Perception of students on the usefulness of social media in dissemination of COVID-19 information in Anambra state

Abstract

This study investigated students’ perception on the usefulness of social media in dissemination of covid-19 information in Anambra state. The study made use of survey research method to study 381 respondents selected from three higher institutions in Anambra State – Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam campus and Paul University, Awka. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents studied. Four objectives of study formulated for this study are to ascertain Anambra State students’ level of exposure to social media for seeking information on COVID-19 pandemic, ascertain the students’ attitude towards use of social media for information on Covid-19 pandemic, find out the type of information on COVID-19 they mostly sought from social media, and to find out their perception on the role played by social media in disseminating information on COVID-19 pandemic. The study was anchored on the Uses and Gratifications Theory. The study found that students in Anambra state depended greatly on social media for Covid-19 information during the pandemic.