The Effects of Social Media on College Students

I. Background of the study.

The researcher would like to be more aware of the changes in people’s lives due to the improvements in technology. This particular topic has interested the researcher since he is still inexperienced to the fast-growing communication methods and ready availability of information.

II. Significance of the study.

As social media sites continue to grow in popularity, it is our premise that technology is a vital part in today’s student success equation, or failure. According to many resources, social media can both be ally and enemy, especially to college students, since the present college generation is the so called ‘digital natives.’ College students can be called this, since information is just a click away. This field of study is important because sociability is an underlying theme in using forms of social media. Since this social media phenomenon is continuing to grow at a fast pace, it is important to understand the effects it has on personal communication.

Social media networks offer a straightforward way to converse with peers and get peer feedback, as well, which may influence a young adult’s self-esteem. It is also informative to know the negative effects of social media, which balance out the positives. Cutting edge technology is essential to the educational experience. However, there is a misuse or abuse of technology in the news. Social media can be harmful through comments about other people, stalking, harassment, and Twitter comments about other peers and faculty. This behavior is being named “electronic incivility” or “cyber bullying.” Students need to learn that their “fun” might come back to haunt them in an internship or job search.

III. Statement of the problem.

Social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, play huge roles in college students’ sustainment of relationships and reputations, and the increasing rates in learning deficiency and decreasing privacy.

IV. Objectives

This study aims:

* To point out the mainstream social media websites. * To approximate the amount of time students spend utilizing social media in various academic processes. * At the effortlessness of retrieving information or communicating. * To show that students become victims of social networks more often than anyone else.

V. Review of literature

College students’ use of social media is happening in rapidly growing amounts as new technology becomes available. Computer-mediated communication allows young adults to interact over social media with family and friends. However, many parents are worried that their college students are spending too much time on Facebook and other social media sites and not enough time studying. Therefore, this research ascertains the relationship between the social media and students’ study efficiency. Social media can only lead to one of two things; productivity or procrastination. To address the issue of the effectiveness of using social networking, the first question raised in this study is: for what purpose is the student utilizing social networking?

The objective of this research is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of students’ use of social networking for study; exploring the relationship between the effects of social networking and students’ study efficiency, and determining if social media interfere with students’ academic lives. On one hand, the positive aspect of online communities is that youths can utilize them for academic assistance and support (Lusk, 2010). Due to the ability of social media to enhance connections by making them easily accessible, social media can yield many benefits for the young, including providing a virtual space for them to explore their interests or problems with similar individuals, academic support, while strengthening online communication skills and knowledge.

On the other hand, “Our findings indicate that electronic media use is negatively associated with grades. We also find that about two-thirds of the students reported using electronic media while in class, studying, or doing homework (Jacobsen, & Forste, 2011).” This encourages the act of ‘multitasking’ which likely increases distraction, something prior research has shown to be detrimental to student performance. Another important aspect of social media is that it is important to use appropriate social networking etiquette because reputation matters; companies conduct security checks for job applicants that may include security team browsing social networks and thus, unrestricted profiles can leave open displays of “unacceptable behavior.” In conclusion, college students use the internet for entertainment purposes. Also, the world has become smaller and students can easily gain or give information through the abundant variety of social media.

References

Costanzo(2012). Social Media’s Impact on College Students Explored Jacobsen, W. C., & Forste, R. (2011). The Wired Generation: Academic and Social Outcomes of Electronic Media Use Among University Students.

Kalpidou, M., Costin, D., & Morris, J. (2011). The relationship between Facebook and the well-being of undergraduate college students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking.

Lambeth, Maginness, & Taliaferro(2012). Texas Tech University The Whole World is Watching: An Introduction To Responsible Social Media and Web Use Lusk, B. (2010). Digital natives and social media behaviors: An overview. Prevention Researcher

Margaryan, A., Littlejohn, A., & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a myth or reality? University students’ use of digital technologies. Sponcil ,Youngstown State University (2011). Use of social media by college students: Relationship to communication and self-concept