ABSTRACT
Academic performance is an important element to the lives of students in schools and their progression to the career world. Several factors indicate a student’s academic success. While some may not graduate top of their class, they may hold leadership positions in several student groups or score high on extracurricular activities. The title of this paper is “Social Networking and Academic Performance of University Students in Kenya: A Case Study of Kenyatta University, Kericho Campus.” General objective of the study was to assess the impact of social network on academic performance of University students in Kenya: A case study of Kenyatta University, Kericho Campus. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: to determine the effect of peer interaction on academic performance; to investigate the effect of studentlecturer interaction on academic performance; and to analyse the effect of engaging in social network on academic performance. The total population was 582; while after computing using Taro Yamen’s formula, the sample size was 250. Cross-sectional survey research design employed the use of the closed survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire was administered to students in Kenyatta University, Kericho Campus, Kenya. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The piloted data was analysed to calculate its reliability, and special attention was given to relevance of survey questionnaire and clarity of instructions for this research. Results of the study showed that students of Kenyatta University, Kericho Campus, have access to social media and that their exposure to social media is to a very great extent. Findings also show that exposure to social media has effect on the students and that the effect is positive. Based on the findings, the paper concludes that exposure to social media by the undergraduate students of Kenyatta University has Positive effect on their academic performance. To this end, the paper recommends that the students should pay critical attention to social networking usage, focusing more on using social networking in their academic-related activities. The significance of this study was to the university students to know how best to use social media networks as tool for improving their academic performance, to scholars in furthering the relationship between social networking and academic performance, to the government and other stakeholders in improving the implementation of IT in universities.
