THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS ON THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Social media refers to internet-based applications and platforms that allow individuals and groups to create, share, and exchange information, ideas, and content in virtual communities and networks. Social media tools, in the context of education, include platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Twitter (now X), Instagram, and TikTok, which are increasingly being repurposed by teachers and students beyond their original social and entertainment functions to support instructional delivery, collaborative learning, resource sharing, and academic communication. Over the past decade, the boundary between social media as a tool for leisure and social media as a tool for teaching and learning has become increasingly blurred, as schools, teachers, and students around the world have found innovative ways of incorporating these platforms into classroom and out-of-classroom academic activities.

The rate of social media adoption in Nigeria has grown rapidly in recent years. According to DataReportal's most recent digital report, Nigeria was home to 38.7 million active social media user identities at the start of 2025, out of 107 million internet users, representing an internet penetration rate of 45.4 percent of the total population (DataReportal, 2025). WhatsApp remains by far the most widely used social media platform among Nigerian internet users, with survey data showing that it was used by more than 95 percent of internet users aged 16 and above as at the third quarter of 2024, well ahead of other platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. This near-universal ownership of internet-enabled mobile phones and near-ubiquitous use of WhatsApp among Nigerian teenagers and young adults has significant implications for how teaching and learning can, and increasingly does, take place both within and outside the traditional classroom.

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic served as a major catalyst for the adoption of social media and other digital tools in the Nigerian education sector, including at the secondary school level. A study of junior secondary schools in Orlu, Nigeria found that the sudden shift to online lectures during the pandemic significantly altered the teaching and learning process, with both teachers and students relying heavily on platforms such as WhatsApp and Zoom to sustain academic continuity, even as the transition exposed challenges related to internet access, digital literacy, and infrastructure (Nneji et al., 2022). Since the pandemic, several studies have found that teachers have continued to build on this experience by integrating social media into their day-to-day instructional practice. A recent study of secondary school teachers in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State found that WhatsApp was the most used social media platform for instructional delivery and student assessment, followed by Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and LinkedIn, and that the extent of this usage was significantly influenced by factors such as gender and school type (Augustine & Eteng-Uket, 2025). Similarly, a study of basic school teachers in Ghana found that Facebook and WhatsApp were the most used platforms among teachers, who valued these tools for communication, collaboration, and professional development, even though the study also identified infrastructural and policy-related challenges limiting fuller adoption (Kwaah, 2024).

At the specific level of senior secondary education, the evidence on the effect of social media tools on teaching and learning remains mixed. Some studies report clearly positive relationships. A study of secondary school teachers and students in Osun State, Nigeria found that the use of Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and YouTube was significantly related to students' academic performance, and concluded that these platforms made positive contributions to learning outcomes when properly utilised (Olowo et al., 2020). Likewise, a study of Geography students in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State recommended that social media utilisation should be encouraged among students because of its potential to build communication skills, foster interaction, and enhance collaboration between students, teachers, and parents (Sampson & Ebong, 2019). A study among secondary school youths in Edo North, Edo State similarly found that Nigerian teenagers had widespread access to, and made frequent use of, social media for learning, research, entertainment, and communication purposes (Ngonso et al., 2024). On the other hand, other studies caution that the same tools carry a real risk of distraction and misuse. A study conducted among secondary school students in The Gambia found that although social media tools had improved communication in education and created opportunities for research, a majority of students who used platforms such as Facebook were prone to addiction and distraction from online activities, with a resulting detrimental effect on their academic achievement (Shaib et al., 2020).

This pattern of contradictory findings, some studies emphasising the instructional benefits of social media tools and others emphasising their capacity to distract and undermine academic performance, indicates that the actual effect of these tools on the teaching and learning process cannot simply be assumed to be either wholly positive or wholly negative. Rather, it depends on factors such as the specific tools involved, how they are used, the extent and manner of their integration into instruction, and the safeguards put in place to manage their associated challenges. Senior secondary school students occupy a particularly important and delicate position in this discussion. They are old enough to independently own and operate internet-enabled smartphones, are within the age bracket most active on social media platforms, and are simultaneously preparing for high-stakes examinations such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) examination, where both the benefits of collaborative digital learning and the risks of distraction carry heightened consequences. It is against this background that the present study was conceived, to systematically examine the effect of social media tools on the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Nigerian senior secondary schools currently find themselves in a period of considerable digital transition. Increasing numbers of students and teachers own internet-enabled smartphones and are active users of platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube (DataReportal, 2025), yet classroom instruction in many schools remains largely anchored in traditional, teacher-centred methods, with the integration of social media tools into formal instructional delivery occurring inconsistently and, in many cases, informally rather than as part of a deliberate pedagogical strategy. Where social media tools are used, the extent, purpose, and manner of that use appear to vary considerably from one school, teacher, and student to another, raising the question of whether their overall effect on the teaching and learning process is, on balance, beneficial or detrimental.

