Challenges in the Use of Social Media among Students of Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State

Abstract

The study focused on the challenges of utilising social media among Library and Information Science students at Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. The research aimed to examine the challenges Library and Information Science students face in using social media while at school. Five specific objectives and five research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study population was 54 LIS students at the 300 level, and the sampling technique was enumeration, using the entire population. The data collection instrument was a self-structured questionnaire titled CUSMLISSNDUBSQ. The study used tables, frequency counts, and simple percentages for data analysis. The findings of the study were: Some popular social media sites pose challenges to education to a higher extent; social media addiction negatively affects students’ academic performance to a high extent; students’ use of colloquial words in text messages affects their education to a high extent; students’ use of Google+ reduces zeal for reading textbooks, thereby limiting information to a high extent; and students’ overdependence on accessing information on social media reduces their ability to retain what has been learnt to a high extent. The study recommended that: The University library should proactively organise workshops and training programmes focused on leveraging social media for academic research, information dissemination, and professional networking; the LIS department should integrate social media literacy into its curriculum; practical assignments could encourage students to actively engage with relevant online communities and contribute professionally; and the University administration should invest in improving internet access and infrastructure across campus.