PERCEPTION ON THE USE AND IMPACT OF FACEBOOK AND WHATSAPP FOR ACADEMIC INFORMATION BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL

Abstract

Facebook and WhatsApp are social network platforms that have enhanced communication, Information sharing, and absorption, They are tools for social change and  Knowledge assimilation their importance cannot be overemphasized which necessitate this study to investigate the perception of use and impacts of Facebook and WhatsApp for academic information for undergraduate students in Nigeria. The study uses Purposive sampling  in selection of two universities situated in Abuja Municipal, one private and one public university,  The research design adopted for this study was the descriptive survey research design with total enumeration of 2,010 undergraduate students from six departments (building, architecture, information technology, foundations, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering) the study further adopts simple random sampling technique and proportionate sampling technique to select a sample of 335 undergraduate students drawn from the six departments under study statistically determined using Yamane’s mathematical model.  The hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Finding shows that undergraduates use both Facebook and WhatsApp for their academic endeavours, the frequency of use is high, the platforms aid learning, and the positive impacts negate the negativity, the findings further revealed that WhatsApp is a better platform for collaboration in comparison to Facebook and despite the academic benefits, negative side effects are noted. Use and awareness of WhatsApp and Facebook for academic information correlated.   The challenges pointed out by undergraduates is that, it is time-consuming and High-cost internet subscription, appropriate recommendations were made.

Keywords:  Perception, Impact, Utilization, Facebook, WhatsApp, Undergraduate, Students, Universities