Relationship between Facebook Usage and Academic Performance of College Students under the Royal University of Bhutan

Abstract

The development of social media like Facebook has changed the lives of many people principally the students. Several opinions are shared on how social media have a negative consequence on college students and lead to worsening their academic performance. Facebook usage is extremely prevalent among most undergraduates and approximately 85% of students use it particularly the first-year college students as it offers students a feeling of community and friendship. Of the total 365 students surveyed, 344 were Facebook users while 21 were non-users. Majority of respondents having Facebook account use mobile phones i.e., 48% of total respondents, 42% use their personal laptops and remaining 10% use college computer. Students are more often subjected to reading social media updates than reading academic-related books. Hence, it revealed that those who spent more time on social media spent less time studying i.e., users spent 0.33 to 1-hour studying per day and non-users spent 2 to 5 hours studying. Pearson's correlation test showed that the time spent on Facebook was negatively associated with students’ GPA (r = -.198, p = .000). More the time a student invests on Facebook, the lower the average grade point will be. However, blocking Facebook is not a solution since students can easily access it via their mobile phones.  As a result, rather than blocking the site, higher education institutions such as Universities and Colleges may encourage students to use Facebook for educational purposes by offering appropriate arrangements and training.