Patterns, Perceptions and Educational Impacts of Social Media Use among Secondary School Students in Liberia

Abstract

Despite the growing integration of social media into students’ daily lives, there remains a paucity of empirical research on its academic implications within the Liberian educational sector. This study examined the relationship between social media use and students’ academic performance among secondary school students in Liberia. The study was grounded in Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised secondary school students, from which a sample of 229 respondents was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-constructed questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential techniques, specifically the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, with the aid of SPSS. The findings revealed that students extensively use social media platforms for communication and learning-related activities; however, excessive usage was associated with adverse academic outcomes. The analysis established a statistically significant moderate negative relationship between time spent on social media and academic performance (r = – 0.36, p < 0.05), indicating that increased engagement with social media corresponds with reduced academic effectiveness. The study is significant as it provides empirical evidence to guide educational policy and practice in Liberia. It emphasizes the need for structured integration of digital technologies into teaching and learning, alongside strategies to regulate and optimize students’ use of social media for academic purposes.