A Real-Time Observation Approach for Assessing the Impact of Social Media on Students’ Academic Performance

Abstract

The increase in the use of social media among students has led to investigation on its effect on academic performance. Existing studies conducted on this subject matter showed two contradictory opinions among researchers. While some researchers agreed that social media has negative impact on the students’ academic performance, others concluded that it has positive impact on the students’ academic performance. However, these studies relied on surveys carried out using questionnaires, which provide approximate estimates. In this study, a real-time observation approach devoid from the use of questionnaire was proposed. In addition, a time management equation was developed to further evaluate the impact of social media on the students’ academic performance. The results from the study showed that the use of social media has significant negative effect on the academic performance of the students.