DISTRACTION LEVEL OF SELECTED SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ONDO STATE

The increasing rate of distraction caused by students’ excessive use of social media platforms during study periods has become a major concern for educators and parents, as it negatively affects concentration, retention, and overall academic achievement. This problem is particularly evident among Biology students in tertiary institutions, where success in the subject is crucial for medical and scientific career pathways. Despite the importance of Biology, many students spend more time on platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram than on academic tasks, which may contribute to their declining performance. In response to this challenge, this study examines the impact of social media distractions on academic performance among Biology students in tertiary institutions across Ondo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research of the survey type, the population of the study consisted of all Biology students in Tertiary institution in Ondo State Nigeria, the study sampled 200 Biology students from three institutions (a university, a polytechnic and a college) using stratified random sampling. Data collection utilized a validated questionnaire assessing social media usage patterns, distraction levels, and academic performance indicators. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation to answer the three research question, while three hypothesis formulated were tested using (ANOVA, t-tests, Pearson correlation). Findings revealed that WhatsApp (X̅ =3.07), TikTok (X̅ =3.10), and Facebook (X̅ =3.05) as the most frequently used platforms. A significant 78% of respondents reported study interruptions from social media, with analysis showing a moderate negative correlation (r=-0.35, p