RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS OF THE HIGHER TECHNICAL TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE (HTTTC) BAMBILI-THE UNIVERSITY OF BAMENDA

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine the relative contribution of social media platforms on students’ academic performance in the HTTTC Bambili of the University of Bamenda. A mixed research design constituting of the survey and the correlational research designs were used. The Taro Yamane formula was used to obtain a sample size of 222 respondents, drawn from a target population of 500 HTTTC students. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the students. A questionnaire whose validity was established and whose reliability was determined using the Cronbach alpha reliability was used in collecting relevant data. The research questions were answered using the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r) and the coefficient of determination (r2), while the hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using the p-values for correlation. The findings revealed among other things that 52.4% of the variations in students’ academic performance can be accounted for by their usage of social media platforms. It was therefore recommended among other things that The University of Bamenda should assist parents to provide learners with electronic gadgets such as android phones, laptops, desktops, palmtops, Ipad, gadgets that will help learners to access information for academic purposes on social media platforms