TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
DECLARATION
APPROVAL ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES x
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACCRONYMS xi
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS xii
ABSTRACT xiii
CHAPTER ONE 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Scope of Study 4
1.4 Objectives of the Study 4
1.4.1 General Objective 4
1.4.2 Specific Objectives 4
1.5 Research Questions 4
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1.6 Significance of theStudy.5
1.7 Conceptual Framework 5
CHAPTER TWO 6
LITERATURE REVIEW 6
2.0 Introduction 6
2.1 Social Media Overview 6
2.2 Exposure to Social Media 7
2.3 Gender and Social Media Usage 7
2.4 Age and Social Media Usage 8
2.5 Social Media and Learning 9
2.6 Usage of Social Media and Educational Attainment 10
2.7 Problems of Social Media Use 10
2.7.1 Addictiveness 10
2.7.2 Cyberbullying 11
2.7.3 Privacy concerns 11
2.7.4 Narcissism 12
2.8 Summary of Literature Review 12
CHAPTER THREE 14
METHODOLOGY 14
3.0 Introduction 14
3.1 Research Design 14
3.2 Study Area 14
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3.3 Study Population .14
3.4 Sampling Procedure 14
3.5 Study Variables 15
3.6 Data Management, Processing and Analysis 15
3.6.1 Data Collection Methods 15
3.6.3 Data Analysis 16
3.7 Quality Control 16
3.8 Ethical Consideration 16
3.9 Assumptions of the study 17
3.10 Limitations to and Delimitations of the Study 17
3.10.1 Limitations to the Study 17
3.10.2 Delimitations of the study 17
CHAPTER FOUR 18
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 18
4.0 Introduction 18
4.1 Response Rate 18
4.2 Background Data 18
4.3 Analysis of Research Questions 19
CHAPTER FIVE 25
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 25
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 25
5.0 Introduction 25
vii
5.1 Discussion ~25
5.2 Conclusion 26
5.3 Recommendations 26
REFERENCES 27
APPENDICES 31
Appendix 1: Questionnaire 31
Appendix 2: Consent and Declaration Form 34
Appendix 3 : Permission Letter 35
Appendix 4: Correspondence 36
Appendix 5: MAP OF KITGUM MUNICIPALITY, KITGUM DISTRICT 38
ABSTRACT The purpose of this research study was to examine the influence of social media on educational attainment of students in selected secondary schools in Kitgum Municipality, Kitgum District. Five research questions guided the study. To achieve this, the descriptive survey research design was adopted. The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of students to participate in the study. The study also employed the use of cross-sectional survey method using a five-point Likert Type Rating Scale Questionnaire titled Social Media and educational Attainment of Students Questionnaire (SMEAS) to collect data from the participants. The descrz~tive statistics of frequency counts and percentage were used to analyze the demographic data and major concepts of the research. The research findings showed that a great number of students (30.5%) in the selected secondaiy schools in Kitgum Municipality, Kitgurn district are addicted to social media irrespective of their age, sex and education level. To this end the researcher recommended that the government, through the relevant authorities, should remove taxes on online educational SNSs which provide avenues for discussions amongst students; school management bodies and the government should adopt the use of social media in the teaching-learning process since it has got a sign~Icant influence on students’ educational attainment. However, adequate control mechanisms should be formulated in this regards so as to check against social media misuse in schools. Parents should, at all times, impart good morals on their children so as to create consciousness of what they share online. This will help guard against instances of cyber-bullying, exposure to pornographic materials privacy encroachment, among others; and~ students should create online social learning groups for academic consultations and discussions amongst themselves and their teachers.
