INVESTIGATION OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS’ USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE ATTAINMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION OBJECTIVES IN SABON GARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT, KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated Teachers and Students’ usage of social media in the attainment of Secondary Education
objectives in Sabon Gari Local Government, Kaduna State. It became imperative to examine the extent of attainment
of Secondary School Education objectives in this study especially with the reoccurring use of Social Media both by
Teachers and Students in Schools. Its use and incursion into the secondary schools is not without any obstacles, some
of these are teacher quality, students’ readiness to learn, availability and level of use of its infrastructure, learning
environment, resource inputs, teaching process, classroom, principals’ supervisory roles and parental level of support
to their studies. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population for the study was comprised
of all SS III students and selected teachers from two (2) secondary schools namely ABU Demonstration School, Samaru
and Therbow Schools, Zaria. There are two thousand, six hundred and fifty (2,650) SS III Students from both Schools.
One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty (1,880) Male and Female Students are from ABU Demonstration School,
Samaru and Seven Hundred and Seventy (770) Male and Female Students are from Therbow Schools, Zaria. Out of
these figures, a sample size of Three Hundred and Thirty - five (335) respondents were selected at random for the study.
A self - designed and validated instrument titled “Questionnaire on Teachers/Students Social Media usage on the
attainment of Secondary Education Objectives (QTSSMUS)” was used to elicit information from the respondents. The
research instrument was subjected to both face and construct validity measures for consistency. The reliability of the
instrument was ensured at 0.89 reliability coefficient. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency
counts and mean values. The results of this study revealed that the use of Social Media by Teachers has greatly helped
in providing technical knowledge and vocational skills to Students for Educational and Socio Economic purposes. The
discussions of analysis undertook in this research question attest to this fact. Respondents believed that the perceived
purpose for the use of Social Media to cater for Students’ individual differences in talents can thus positioned them for
a better future career. It was unanimously agreed by all respondents that as the Teachers’ view and accept to use Media
in Classrooms so also is the extent to which Students’ usage of it would assist to identify their talents. Majority of the
Students’ respondents therefore believed that Media greatly help to appreciate the Country’s broad National goals and
live as responsible citizens of the study area, this being a major objective of Secondary School Education in Nigeria.
The study recommended that Teachers should carefully guide their Students on what type of Social Media they should
use especially for their Studies that would enhance their career and vocational developments. Teachers themselves
should be more aware and knowledgeable on the various Social Media they can use in the Classrooms and discard
those not useful for the attainment of Secondary Education objectives. On their part, Students should explore the use
of Social Media to their Educational advantage such as sourcing for information regarding their studies and career
perspectives. The implications of all these to counseling is such that: