Academic Usage of Social Media and The Impact of Social Media Used in Online Distance Learning on Mathematics/Statistics Performance

Abstract

The study was aimed to determine the impact of social media used on mathematics/statistics through online distance learning (ODL) among pre-diploma and diploma business management students enrolling for Intensive Mathematics (MAT037), Business Mathematics (MAT112), Mathematics with Business Applications (MAT111) and Introduction to Statistics (QMT181) courses of academic session November 2020 – January 2021 in a public university in Malaysia. The quantitative research design was employed in which samples were selected using cluster sampling method. From 53 academic groups of students taking MAT037, MAT111, MAT112, and QMT181, 21 groups were selected randomly. All students from 21 groups selected were chosen as samples. An online survey was conducted in January 2021 during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) Phase 3 period (1st January 2021 – 31st March 2021). During this period of time, Malaysian public universities were still conducting teaching and learning activities via ODL. A total of 539 pre-diploma and diploma business management students of ages between 18 years to 23 years old participated in the study. Findings of the study revealed that WhatsApp was the most favourite used social media platform among the students, followed by Instagram, YouTube, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat. Male students were found to favour Facebook while female students favoured Twitter, Pinterest, and Telegram more than males. Older (20 – 23 years old) and senior (Part 2 and higher) students preferred to use Twitter while Instagram and Pinterest users were higher among younger (18 – 19 years old) and junior (Pre-diploma/Part 1) students. Twitter users were also higher among students residing in urban areas, enrolling in insurance discipline of study, and taking statistics course. Combination of YouTube, Telegram, and/or WhatsApp used with lecturers’ supervision, guidance, and collaboration during ODL had significantly affected mathematics/statistics performance while there was no significant effect between the combination of YouTube, Telegram, and/or WhatsApp when social media were used without lecturers’ supervision, guidance, and collaboration. Results of the study also revealed that mathematics/statistics performance for groups who frequently used YouTube and groups who frequently used Telegram were significantly higher than groups who frequently used WhatsApp. Thus, it is concluded that YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp can be beneficial and effective as educational tools in supporting mathematics/statistics learning with lecturers’ supervision, guidance, and collaboration. According to the results, Instagram was students' second-most-used social media, so lectures and students should use Instagram to support and supplement mathematics/statistics learning.