Social Media Addiction and It’s Impact on University of Cape Coast Distance Education Students’ Academic Achievement

Abstract

The study examined the influence of social media usage on the academic performance of students at the College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast. The research work utilized a descriptive survey design with a quantitative methodology. The study's target population comprised students enrolled in the College of Distance Education at the University of Cape Coast. The research instrument employed was a questionnaire that assessed students' social media usage. A total of 267 participants were sampled using a multistage sampling technique, and data was collected through the self-developed questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study disclosed that WhatsApp was the most frequently used social media site, with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter following closely behind. The study found that excessive use of social media can result in a lack of focus on studies and spending the majority of time online, which negatively affects academic performance. It is recommended that the management of the College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast, should guide and educate students on the dangers of being addicted to social media usage since too much time spent on social media sites could affect students’ academic performance. Such stakeholders should counsel students on the judicious use of social media.