stakeholders”.
Anjugu (2013) describes social media as “a group of internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of users generated content”, while Ezeah et al (2013) defines it as “modern interactive communication channels through which people connect to one another, share ideas, experiences, pictures, messages and information of common interest”.
The terms social media and social networking are used interchangeably. Social media refers to social software in the form of web sites and other online communities, such as social networking and micro blogging created by a large group of people (known as users) to share information, ideas, personal messages, conversations, or to develop social and professional contacts. Charles, Davis 111, Deil-Amen, Rios-Aguilar, and Gonzalez (2003), defined social media technology (SMT) as web-based and mobile applications that allow individuals and organizations to create, engage, and share ideas or existing content in various forms of communications in digital environments. In short, social media is the online communities in which people interact with each other. Social media users can create and organize a profile for themselves, edit and comment on each other’s posts and share information with others.
Hence, Verster (2010) observed that “social media are fast becoming the default internet mode of interaction, communication and collaboration”. In Nigeria, for instance, social media sites especially facebook, have apparently become common, especially among the youths in the country.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to the effect of the language of social media on the secondary school learners of English Language.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and
Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in gathering information relevant to the effect of the language of social media on the secondary school learners of English Language. Two hundred (200) students of selected secondary schools, Bayelsa State was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF DATA
One hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were distributed and one hundred and forty (133) were returned. This figure was the sample size. Out of the one hundred and thirty-three, only one hundred and twenty (120) were properly responded to. As a result, the researcher used one hundred and twenty for this study when more than 50% of the respondents agree to the questions, the answer is taken as valid for the purpose of this study. In analyzing the data, the approach that will be adopted is to find out the percentage and positive and negative answers to the question posed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was on The effect of the language of social media on the secondary school learners of English Language. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the language of social media on the secondary school learners of English Language
Summary
This study was on The effect of the language of social media on the secondary school learners of English Language. Four objectives were raised which included: Examine the level of social media usage on secondary school students in Nigeria, Investigate the digital social media influencing writing and speaking of secondary school learners of English language, Examine the effect of social media language on academic performance of secondary school students in English language examinations and Determine the ways of improving the performance of secondary school students in English language examinations. In line with these objectives, four research questions were asked and answered. The total population for the study is 200 students of selected schools in Bayelsa state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made sss 3 students, sss 2 students, sss 1 students and jss3 students were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
The findings of this study and earlier ones showed some notable result that will be used in a well-articulated programme of creating awareness to help improve the condition and restore sanity among the students in their incessant use of social media network so as for them to acquire the right type of education and the use of correct English since Nigeria has chosen it (English) as a second language. The first independent variable influencing the academic performance of students, that is, social media participation was negatively related with students outcome while the other independent variable were positively related with students outcome. We are further convinced that this study will in no small measure, assist and be beneficial to students of all levels, institutions, parents/guardian, government agencies, educational administrators and the ministries in devising a new approach to the crucial war against social media menace among youths and students so as to determine how social media influence the performance of secondary school students in their use of English language.
Recommendations
By this study, it is recommended that;
- More strict and meticulous supervision and examining procedure should be adopted in the teaching and learning of English to check student’s activities during lectures. For instance, teachers should be moving round while teaching to ensure that no student is making use of their phones during lectures.
- Public enlightenment programmes should be launched by the government and various stockholders and school administrators to reach out to both urban and rural students on the effect that these unchecked and excess use of social media has on their person and academics. Such programmes could be seminars, workshops, teaching etc.
- Institutions and Curriculum planners should enact a law which indicate that social media should encourage broader discussions of course content, older students may spend more time than younger students engaging in unrelated discussions that notwithstanding, the key advantage of using social media to aid learning and teaching can only be fully achieved with the existence of clear rules that stipulate the dos and don’ts so as to ensure that whatever students engage in are aimed at gaining the educational benefits of social media (Rutherford, 2010). In most cases the prospective benefits have been achieved where institutions of higher learning regulate to a certain level the use of social media (Kithcart, 2011).
References
- Abati R., How young people now write the English language, in The Scoop, May 15, 2016.
- http://www.thescoopng.com/2016/05/15/reuben-abati-how-young-people-now-write-the-english-language/
- Ahmed, I. & Qazi, T. F. (2011), A look out for academic impacts of Social networking sites
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- Alexander, J. and Salas, G. (2008), Technology for institutional enrollment, communication, and student success, New Directions for Student Services, 124, 103-116.
- Amos A. B. (2012), Effects of Social Networking on Nigerian youths/Students in Nigeriaobservernews.com/26022012/Sundayobserver/features.html.
- Al-rahmi, W. M, Othman, M.S & Musa, M.A.(2014), The improvement of students’ academic performance by using social media through collaborative learning in Malaysian higher education, Asian Social Science, 10( 8), 210-221.
