Effect of Time Spent on Facebook Social Networking Platform on Learner Academic Achievement in Computer Studies in Public Secondary Schools, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The use of Facebook Social Networking Platform (FSNP) boost pedagogical interactions between students and teachers which impacts on learner academic achievement. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of time spend on FSNP on learner academic achievement in Computer Studies in public secondary schools, Nairobi County, Kenya. The objective was to establish the difference in learner academic achievement between learners who spent different amounts of time on FSNP and those who did not. The study targeted form three students taking Computer Studies. Quantitative data was obtained using pre-test and post-tests scores and qualitative data using a questionnaire and lesson observation. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 250 students from 3 boys’ and 3 girls’ public secondary schools which offer Computer Studies. Descriptive statistics computed included frequencies, means, variances and standard deviation. Inferential statistics included ANOVA and t tests. Findings shown a statistically significant differences in learner academic achievements between learners who spent different amount of time on FSNP and those who did not; t statistic [t (110) = 10.10, p = .00] and [t (145) = 11.37, p = .00] for the post-test mean scores of the students who spent regulated time (less than 3) and unregulated time (more than 3) hours per day on the platform respectively for five weeks. The study concluded that time spend on FSNP has a positive effect on learner academic achievement among Computer Studies students and that regulating the time students spend on the platform enable them to post higher achievement.