Online Social Networking and the Academic Achievement of University Students – The experience of selected Nigerian Universities

The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between online social networking and the academic achievement of students in universities in Kwara State. The study also investigated the number of social networking sites students subscribe to, the number of social networking sites students use, the number of hours the students spend daily on social networking sites, the relationship between frequency of use of social networking sites and the students’ academic achievement, the relationship between gender and the students’ use of Social networking sites, the relationship of students’ use of social networking sites and their academic achievement from university to university. According to Cecconi (2007), Social Networking is all activities carried out within specific online services that provide free space and software tools which allow the creation of networks of people. The social networking websites users interact by adding friends, connecting on profiles, joining groups and having discussions. Social Networking technology was not originally developed for instructional purpose. As observed by Clement (1990), users developed informal collaborative networks in organizations. Studies have shown that one of the most effective channels for gathering information and expertise within an organization is its informal networks of collaborators, colleagues and friends. Keywords: Relationship, Social networking, Academic achievement, Online, University students