EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT STUDENTS IN THE POLYTECHNIC, IBADAN

ABSTRACT This study investigated the “Effect of Social Media on Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management (OTM) Students in The Polytechnic, Ibadan”, with the aim of providing empirical evidence on how technology-driven social interactions shape academic outcomes. The study was motivated by the increasing integration of digital culture into students’ daily lives and the gaps in literature concerning its nuanced impact on Nigerian tertiary students. Specifically, the objectives were to assess the level of academic performance of OTM students, evaluate their extent of social media usage, identify challenges associated with its use, and determine the relationship between social media and academic performance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, with a population of 540 OTM students and a sample size of 240 students selected through the stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, analyzed, and subjected to statistical testing using Pearson Product–Moment Correlation. Findings revealed a significant negative relationship between social media usage and academic performance, indicating that excessive or unproductive engagement with social media reduces students’ scholastic achievement. However, results also showed that social media can positively influence academic performance when utilized for collaborative learning and academic information sharing. This empirical research therefore concludes that social media is a double-edged tool: beneficial when purposefully applied, but detrimental when misused. It is recommended that lecturers and institutions integrate social media platforms into academic activiti