The available literature does not offer a settled answer to this question. As highlighted above, some studies conducted among Nigerian and West African secondary school populations report that the use of platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is significantly and positively related to students' academic performance and to improved communication, collaboration, and access to learning resources (Olowo et al., 2020; Sampson & Ebong, 2019). Other studies, conducted among comparable secondary school populations, report that the same platforms foster addiction, distraction, and a measurable decline in academic achievement when usage is not properly regulated (Shaib et al., 2020). Even studies focused specifically on teachers' instructional use of social media report that the extent of use, and the nature of the challenges encountered, differ significantly according to factors such as gender and school type (Augustine & Eteng-Uket, 2025), suggesting that the effect of these tools is neither uniform nor easily generalised across different school settings.

This lack of consensus, combined with the rapid and largely unregulated pace at which social media tools are being absorbed into the daily academic lives of Nigerian senior secondary school students and their teachers, presents a genuine problem for school administrators, curriculum planners, and education policymakers. Without a clear, locally grounded understanding of which social media tools are actually being used in the teaching and learning process, the extent to which they are utilised, their effect on academic performance, and the specific challenges that accompany their use, schools are poorly positioned either to harness the demonstrated benefits of these tools or to guard effectively against their demonstrated risks. It is this problem that the present study sought to address, by systematically investigating the effect of social media tools on the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

This study investigated the effect of social media tools on the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools. The specific purposes of the study include:

1. to identify the social media tools commonly used by teachers and students in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools.

2. to determine the extent to which social media tools are utilised in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools.

3. to examine the effect of social media tools on students' academic performance in senior secondary schools.

4. to identify the challenges associated with the use of social media tools in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions were raised to guide the investigation:

1. What social media tools are commonly used by teachers and students in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools?

2. To what extent are social media tools utilised in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools?

3. What is the effect of social media tools on students' academic performance in senior secondary schools?

4. What are the challenges associated with the use of social media tools in the teaching and learning process in senior secondary schools?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested to guide the study:

1. There is no significant relationship between the use of social media tools and students' academic performance in senior secondary schools.

2. There is no significant difference in the extent of utilisation of social media tools for teaching and learning between male and female students in senior secondary schools.

3. There is no significant difference in the challenges encountered in the use of social media tools between teachers and students in senior secondary schools.

4. There is no significant relationship between teachers' use of social media tools and the effectiveness of the teaching process in senior secondary schools.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be of value to a wide range of stakeholders in the education sector. To classroom teachers, the study will provide evidence-based insight into which social media tools are most commonly and most effectively used for instruction, thereby helping them make more informed decisions about incorporating these tools into their lesson delivery and assessment practices. To students, the findings may draw attention to both the learning benefits and the risks associated with social media use, encouraging more purposeful and disciplined engagement with these platforms for academic purposes.

To school administrators and proprietors, the study offers a practical basis for developing school-level policies on the acceptable use of social media tools for instructional purposes, including guidance on how to maximise their benefits while minimising the risk of distraction and misuse. To curriculum planners and officials of the Ministry of Education, the findings may inform the development of guidelines or training programmes for the pedagogically sound integration of social media tools into secondary school teaching. To parents and guardians, the study's findings may provide useful guidance on how to support their children's productive use of social media for academic purposes at home. Finally, the study is expected to contribute to the growing body of Nigerian and West African literature on the role of social media in secondary education, and to serve as a reference point for future researchers wishing to examine similar questions in other schools or to track how these effects evolve as digital technology and social media platforms continue to change.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study was restricted to senior secondary school teachers and students. The content of the study was limited to four specific dimensions of the subject, namely, the social media tools commonly used in the teaching and learning process, the extent to which these tools are utilised, their effect on students' academic performance, and the challenges associated with their use. In addition, the study examined whether the extent of utilisation of social media tools differed significantly between male and female students, and whether the challenges encountered differed significantly between teachers and students. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and relied on data obtained through a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of teachers and students drawn from selected senior secondary schools. The study did not extend to junior secondary school students, tertiary institution students, or out-of-school youths, and it did not evaluate specific social media platforms in isolation from the broader category of social media tools.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

A number of limitations are acknowledged in the conduct of this study. First, because the study relied on a self-administered questionnaire, responses regarding the extent of social media use and its perceived effect on academic performance may be subject to social desirability or recall bias, as respondents may over-report or under-report their actual usage patterns. Second, because academic performance was assessed largely through self-report and perception rather than through direct access to official examination results for every respondent, the reported relationship between social media use and performance should be interpreted with some caution. Third, constraints of time and resources limited the number of schools and respondents that could be reached, which may affect how fully the sample represents the wider population of senior secondary school teachers and students. Finally, as a cross-sectional study, the research captured teachers' and students' social media use and its perceived effects at a single point in time and could not track how these patterns and effects might change over the course of an academic session. Despite these limitations, a well-structured and validated research instrument was adopted to ensure that the findings remain reliable and useful for the purposes of the study.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

For the purposes of clarity, the following terms are defined as they were used within the context of this study:

Social Media: Internet-based applications and platforms that enable users to create, share, and exchange information, ideas, and content within virtual communities and networks.

Social Media Tools: Specific social media platforms and applications, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Twitter (X), Instagram, and TikTok, that are used, in this context, to support the teaching and learning process.

Teaching: The deliberate process through which a teacher imparts knowledge, skills, and values to learners in order to bring about desired learning outcomes.

Learning: The process through which a student acquires new knowledge, skills, understanding, or values, whether within or outside the formal classroom setting.

Teaching and Learning Process: The combined set of activities, interactions, and resources through which teachers deliver instruction and students engage with, and acquire, academic content.

Effect: The measurable influence, whether positive or negative, that the use of social media tools has on the teaching and learning process and on students' academic performance.

Senior Secondary School: A post-basic level of education in the Nigerian education system, comprising Senior Secondary 1 to 3 (SS1–SS3), which prepares students for examinations such as the WASSCE and NECO.

Academic Performance: The measurable level of a student's achievement in academic work, typically reflected in test scores, examination results, or overall class grades.

Utilisation: The degree or extent to which a tool, resource, or platform is actively used for a given purpose, in this case, for teaching and learning activities.

REFERENCES

Augustine, S. E., & Eteng-Uket, S. (2025). Social media utilization for instructional delivery and student assessment in Obio Akpor secondary schools, Rivers State: Types, extent, and challenges. American Journal of Creative Education, 8(2), 26–42.

DataReportal. (2025). Digital 2025: Nigeria. DataReportal – Global Digital Insights. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-nigeria

Kwaah, C. Y. (2024). Social media use among basic school teachers in Ghana: Exploring opportunities and challenges. Cogent Education, 11(1), Article 2310978. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2310978

Ngonso, B. F., Ukhurebor, K. E., Egielewa, P. E., Ndunagu, J. N., & Yaah-Nyakko, N. K. (2024). Impact of social media on secondary schools' youths within Edo North, Edo State, Nigeria: A psychological perspective. Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, 11(1), 181–192. https://doi.org/10.20448/jeelr.v11i1.5419

Nneji, C. C., Urenyere, R., Ukhurebor, K. E., Ajibola, S., & Onaseso, O. O. (2022). The impacts of COVID-19-induced online lectures on the teaching and learning process: An inquiring study of junior secondary schools in Orlu, Nigeria. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Article 1054536. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1054536

Olowo, B. F., Alabi, F. O., Okotoni, C. A., & Yusuf, M. A. (2020). Social media: Online modern tool to enhance secondary schools students' academic performance. International Journal on Studies in Education, 2(2), 90–102.

Sampson, N. M., & Ebong, M. S. (2019). Social media utilization and academic performance of students studying geography in public secondary schools in Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Theory and Application in Elementary and Secondary School Education, 1(2), 25–57. https://doi.org/10.31098/ijtaese.v1i2.32

Shaib, E. O., Jimoh, N. O., & Ramon, S. A. (2020). Social media tools and its effect on secondary school students' academic achievement in The Gambia. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 8(1), 38–51.